The Mediterranean diet is one of the most researched and most prescribed eating plans for weight loss, heart health, and many conditions in between. Research has linked it to better health outcomes, including lower rates of Type 2 diabetes, stroke, heart issues, cancer, and even better cognitive health.
Yet many people still have misconceptions about the Mediterranean diet: mainly that it’s expensive and difficult. “I think that people just have to be told that it is affordable and it’s quite easy,” says Joan Saldge Blake, clinical professor of nutrition at Boston University, author of the book Nutrition & You, and the host of the nutrition podcast Spot On!
The pillars of the Mediterranean diet include eating more vegetables, whole grains, fish, and olive oil, and consuming minimal amounts of alcohol, red meat, and saturated fats. Getting good amounts of physical and social activity is a core tenet of the lifestyle plan, too. But you don’t have to overhaul your diet overnight. “Try to take one one or two small steps at a time, and you’ll eventually get there,” says Angel Planells, a registered dietitian in Seattle and spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
We spoke to experts about easy ways to start adopting the Mediterranean diet.
Embrace frozen and canned produce
Americans are woefully behind on their produce intake. Only about 12% of U.S. adults ate the recommended amount of fruit, and 10% ate enough vegetables, according to the latest analysis by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention..
A great way to start getting more produce on your plate is through your freezer and pantry, Blake says. When you’re first learning to prepare fresh fruits and vegetables, they can become expensive—especially if they end up rotting away, forgotten, in a fridge drawer. Since grocery bills have skyrocketed over the last few years, that can make the shift even more daunting. But Blake points out that frozen and canned produce can carry the same nutrients in an easier-to-store, more cost-effective format.
“Some people think, ‘Oh, I’ve got to cook from scratch, and everything’s got to be fresh,’” says Blake. “And the answer is, ‘No, it does not.’”
It’s also easier to deal with. “Canned and frozen produce is cleaned, chopped, and ready to go. It’s like having Rachael Ray in your freezer and pantry,” she says. “Fresh is not always best.”
Choose frozen or canned seafood
Fresh seafood is also often pricey, but it’s not a requirement that your seafood be fresh, either.
“It could be frozen. It could be out of a can,” Blake says. Tuna and salmon also come packaged in a pouch, which is “extremely, extremely affordable and really, really good for you based on the science that we have today,” she says.
For time-strapped Americans, frozen and canned foods can help speed things along, reduce food waste, and ensure that there’s always some kind of produce at the ready.
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“These are as nutritious as fresh, and they’re convenient, and this way you don’t have to go back to the supermarket more than once a week,” she says. She also recommends checking out your local supermarket’s deals to see what’s on sale that week.
Diversify your protein sources
“We get kind of fixated that it has to be animal protein, and that’s clearly not the case,” says Planells. For animal protein, the Mediterranean diet favors seafood and leaner cuts of meat, and it also recommends plant-based sources of protein like beans and lentils.
Despite rising grocery costs, a May 2026 report from the American Farm Bureau Federation finds that “America’s demand for meat continues to grow.” As of July, ground beef prices were up 10% from the same time in 2025.
“Everyone wants protein, protein, protein, but we’re going to go broke,” says Planells.
Swap in leaner cuts and types of meat, embrace eggs, and try more plant-based protein like tofu, beans, nuts, and seeds, he recommends, which both comply with the Mediterranean diet and might end up being a cost effective and healthier trade.
You can also add leaner, greener proteins into meaty dishes you already like. “If you’re going to make a chili, what you can do instead of putting in like 2 lbs of ground beef is put in 1 lb of lean ground beef and double up or triple up on beans,” Blake suggests. “You cut the cost of that meal per serving, and you also decrease the saturated fat and increase the fiber per serving.”
Take baby steps
“Whatever way people eat, whatever way they shop, it would be better to try to look into their life and try to make small, gradual changes in what they’re doing than trying to give them the pathway to excellence,” says Planells. Instead of fried foods, opt for baked, grilled, or steamed. In terms of meats, pick leaner cuts. Choose healthier snacks, like nuts or yogurt, instead of products like chips. Swap in whole grains like quinoa, brown rice, and whole wheat pasta instead of processed versions.
“Every time we have a meal or snack, it’s an opportunity to try to make it as nutrient-rich as possible,” says Planells.
When Planells works with a patient, he often suggests making one small diet-related and physical-related change a week.
Movement is just as key to the Mediterranean lifestyle as the food is. When researchers originally started studying the diets and lifestyles of people in the region, Blake says, they found that physical activity was an important part. “We really need to start getting movement in our life as a habit,” says Blake.
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