Food & nutrition
Mediterranean-Style Eating With Everyday Foods
Mediterranean-style eating describes an overall pattern rather than a list of imported foods. You can use local ingredients and familiar recipes. The aim is to make vegetables, beans, whole grains, and unsaturated fats regular parts of your meals.
What to do next
- Choose vegetables and fruit regularly, with whole grains and beans or other legumes.
- Use an unsaturated oil, such as olive oil, in place of butter when it fits the recipe.
- Include fish or other appropriate protein choices and reduce the frequency of processed and fatty meats.
- Keep sugary drinks and highly processed snacks occasional rather than making them the foundation of the day.
Make the plan fit your health needs
You do not need to start drinking wine to follow this pattern. If you have food allergies, kidney disease, or a prescribed nutrition plan, adapt these ideas with your care team. No single eating pattern guarantees a particular weight or cholesterol result.
Put it into practice
Try adapting a meal you already like: add beans and vegetables to a grain bowl, or replace part of a processed-meat meal with lentils. Ask your dietitian how portions fit your goals. A workable pattern should respect your budget, culture, appetite, and cooking equipment.
Notes for your next visit
Write these in your own notes or on a printed copy. Bring them to your follow-up.
- A familiar meal I want to adapt:
- The vegetable, bean, or whole grain I will add:
- One substitution I can repeat next week:
Sources and further reading
General education for adults. Follow your clinician’s individual plan and the current instructions for your prescribed product. If instructions conflict, ask your clinician or pharmacist to clarify. For a medical emergency, call 911.