The Mediterranean Diet is a priceless cultural legacy, a balanced lifestyle that includes recipes, cooking methods, local produce and other customs that are good for the heart, such as the siesta and sociability.
Among the many beneficial properties for our health, the Mediterranean Diet is characterised by its use of fats that are good for the heart, such as olive oil and fat from blue fish and nuts (the famous Omega 3 and Omega 6). The main bases of the diet are cereals and vegetables accompanied by a small amount of meat and other animal-based products (which are used here as a ‘garnish’). Its use of seasonal fruit and vegetables, aromatic herbs and seasonings provides us with a large variety of vitamins and minerals.
These are the basic features of the Mediterranean Lifestyle, summarised in a decalogue:
1. Use olive oil as the main fat for cooking and dressing.
2. In general, unprocessed, fresh and seasonal foods should be used. Vegetable-based produce should be consumed in abundance (fruit, vegetables, legumes and nuts).
3. Bread and cereal-based foods (pasta, rice, etc.), preferably wholemeal, should also be consumed on a daily basis.
4. Eat dairy produce, mainly yoghurt and cheese, on a daily basis.
5. Red meat should be eaten in moderation and if possible as a constituent part of stews and other recipes, because processed meats, such as sausages, should only be consumed in small amounts (e.g. peas with small pieces of ham).
6. Eat fish in abundance (preferably blue fish, such as salmon, anchovies, sardines, etc.) and eggs in moderation.
7. Choose mainly fruit as a dessert. Pastries and other sweet foods should only be eaten on an occasional basis.
8. Water is the Mediterranean Diet’s drink par excellence. Adults who drink wine should do so in moderation and preferably as part of a meal.
9. Do physical exercise every day. Keeping yourself physically active is very important if you want to stay healthy.
10. Eating with family, friends or work colleagues gives us a moment of respite to socialise and enjoy the food. And it also encourages children to try new foods and eat everything. Taking a nap after eating relaxes the muscles and mind, which helps increase concentration, performance and creativity.
Here are some menu ideas to encourage you to follow the Mediterranean Diet, you will see how easy it is!
Adult menu
Children’s menu (3-12 years old)
Adolescent menu (13-17 years old)
Aisulu Giménez
Nutritionist
Mediterranean Diet: adults
| Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday | Sunday | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Breakfast | Coffee with skimmed milk and brown sugar Wholemeal toast with olive oil and tomato Grapefruit juice | Coffee with skimmed milk and brown sugar Biscuits Kiwi fruit | Coffee with skimmed milk and brown sugar Wholemeal bread with olive oil and Iberian ham Banana | Coffee with skimmed milk and brown sugar Wholemeal toast with Burgos cheese and honey Orange | Coffee with skimmed milk and brown sugar Homemade sponge cake Pear | Coffee with skimmed milk and brown sugar Wholemeal toast with avocado Strawberries | Coffee with skimmed milk Wholemeal cereal and banana with milk |
| Mid-morning | Tea or infusion Biscuits | Tea or infusion Raw hazelnuts | Tea or infusion Walnuts | Tea or infusion Biscuits | Tea or infusion Almonds | Tea or infusion Dark chocolate | Tea or infusion Walnuts |
| Lunch | Rocket, tomato and mozzarella salad Seafood paella Pear | Spinach, cucumber, walnut and olive salad White beans with clams Plums | Green beans with potatoes Meatballs in tomato sauce Mandarins | Spaghetti with pesto sauce Salmon and roasted vegetables Kiwi fruit | Mixed salad Veal and potato stew Mixed fruit salad | Lamb´s lettuce, tomato, radish, olive and walnut salad Chickpeas with prawns Pineapple | Cream of mushroom soup Rabbit with garlic Mixed fruit salad |
| Mid-afternoon | Yoghurt | Apple | Orange juice | Yoghurt with oatmeal | Curds with honey | Apple | Homemade crème caramel |
| Dinner | Sautéed vegetables with chicken breast Strawberries | Bass baked on a bed of potatoes and onion Yogurt | Cream of pumpkin soup Pork loin with red peppers Grapes | Scrambled eggs with wild asparagus Pineapple | Gazpacho Sardines en papillote Melon | Scrambled eggs with mushrooms and onion Yoghurt | Steamed vegetables (broccoli, carrots, courgettes) Kiwi fruit |
* All meals should include water and bread (preferably wholemeal).
* Eat with family, friends or colleagues.
* Do physical exercise.
Frequency of consumption and food servings
| Foods | Frequency of consumption | Measurements at home of raw items before cooking |
|---|---|---|
| Water | 4-8 servings a day | 1 glass or small bottle |
| Dairy products | 2-4 servings a day | 1 glass/ 1 cup of milk; 2 units of yoghurt;2-3 slices of cheese/ 1 individual portion |
| Bread, cereals, pasta, rice and potatoes | 4-6 servings a day | 3-4 slices; 2 handfuls or normal plate of rice/pasta; 1 large potato or 2 small |
| Vegetables | 2 servings a day (one of which raw or in a salad) | 1 dish of mixed salad; 1 dish of cooked vegetables; 1 large tomato, 2 carrots |
| Fruit | At least 3 servings a day | 1 medium piece or 2 small (mandarins, plums); 1 slice of melon; 1 cup of strawberries, cherries |
| Olive oil | 3-6 servings a day | 1 soup spoon |
| Legumes | 2-4 servings a week | 2 handfuls or 1 normal dish |
| Nuts | 3-7 servings a week | 1 small handful or 18-20 hazelnuts |
| Fish and seafood | 3-4 servings a week | 1 small boneless fillet. At least two of the servings should be blue fish |
| Lean meat and poultry | 3-4 servings a week | 1 small fillet; ¼ chicken, rabbit |
| Eggs | 3-4 servings a week | 1 medium egg |
| Sausages and fatty meat | Occasional and in moderation | 10 thin slices of chorizo; 2 slices of cooked or Serrano ham |
| Sweets, snacks and soft drinks | Occasional and in moderation | 2 level dessert spoons of sugar; 1 small unit; 1 package juice |
| Margarine, butter | Occasional and in moderation | 1 dessert spoon;1 medium-sized unit |
| Wine/beer | Optional and in moderation (adults) | 1 glass/ 1 small bottle (1/5) |
Mediterranean Diet: children
| Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday | Sunday | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Breakfast | Full-fat milk with cocoa powder Biscuits Kiwi fruit | Full-fat milk Toast and jam Mandarin | Yoghurt with cereals Fresh orange juice | Full-fat milk Toast with olive oil and tomato Watermelon | Full-fat milk with cocoa powder Biscuits Banana | Full-fat milk Homemade sponge cake Pear | Full-fat milk Toast with butter and jam Melon |
| Mid-morning | Turkey breast sandwich | Cocoa milk Biscuits | Cheese and quince sandwich | Fruit milkshake | Serrano ham sandwich | Fruit shake with yoghurt | Curds with honey |
| Lunch | Cream of pea soup Chicken and vegetable stew Mixed fruit salad | Rice with tomato Breaded hake Nectarine | Lentil purée with vegetables Pork tenderloin Kiwi fruit | Macaroni a la carbonara Grilled courgette slices Orange | Pumpkin purée Chicken breast with mushrooms Grapes | Mixed salad Seafood paella Plums | Tomato and mozzarella cheese salad Chickpea, spinach and cod stew Peach |
| Mid-afternoon | Apple | Mixed sandwich | Banana | Homemade sponge cake Drinking yoghurt | Yoghurt with oat flakes and honey | Cheese sandwich | Mixed fruit salad |
| Dinner | Mixed salad Boiled eggs au gratin Yoghurt | Vegetable pizza Strawberries | Gazpacho Courgette San Jacobo Milk | Cream of courgette soup Tenderloin stuffed with ham and cheese Pineapple | Lettuce, raisin and walnut salad Roasted chicken wings Mandarin | Noodle soup Homemade ham croquettes Yoghurt | Broccoli with potatoes Salmon en papillote Cherries |
* All meals should include water and bread (preferably wholemeal).
* Eat with family, friends or colleagues.
* Do physical exercise.
Frequency of consumption and food servings
| Foods | Frequency of consumption | Measurements at home of raw items before cooking |
|---|---|---|
| Water | 4-8 servings a day | 1 glass or small bottle |
| Dairy products | 2-4 servings a day | 1 glass/ 1 cup of milk; 2 units of yoghurt;2-3 slices of cheese/ 1 individual portion |
| Bread, cereals, pasta, rice and potatoes | 4-6 servings a day | 3-4 slices; 2 handfuls of normal dish of rice/pasta; 1 large potato or 2 small |
| Vegetables | 2 servings a day (one of which raw or in a salad) | 1 dish of mixed salad; 1 dish of cooked vegetables; 1 large tomato, 2 carrots |
| Fruit | At least 3 servings a day | 1 medium piece or 2 small (mandarin, plums); 1 slice of melon; 1 cup of strawberries, cherries |
| Olive oil | 3-6 servings a day | 1 soup spoon |
| Legumes | 2-4 servings a week | 2 handfuls or 1 normal dish |
| Nuts | 3-7 servings a week | 1 small handful or 18-20 hazelnuts |
| Fish and seafood | 3-4 servings a week | 1 small boneless fillet. At least two of the servings should be blue fish |
| Lean meat and poultry | 3-4 servings a week | 1 small fillet; ¼ chicken, rabbit |
| Eggs | 3-4 servings a week | 1 medium egg |
| Sausages and fatty meat | Occasional and in moderation | 10 thin slices of chorizo; 2 slices of cooked or Serrano ham |
| Sweets, snacks, soft drinks | Occasional and in moderation | 2 level dessert spoons of sugar; 1 small unit; 1 packaged juice |
| Margarine, butter | Occasional and in moderation | 1 dessert spoon; 1 medium-size unit |
Mediterranean Diet: adolescents
| Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday | Sunday | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Breakfast | Milk with wholemeal cereals and banana | Cocoa milk Homemade lemon sponge cake Apricot | Cocoa milk Wholemeal toast with oil and tomato Orange juice | Yoghurt with wholemeal cereals and walnuts Pear | Cocoa milk Biscuits Mixed fruit salad | Cocoa milk Toast with butter and jam Kiwi fruit | Cocoa milk Pancakes with chocolate and strawberries |
| Mid-morning | Iberian ham sandwich | Figs | Egg salad sandwich | Banana | Mixed sandwich | Fruit shake | Toast with salmon and avocado |
| Lunch | Macaroni with tomato sauce and meatballs Grapes | Mixed salad Potatoes in green sauce with hake Yoghurt | Lentils with vegetables Grilled pork sirloin Mixed fruit salad | Rice with steamed vegetables Grilled salmon Peach | Crème of carrot soup Roast chicken Grapes | Chickpea salad Roast ribs Pineapple | Gazpacho Beef lasagne Melon |
| Mid-afternoon | Plums | Almonds | Apple | Watermelon | Banana | Nectarine | Apple |
| Dinner | Cream of mushroom soup Grilled turkey Yoghurt | Corn pancakes stuffed with vegetables and sautéed chicken Pineapple | Green beans and sautéed potatoes with garlic and ham Cherries | Homemade ham and cheese pizza Curds with honey | Chard, tomato, avocado and mandarin salad Fried anchovies | Aubergine stuffed with vegetables and tuna Orange | Tomato, olive and onion salad Grilled cuttlefish with lemon Peach |
* All meals should include water and bread (preferably wholemeal).
* Eat with family, friends or colleagues.
* Do physical exercise.
Frequency of consumption and food servings
| Foods | Frequency of consumption | Measurements at home of raw items before cooking |
|---|---|---|
| Water | 4-8 servings a day | 1 glass or small bottle |
| Dairy products | 2-4 servings a day | 1 glass/ 1 cup of milk; 2 units of yoghurt;2-3 slices of cheese/ 1 individual portion |
| Bread, cereals, pasta, rice and potatoes | 4-6 servings a day | 3-4 slices; 2 handfuls or 1 normal dish of rice/pasta; 1 large potato or 2 small |
| Vegetables | 2 servings a day (one of which raw or in a salad) | 1 dish of mixed salad; 1 dish of cooked vegetables; 1 large tomato, 2 carrots |
| Fruit | At least 3 servings a day | 1 medium piece or 2 small (mandarin, plums); 1 slice of melon; 1 cup of strawberries, cherries |
| Olive oil | 3-6 servings a day | 1 soup spoon |
| Legumes | 2-4 servings a week | 2 handfuls or 1 normal dish |
| Nuts | 3-7 servings a week | 1 small handful or 18-20 hazelnuts |
| Fish and seafood | 3-4 servings a week | 1 small boneless fillet. At least two of the servings should be blue fish |
| Lean meat and poultry | 3-4 servings a week | 1 small fillet; ¼ chicken, rabbit |
| Eggs | 3-4 servings a week | 1 medium egg |
| Sausages and fatty meat | Occasional and in moderation | 10 thin slices of cooked or Serrano ham |
| Sweets, snacks and soft drinks | Occasional and in moderation | 2 level dessert spoons of sugar; 1 small unit; 1 packaged juice |
| Margarine, butter | Occasional and in moderation | 1 dessert spoon; 1 medium-sized unit |
La informació i les recomanacions que apareixen aquí són per a la població en general.
Picture: Pixabay
