Mediterranean Diet Guide

If you think a Mediterranean Diet can be summarized by eating fish and olive oil, you are missing so much more! Follow this easy to reference guide to help make meal choices, healthier substitutions, and work toward combatting general inflammation.

10 SIMPLE RULES FOR SUCCESS

1.       Eat protein at every meal.

2.      Eat vegetables at least twice daily.

3.      Drink water before reaching for a snack.

4.      Use olive oil instead of butter or vegetable oil.

5.      Eat fruit when craving sweets.

6.      If it comes in a box, read the ingredients.

7.      Try to fill half your plate with vegetables.

8.      Fish, chicken, turkey, eggs, and beans should be your primary proteins.

9.      Choose whole grains over white bread, white rice, and sugary cereals.

10.     If you're hungry, eat more protein first—not more snacks.

IF YOU REMEMBER ONLY 5 THINGS

1. Use olive oil instead of butter.

2. Eat vegetables at every meal.

3. Choose fish or chicken more often than red meat.

4. Eat fruit instead of sweets.

5. Avoid processed foods whenever possible.

For similar information in a more detailed format, read on for more insight:

✅ EAT MORE OF:
Vegetables- Unlimited 🥗 Salad Greens🌿 Spinach🥦 Broccoli🥦 Cauliflower🫑 Peppers🥒 Cucumbers🍅 Tomatoes🥒 Zucchini🌱 Asparagus🫛 Green Beans	Healthy Proteins 🐟 Fish (Salmon, Tuna, Cod, Sardines)🦐 Shrimp🍗 Chicken Breast🦃 Turkey🥚 Eggs🥣 Greek Yogurt🫘 Beans🫘 Lentils🧆 Chickpeas	Fruits, 1–3 Servings 🫐 Berries🍎 Apples🍊 Oranges🍇 Grapes🍑 Peaches🍐 Pears🍈 Melons
Healthy Fats 🫒 Extra Virgin Olive Oil🥑 Avocados🌰 Almonds🌰 Walnuts🌰 Pistachios🌱 Seeds	Healthy Carbs 🥣 Oatmeal🍚 Brown Rice🌾 Quinoa🍠 Sweet Potatoes🍞 Whole Grain Bread🍝 Whole Grain Pasta

❌ EAT LESS OF:
Avoid or Greatly Limit 🥤 Soda🍬 Candy🍪 Cookies🎂 Cakes🍩 Donuts🥔 Chips🍔 Fast Food🍟 Fried Foods🌭 Processed Meats🍞 White Bread🥣 Sugary Cereals📦 Frozen Processed Meals	Limit 🥩 Red Meat🥓 Bacon🌭 Sausage🧈 Butter🍨 Ice Cream🍺 Alcohol

HEALTHIER SUBSTITUTIONS:

❌  Instead of this…	✅ Replace it with this!
Butter	Extra virgin olive oil
Vegetable oil	Extra virgin olive oil
White bread	Whole grain bread
White rice	Brown rice or quinoa
Chips	Nuts
Candy	Fruit
Ice cream	Greek yogurt with berries
Hamburger	Grilled chicken or fish
Deli meat	Chicken, tuna, or turkey
Soda	Water or sparkling water
Sugary cereal	Oatmeal

EVERY MEAL SHOULD HAVE:

🥦 ½ Plate = Vegetables

🐟 ¼ Plate = Protein      (Fish, chicken, turkey, beans, eggs)

🍠 ¼ Plate = Healthy Carbs      (Brown rice, quinoa, sweet potato, whole grains)

🫒 Add Healthy Fat      (Olive oil, avocado, nuts)

EASY SNACKS:

• Apple + almonds

• Greek yogurt + berries

• Carrots + hummus

• Cottage cheese + fruit

• Walnuts

• Hard-boiled eggs

• Cucumbers + hummus

SIMPLE MEAL IDEAS:

Breakfast

🥣 Greek yogurt + berries + nuts

🍳 Eggs + whole grain toast + fruit

🥣 Oatmeal + protein powder + berries

🍳 Omelet with vegetables + fruit

🥛 Protein shake + banana

🧀 Cottage cheese + fruit

Lunch

🥗 Grilled chicken salad with olive oil dressing

🌯 Turkey wrap on a whole grain tortilla + vegetables

🐟 Tuna salad + whole grain crackers + fruit

🍗 Chicken + brown rice + vegetables

🫘 Bean bowl with vegetables and avocado

🥚 Hard-boiled eggs + salad + fruit

Dinner

🍗 Chicken breast + rice + vegetable

🐟 Salmon + sweet potato + asparagus

🦃 Turkey burger (no bun or whole grain bun) + vegetables

🥩 Lean steak + roasted vegetables + sweet potato

🦐 Shrimp + rice + broccoli

🫘 Lentil soup + salad

🍝 Whole grain pasta + chicken + vegetables

Quick “No Cooking” Meals

🥣 Greek yogurt + fruit + granola

🧀 Cottage cheese + fruit

🐟 Tuna packet + crackers + apple

🥚 Hard-boiled eggs + fruit

🍗 Rotisserie chicken + bagged salad

🥤 Protein shake + banana

EASY WAYS TO SNEAK IN MORE PROTEIN:

Add cottage cheese to: Mashed potatoes, Scrambled eggs, Mac and cheese, Pasta dishes

Add extra egg whites to: Scrambled eggs, Omelets, Breakfast sandwiches

Add Greek yogurt to: Smoothies, Oatmeal, Fruit bowls, Sauces and dips

Add cheese to: Eggs, Vegetables, Salads

Add beans to: Soups, Salads, Rice bowls

Add extra chicken to: Pasta, Salads, Rice dishes

EASY PROTEIN BOOSTERS TO KEEP ON HAND:

🥚 Hard-boiled eggs

🧀 Cottage cheese

🥣 Greek yogurt

🍗 Rotisserie chicken

🐟 Tuna packets

🥤 Protein powder

🧀 String cheese

 🌰 Nuts

🫘 Roasted edamame

🥛 Fairlife milk

 Protein Goal Shortcut A very simple rule for most adults: Try to get 20–30 grams of protein at each meal.

Examples:

• 3 eggs + cottage cheese = ~25g

• Greek yogurt + protein powder = ~30g

• Chicken breast = ~30–40g

• Salmon fillet = ~25–35g