Are you looking for a healthy, delicious eating plan to help you to eat less meat? The Mediterranean Diet may be your answer. This eating plan gets high marks for its focus on plant-based foods, small amounts of lean protein-especially fish, and use of olive oil, nuts, seeds, and avocados rather than other types of fats. The diet has also been found to help prevent cancer, heart disease, diabetes, depression, and conditions such as Alzheimers and Dementia.

The Mediterranean Diet flips the table on a meat-focused eating style by pairing vegetable dishes with small servings of fish and poultry (4-6 ounces). Meals are often a combination of a few small plates with the focal point as vegetables. Add small amounts of beans, whole grains, and olive oil as the main healthy fat, and you’re starting to get the concept. Eat cheeses like feta in small amounts and use them mostly to boost flavour. Sweets such as our traditional baked goods are not on the menu. Eat what is fresh and in season to maximize taste and nutrients. The synergistic effects of all of the healthy foods on this eating plan means that the diet is high in antioxidants, phytochemicals, fibre, healthy fats, and other important nutrients.

The simplest way to visualize the diet is to use the pyramid, created by a non-profit organization called Old Ways. The largest part of the pyramid is reserved for fruits, vegetables, grains, nuts, seeds, olive oil, fresh herbs and beans. These should be eaten every day. The second, smaller part of the pyramid is for fish and seafood, which should be eaten at least 2 times per week. The next layer of the pyramid includes small amounts of poultry, cheese and yogurt. Eat these foods only a few times or less each week. The tiny top-most part of the pyramid is for meats and sweets. Eat these foods only a few times a month. Interesting to note is the comment on culture at the bottom of the pyramid, encouraging us to be active, eat together, and celebrate the social aspects of food.

Step 1: Eat More Fruits and Vegetables

A simple way to start your way into this eating plan is to add more fruits and vegetables to your diet. See if you can eat them at every meal! (Yes, even breakfast!) Plant based foods are the cornerstone of the Mediterranean Eating Plan. Try to fill your plate half full of vegetables-the more colours the better. By adding more servings of vegetables and fruits, you will be increasing your fibre intake, feeling full sooner, and eating more vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients that are important for keeping you healthy. Strive to eat at least 5-10 servings of fruits and vegetables a day. 

What’s a serving?  

• ½ cup of cooked vegetables 
• 1 cup of leafy greens 
• 1 fruit   

Try this Feta Beet Salad recipe from Jessica Penner, RD, to help get you started on your vegetable-focused path.

Simple Food Swaps to Get You Started

Here are some simple food swaps to jump-start you onto your journey:

• Snack on veggies with hummus rather than chips
• Top your salads with nuts, chickpeas, and sliced avocados rather than cheese and croutons
• Try Greek Yogurt with berries and a bit of honey rather than having ice cream

Enjoy the journey on your way to better health while helping save the planet by eating less meat. For other tips on eating less meat and why it matters, check out our post here.

For some inspired cookbooks on the Mediterranean Diet, try The Complete Mediterranean Cookbook by America’s Test Kitchen, 5-Ingredient Mediterranean Cookbook, by Denise Hazime, and The Blue Zones Kitchen 100 Recipes to Live to 100, by Dan Buettner.

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