Navigating the world of nutrition can be challenging, but in Florida, resources are available to help individuals and families make informed food choices and manage their food budgets effectively. Florida Nutrition Education courses are designed to help individuals and families make healthy food choices and best use of their food budgets. Feeding Florida’s food banks across the state work with individuals and families on a daily basis, providing nutritious food and helping them find access to resources and support services. Our food banks also provide Florida Nutrition Ed classes in every county. Florida Nutrition Ed focuses on helping the individuals and families we serve to develop healthy habits- from food choices to increasing physical activity. Changing your routine and taking little actions can really create a lasting change.
Tips for Eating Better, Saving Money, and Moving More
Not sure where to start? Check out some of our tips that will get you eating better, saving money, and moving more.
- Plan Your Meals: Planning meals ahead of time can help you make healthier choices and reduce impulse purchases.
- Shop Smart: Utilize shopping lists and compare prices to get the most out of your food budget.
- Stay Active: Incorporate physical activity into your daily routine to improve overall health.
Understanding the Mediterranean Diet
One popular and beneficial eating pattern is the Mediterranean Diet. The Mediterranean Diet is a way of eating that emphasizes plant-based foods and healthy fats. You focus on overall eating patterns rather than following strict formulas or calculations. Researchers have linked these eating patterns with a reduced risk of coronary artery disease (CAD). Today, healthcare providers recommend this eating plan if you have risk factors for heart disease or to support other aspects of your health. A dietitian can help you modify your approach as needed based on your medical history, underlying conditions, allergies and preferences.
Core Components of the Mediterranean Diet
In general, you’ll eat:
- Lots of vegetables, fruit, beans, lentils and nuts.
- A good amount of whole grains, like whole-wheat bread and brown rice.
- Plenty of extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) as a source of healthy fat.
- A good amount of fish, especially fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids.
- A moderate amount of natural cheese and yogurt.
- Little or no red meat, choosing poultry, fish or beans instead of red meat.
- Little or no sweets, sugary drinks or butter.
- A moderate amount of wine with meals (but if you don’t already drink, don’t start).
Benefits of Adopting the Mediterranean Diet
The Mediterranean Diet has many benefits, including:
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- Lowering your risk of cardiovascular disease, including a heart attack or stroke.
- Supporting a body weight that’s healthy for you.
- Supporting healthy blood sugar levels, blood pressure and cholesterol.
- Lowering your risk of metabolic syndrome.
- Supporting a healthy balance of gut microbiota (bacteria and other microorganisms) in your digestive system.
- Lowering your risk for certain types of cancer.
- Slowing the decline of brain function as you age.
- Helping you live longer.
How the Mediterranean Diet Achieves These Benefits
The Mediterranean Diet has these benefits because it:
- Limits saturated fat and trans fat. You need some saturated fat, but only in small amounts. Eating too much saturated fat can raise your LDL (bad) cholesterol. A high LDL raises your risk of plaque buildup in your arteries (atherosclerosis). Trans fat has no health benefits. Both of these “unhealthy fats” can cause inflammation.
- Encourages healthy unsaturated fats, including omega-3 fatty acids. Unsaturated fats promote healthy cholesterol levels, support brain health and combat inflammation. Plus, a diet high in unsaturated fats and low in saturated fat promotes healthy blood sugar levels.
- Limits sodium. Eating foods high in sodium can raise your blood pressure, putting you at a greater risk for a heart attack or stroke.
- Limits refined carbohydrates, including sugar. Foods high in refined carbs can cause your blood sugar to spike. Refined carbs also give you excess calories without much nutritional benefit. For example, such foods often have little or no fiber.
- Favors foods high in fiber and antioxidants. These nutrients help reduce inflammation throughout your body. Fiber also helps keep waste moving through your large intestine and helps maintain healthy blood sugar levels. Antioxidants protect you against cancer by warding off free radicals.
The Mediterranean Diet includes many different nutrients that work together to help your body. There’s no single food or ingredient responsible for the Mediterranean Diet’s benefits. Instead, the diet is healthy for you because of the combination of nutrients it provides.
Mediterranean Diet Food List
The Mediterranean Diet encourages you to eat plenty of some foods (like whole grains and vegetables) while limiting others. From colorful veggies to crunchy seeds, there's a wide range of nutritious foods to choose from when following a Mediterranean Diet.
Mediterranean Diet: Serving Goals and Sizes
A fridge and pantry full of nutritious foods are great for starters. But where do you go from there? How much of each food do you need? It’s always best to talk to a dietitian to get advice tailored to your needs as you get started. The chart below offers some general guidance on serving goals and serving sizes, according to the type of food.
| Food | Serving Goal | Serving Size | Tips |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fresh fruits and vegetables | Fruit: 3 servings per day; Veggies: At least 3 servings per day | Fruit: ½ cup to 1 cup; Veggies: ½ cup cooked or 1 cup raw | Have at least 1 serving of veggies at each meal; Choose fruit as a snack. |
| Whole grains and starchy vegetables (potatoes, peas and corn) | 3 to 6 servings per day | ½ cup cooked grains, pasta or cereal; 1 slice of bread; 1 cup dry cereal | Choose oats, barley, quinoa or brown rice; Bake or roast red skin potatoes or sweet potatoes; Choose whole grain bread, cereal, couscous and pasta; Limit or avoid refined carbohydrates. |
| Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) | 1 to 4 servings per day | 1 tablespoon | Use instead of vegetable oil and animal fats (butter, sour cream, mayo); Drizzle on salads, cooked veggies or pasta; Use as dip for bread. |
| Legumes (beans and lentils) | 3 servings per week | ½ cup | Add to salads, soups and pasta dishes; Try hummus or bean dip with raw veggies; Opt for a veggie or bean burger. |
| Fish | 3 servings per week | 3 to 4 ounces | Choose fish rich in omega-3s, like salmon, sardines, herring, tuna and mackerel. |
| Nuts | At least 3 servings per week | ¼ cup nuts or 2 tablespoons nut butter | Ideally, choose walnuts, almonds and hazelnuts; Add to cereal, salad and yogurt; Choose raw, unsalted and dry roasted varieties; Eat alone or with dried fruit as a snack. |
| Poultry | No more than once daily (fewer may be better) | 3 ounces | Choose white meat instead of dark meat; Eat in place of red meat; Choose skinless poultry or remove the skin before cooking; Bake, broil or grill it. |
| Dairy | No more than once daily (fewer may be better) | 1 cup milk or yogurt; 1 ½ ounces natural cheese | Choose naturally low-fat cheese; Choose fat-free or 1% milk, yogurt and cottage cheese; Avoid whole-fat milk, cream, and cream-based sauces and dressings. |
| Eggs | Up to 1 yolk per day | 1 egg (yolk + white) | Limit egg yolks; No limit on egg whites; If you have high cholesterol, have no more than 4 yolks per week. |
| Red meat (beef, pork, veal and lamb) | None, or no more than 1 serving per week | 3 ounces | Limit to lean cuts, such as tenderloin, sirloin and flank steak. |
| Wine (optional) | 1 serving per day (females); 2 servings per day (males) | 1 glass (3 ½ ounces) | If you don’t drink, the American Heart Association cautions you not to start drinking; Talk to your healthcare provider about the benefits and risks of consuming alcohol in moderation. |
| Baked goods and desserts | Avoid commercially prepared baked goods and desserts; Limit homemade goods to no more than 3 servings per week | Varies by type | Instead, choose fruit and nonfat yogurt; Bake using liquid oil instead of solid fats; whole grain flour instead of bleached or enriched flour; egg whites instead of whole eggs. |
Creating a Mediterranean Diet Meal Plan
It’s important to consult with a primary care physician (PCP) or dietitian before making drastic changes to your diet or trying any new eating plan. They’ll make sure your intended plan is best for you based on your individual needs. They may also share meal plans and recipes for you to try at home.
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In general, when thinking about meals, you’ll want to collect some go-to options and recipes for breakfasts, lunches, dinners and snacks. The more variety, the better. You don’t want to get stuck in a rut or feel like you’re restricted in which foods you can or should eat. Luckily, there’s plenty of room for changing things up with the Mediterranean Diet.
Mediterranean Diet: Meal Examples
Here are some examples of meals you might enjoy.
- Breakfast: Get your day going strong with breakfasts like:
- Steel-cut oats with fresh berries and ground flaxseed.
- Whole-grain toast with nut butter and a nutritious smoothie.
- Greek yogurt topped with fruit and walnuts.
- Egg white omelet with fresh, seasonal veggies.
- Lunch: For midday nutrition and a powerful energy boost, consider: You may want to prepare some lunches the day before so they’re ready to pack or grab from the fridge as needed.
- Dinner: Wrap up the day with a hearty, nutrient-packed entree like: For some added nutrients and color, throw together a side salad - like a sesame cucumber salad or a fennel, orange and mint salad. To keep things simple, try drizzling mixed greens with a nutritious Mediterranean dressing.
- Snacks: Portion and prepare snacks ahead of time so they’re ready when you need them. Here are some ideas of what to keep at the ready:
- A handful of nuts and seeds (low salt or no salt added).
- Fresh fruit, ideally local and in-season.
- Nonfat Greek yogurt and a small piece of dark chocolate (at least 70% cacao).
- Whole-grain crackers with hummus.
- Raw veggies with a nonfat Greek yogurt dip.
Foods to Limit on the Mediterranean Diet
The Mediterranean Diet doesn’t set hard and fast rules for what you’re allowed or not allowed. Rather, it encourages you to eat more of certain foods and limit others.
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