Go Mediterranean for Lunch or Dinner

Quick Win

The nutritious ingredients in this plant-based, whole grain diet support overall health — and the flavor will make your taste buds sing.

Try This Today

• Make veggies the main event. Go all in on colorful vegetables like spinach or kale, bell peppers, broccoli, tomatoes, carrots and fresh herbs.
• Choose wisely. Use plant sources of protein, such as chickpeas or lentils, or omega-3-rich fish, such as salmon, instead of red meat. Replace butter and generic “vegetable oil” with healthy sources of fat, like olive oil or nuts.
• Looking for a recipe? Try our filling, flavor-packed Chickpea Quinoa Bowl, Garlic Roasted Salmon and Brussels Sprouts or Mediterranean Lettuce Wraps.

Why

It’s no surprise that the Mediterranean diet is the front-runner year after year in U.S. News and World Report’s annual rankings. With a foundation of vegetables, fruits, beans, seafood and healthy fats such as olive oil, this traditional diet is nutritious and flavorful — the best of both worlds — and has been linked to a host of health benefits. A review of studies, published in 2021 in the Journal of Internal Medicine, found strong evidence that Mediterranean-style eating may lower the risk of cardiovascular disease and help protect cognitive function, among other benefits.