From veganfoodandliving.com
What does Ariana Grande eat in a day? Vegan YouTuber Merle O'Neal tried her plant-based diet and shared the surprising results
With powerhouse vocals, chart-topping hits, and a starring role as Glinda in the Wicked films, Ariana Grande is no stranger to the spotlight. But beyond the stage and screen, fans have long been curious about a different part of her routine: the Ariana Grande diet.
It’s widely known that Grande follows a predominantly plant-based lifestyle, but the details of what she actually eats on a day-to-day basis remain largely private, known only to her personal chefs and trainers.
So, what does Ariana Grande eat in a day? That’s exactly what Merle O’Neal set out to discover.
An actor and internet creator known for her vegan food vlogs, sex-positive content, and deep-dives into shady brands and industries, Merle took on the challenge of eating like Ariana for 24 hours, without the star’s support network of personal chefs, trainers, and gurus.
She documented the entire experience on her YouTube channel, offering a refreshingly down-to-earth glimpse into what a vegan celebrity diet might actually look like in real life.
Is Ariana Grande vegan?
Yes, Ariana Grande has identified as vegan, citing both animal rights and health as key reasons behind her choice.
“I love animals more than I love most people, not kidding,” she told The Mirror in 2014. “But I am a firm believer in eating a full plant-based, whole-food diet that can expand your life length and make you an all-round happier person.”
That said, Grande has also drawn criticism for wearing clothing containing animal products, like real leather, fur, suede, feathers and even mother‑of‑pearl detailing, at public events, prompting some to question how vegan her wardrobe truly is.
She also came under fire when she promoted Starbucks’s Cloud Macchiato. Despite encouraging fans to ‘try the soy version,’ vegans spotted egg whites in the foam and dairy in the caramel, making the drink non‑vegan.
For these reasons, some fans and commentators prefer to describe her as ‘plant-based’ rather than strictly vegan. Whatever the label, her approach to food is largely animal-free and focused on health.
In taking on the challenge, Merle set out to discover what makes Ariana Grande so 'small and mighty'. Photo © Ariana Grande/Instagram
What does Ariana Grande eat?
Ariana Grande is famously private when it comes to her personal life, and that includes her diet and food choices. While she’s stated that she follows a plant-based, whole-food lifestyle, the specifics aren’t always easy to pin down.
Merle expressed that celebrities like Ariana have access to resources regular people don’t, with personal trainers and even gurus offering valuable health and nutrition advice.
Well, Merle wanted to get this information, but she wanted it for free. This was part of the motivation behind taking on this challenge.
In a hunt for knowledge, she pieced together clues from Grande’s Instagram stories, along with interviews given by her personal chef and trainer. The emerging picture suggests a macrobiotic-influenced approach, with an emphasis on clean, simple foods.
What is a macrobiotic diet?
The macrobiotic diet is rooted in Zen Buddhism, and it extends beyond the food its followers eat to cover food, cookware, and even exercise, making it more of a lifestyle practice than a diet.
Under the macrobiotic diet, there’s a focus on balance, simplicity, and harmony with nature. Some of the many principles of a macrobiotic diet include:
- Cooking and storing food in natural materials such as wood and glass.
- Chewing food thoroughly while eating.
- Keeping drinks simple, avoiding caffeine and alcohol.
- Avoiding nightshade vegetables, like tomatoes, aubergine, and peppers.
While this diet is focused on health and balance, it is also highly restrictive. So Merle set off to find out, is it easy to eat like Ariana Grande for a day?
Eating vegan like Ariana Grande for a day
Merle began her day by shopping for Ariana Grande diet essentials. Her basket included fresh fruit, coconut water, tofu, roasted seaweed, and a No Cow protein bar – all items thought to reflect Ariana’s approach to food. She then put together a full day of meals inspired by the singer’s reported habits.
Meal 1: Breakfast oats
Score: B+
Merle started strong with a post-workout bowl of oats topped with nut butter, blueberries and whole almonds. Usually, she’d add cinnamon, but Grande reportedly avoids it, so Merle left it out.
She described Ariana Grande’s breakfast as tasty and filling, giving it a solid, but not outstanding, rating of B+.
What she’d change: Use sliced or pulsed almonds instead of whole ones (they were tough to chew), and add more fruit like banana or raspberries for flavour and fibre.
Snack 1: Protein bar and coconut water
Score: Unspecified
The mid-morning snack was a chocolate peanut butter-flavoured vegan protein bar. It was not a brand directly endorsed by Ariana, but a practical choice.
To wash it down, Merle opted for sugar-free coconut water, which Grande is known to drink regularly. Coconut water is high in potassium, magnesium and phosphorus, making it a solid hydration choice.
Meal 2: Avocado toast
Score: B-
Lunch was avocado toast, a regular breakfast choice for Merle. However, in stark contrast to her usual, protein-rich toppings, Ariana usually enjoys a stripped-back version.
No hemp seeds, chilli flakes or added protein. Just mashed avocado with salt and pepper, in keeping with Ariana’s reported preference for uncomplicated foods.
While Merle usually prefers a little more substance to her meals, claiming to frequently take her avocado toast from offering 10 grams of protein to a whopping 36 grams of protein per meal, she accepts that she could learn something from this ‘bare bones’ approach.
“Simplicity is important in life,” she reflected, but ultimately, she wants more from her lunch.
“There are so many ways you can use your avocado as a conduit for good,” she said, appealing directly to Grande through the screen.
“As the Good Witch, you should understand.”
What she’d change: Add more to the meal to boost the nutritional value, particularly the protein content.
Snack 2: Roasted seaweed
Score: B (upgraded to A for nutrition)
Merle expected roasted seaweed (nori) to be a good source of protein, but it turns out that wasn’t the case, with just 3.5g per pack.
Certain that Grande wouldn’t be eating it if there wasn’t some nutritional benefit, Merle resolved to get to the bottom of the health benefits of seaweed snacks.
She found it to be rich in iodine, potassium, and vitamins A, B1, B2 and C. Additionally, she stressed that just two sheets can meet your daily vitamin needs in some areas.
Overall, she enjoyed the nori, but only conditionally. Merle originally gave Ariana’s snack a score of B, but upgraded it to an A after unveiling its nutritional benefits.
Meal 3: Sweet potato rice bowl
Score: A
Dinner was the surprise favourite: a rice bowl with baked sweet potato coins (sprinkled with cinnamon) and pan-fried tofu. Merle used leftover rice mixed with black beans, adding extra fibre and nutrients while cutting down on waste.
She was apprehensive about a dish where sweet potato was treated like a dessert, but found the cinnamon and sweet potato combo unexpectedly delicious.
“Oh my god, the cinnamon sweet potatoes are really good… maybe I get the dessert sweet potato thing now,” she gushed.
Far from the exclusive, high-end celebrity meal she might have imagined, Merle found that this dinner was similar to something she’d make for herself on an ‘easy’ day.
What she’d change: Nothing. Although it wasn’t exactly ‘reinventing the wheel’, this meal was simple, tasty, and filling.
The verdict
Merle described eating like Ariana Grande for a day as one of her more down-to-earth food challenges. There were no obscure ingredients or complex preparation routines, just whole, familiar, plant-based foods, often prepared in simple ways.
Merle’s key takeaways from the challenge:
- Coconut water is more enjoyable than she remembered
- Cinnamon on sweet potatoes is officially a win
- Nori deserves more love (for taste and nutrition)
- Celebrity diets aren’t always extreme; sometimes, they’re just thoughtful and balanced
Merle ended the challenge feeling full after a balanced day of eating, including satisfying ingredients like sweet potatoes and rice.
And a day of eating plant-based meals like Ariana Grande wasn’t only more filling than expected, it also helped to debunk the myth that celebrities have access to mystical foods that keep them young and healthy forever.
While Merle implies that celebs may ‘get work done’ alongside eating regular food, it’s clear that when it comes to diet, many ‘just eat clean and keep it to the basics,’ which is far more accessible than personal chefs and dieticians.
Find more from Merle O’Neal on YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok
https://www.veganfoodandliving.com/features/what-ariana-grande-eats-vegan-plant-based-diet/
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