Beyoncé food philosophy ‘I think it’s important to cook at much as possible from scratch; that way you have complete control over what you’re eating. I always try to shop locally and eat seasonally, so as much as I love, say, strawberries and asparagus, I wouldn’t buy them out of season. In my fridge today there’s plain Greek yoghurt, Parmesan cheese, a good strong Cheddar, lots of veggies, two water filters (I drink a lot of water), homemade chutney and jam (made by friend Barbara who has an allotment) and butter, which I don’t eat very often but I do like to use for baking.
‘Although vegetables are usually the main ingredient in anything I cook, I don’t believe there’s any such thing as a bad food, only a bad diet. This was one of the first things I was taught at university – of course, some foods are healthier than others – but it’s the sum of what you eat over the course of the day or the week that’s most important. Providing most of what you eat most of the time is healthy, there’s no need to feel guilty about the odd indulgence.’
Beyoncé Weight Loss Diet & Workout Plan Photo Gallery
Beyoncé’s daily diet
Breakfast ‘On weekdays in the summer, I usually eat muesli with yoghurt. Most shopbought muesli has too much dried fruit so I make my own – I’m sure it tastes better! In the winter, I’ll have porridge, or at the weekends, a cinnamon bagel with peanut butter. I’ll also have four cups of coffee in the morning – I’m a bit of a snob so I buy beans from Coffee Plant on Portobello Road in London.’ Lunch ‘In summer I’ll have salad or an omelette, and in winter it’s often soup.
Beyoncé love making soup, because it’s quick, easy and so good for you. I rarely follow a recipe, it just depends what’s in the fridge or what looks good at the market. Another standby in winter is baked beans on toast. I like to pimp my beans by adding sliced cherry tomatoes, spring onions and a good pinch of chilli flakes. I also drink a fruit or mint tea after meals.’
Dinner ‘Although I always advise people to plan ahead if possible, and write a menu for the week ahead, it’s not something I manage to do myself, so evening meals are often a bit of pot luck and depend on what’s in the fridge. I love spicy food so often it’s something such as chicken stir-fry with plenty of veg and noodles or vegetable curry. If time’s short, I still cook from scratch, but it would be something quick and easy – baked salmon with couscous is a favourite.’ Weight-loss secrets ‘If I’m trying to lose weight, I go for eggs for breakfast – because the protein helps stave off mid-morning hunger pangs – then a hearty, veg-based soup for lunch, because you can have a generous portion for not very many calories.
In the evening, I’d have a stir-fry or a vegetable curry. Things I try to avoid are avocados and nuts, both of which I love, and wine (which I also enjoy). Both nuts and avocado are full of fat and, even though it’s good/healthy fat, all fat is loaded with calories. ‘Fortunately, I don’t have a sweet tooth so I don’t find it hard to resist cakes and biscuits. Crisps and salty snacks are another matter, but I just don’t buy them!’ Can’t live without ‘I have a real weakness for Cornish pasties, but they have to be the real deal. My favourite pasties are from Philps in Hayle (philpspasties.co.uk), but as I don’t go to Cornwall very often, I don’t eat them very regularly. I also love pizza and that’s a regular Friday night treat, but they’re always homemade and topped with lots of veggies.’
