26 Mediterranean Diet Lunches That Are Diabetes-Friendly

By

Updated on August 9, 2024

Reviewed by Dietitian

Jessica Ball, M.S., RD

Fact checked by

Christa Brown, M.S., RDN, LD

Goddess Veggie Bowls with Chicken

With its focus on healthy ingredients, like fruits, veggies, whole grains, olive oil, legumes and eggs, the Mediterranean diet makes it simple to eat a little healthier. These lunches highlight the foods prized in the Mediterranean diet and stick to complex carbs and heart-healthy levels of saturated fat and sodium, so you know you have a diabetes-friendly meal at the ready when lunchtime arrives.

Recipes like our Goddess Veggie Bowls with Chicken and Egg Salad English-Muffin Sandwich make for healthy midday meals that will power you through the afternoon.

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Savory Oatmeal with Tomato & Sausage

Savory Oatmeal with Tomato & Sausage

Oats get a new life in this savory dish, serving as the backbone for a satisfying combo of sausage, greens, tomatoes and herbs.

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Kale & Avocado Salad with Blueberries & Edamame

Kale & Avocado Salad with Blueberries & Edamame

Bursting with nutrient-rich produce, this California-inspired salad is a delicious and satisfying way to get your vitamins. We love the unique combination of blueberries, edamame and goat cheese.

03 of 26

Spiced Grilled Chicken with Cauliflower "Rice" Tabbouleh

Spiced Grilled Chicken with Cauliflower "Rice" Tabbouleh

Chicken breasts on the grill have a smoky flavor that's enhanced with an easy spice rub. We chose flat-leaf parsley in this salad because it has a stronger herbal taste than its sometimes-bitter curly counterpart.

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Goddess Veggie Bowls with Chicken

Goddess Veggie Bowls with Chicken

Dark green dinosaur kale contrasts with the warm tones of bell peppers and tomatoes in these hearty chicken and veggie bowls.

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Spring Veggie Wraps

Spring Veggie Wraps

A tangy tahini-ginger-soy mixture both marinates the tofu and serves as a sauce for this colorful veggie wrap recipe. Look for spinach tortillas for an additional pop of green.

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Quick Tortilla Soup

Quick Tortilla Soup — Brie Passano

This hearty, veggie-packed soup packs a bit of heat, thanks to the tomatoes and green chiles! If you prefer things milder, swap in a 15-ounce can of no-salt-added diced tomatoes and add 2 teaspoons of low-sodium taco seasoning.

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Veggie & Hummus Sandwich

Veggie & hummus sandwich — Photographer: Fred Hardy, Food Stylist: Margaret Monroe Dickey

This mile-high vegetable and hummus sandwich makes the perfect heart-healthy vegetarian lunch to-go. Mix it up with different flavors of hummus and different types of vegetables, depending on your mood.

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Egg Salad English-Muffin Sandwich

Egg Salad English-Muffin Sandwich — Brie Passano

When you boil eggs ahead of time, it's easy to create a lickety-split and delightful lunchtime egg salad. And using the flavorful leafy carrot tops in it is like getting herbs for free.

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Shrimp Salad with Peanut Dressing

Shrimp Salad with Peanut Dressing

Using applesauce in the peanut dressing lends a sweet, tart flavor that pairs wonderfully with shrimp.

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Farro Salad with Arugula, Artichokes & Pistachios

Farro Salad with Arugula, Artichokes & Pistachios

Precooked farro makes this dish come together in no time. And you can make it in the same bowl you serve it in, minimizing cleanup!

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Chicken & Veggie Quesadilla

Chicken & Veggie Quesadilla

This easy quesadilla recipe uses canned cooked chicken to save time. You can also use leftover cooked chicken or turkey if you have it. Dice the vegetables up to one day ahead for even speedier prep.

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Catchall Lunch Salad

Catchall Lunch Salad

This easy salad is great for using up any small amounts of leftover canned foods and produce you have on hand.

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Lentil Bowls with Fried Eggs & Greens

Lentil Bowls with Fried Eggs & Greens

Lentils are a quick and easy protein. We like French green lentils, which hold their shape when cooked.

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Salami & Farro Salad

Salami & Farro Salad

This farro salad is savory, tangy and briny. Chewy farro creates the perfect base for bold flavors from salami, banana peppers, and sun-dried tomatoes, while radicchio adds a delightful pop of color.

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Salmon & Quinoa Bowls with Green Beans, Olives & Feta

Salmon & Quinoa Bowls with Green Beans, Olives & Feta

This flavorful and easy salmon quinoa bowl is a meal that keeps on giving. Pack up any leftovers from dinner for a next-day lunch, or make the entire recipe ahead and pack it into individual serving containers for ready-to-go meals.

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Thai Zucchini Salad (Larb)

Thai Zucchini Salad (Larb)

Larb is a classic salad with roots in Laos and Thailand. It typically features seasoned ground meat and lots of herbs and vegetables. Here, we use summer squash and quinoa for a satisfying veggie-based version.

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Winter Kale & Quinoa Salad with Avocado

Winter Kale & Quinoa Salad with Avocado

Precooked quinoa helps keep this healthy salad recipe quick and simple. Loaded with black beans, kale, and avocado, this recipe is as filling as it is nutritious. You can also make the sweet potatoes and dressing ahead.

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Homemade Chicken Tenders with Everything Bagel Seasoning over Salad

Homemade Chicken Tenders with Everything Bagel Seasoning over Salad

Using everything bagel spice is a quick way to season and add extra crunch to breadcrumbs for chicken tenders. If you can't find any premixed, make your own by combining equal parts dried minced onion and garlic, poppy seeds, sesame seeds, salt and ground pepper. Make the chicken tenders the day before so you can throw your lunch together in a matter of minutes.

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Chicken & Cucumber Lettuce Wraps with Peanut Sauce

Chicken & Cucumber Lettuce Wraps with Peanut Sauce

We love the crunch from sliced cucumber and jicama in these savory chicken lettuce wraps. Serve with the simple peanut sauce for an easy lunch recipe that will impress kids and adults alike.

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Spicy Slaw Bowls with Shrimp & Edamame

Spicy Slaw Bowls with Shrimp & Edamame

The quick 10-minute Spicy Cabbage Slaw serves as the low-carb base in this veggie-packed lunch recipe. Topped with high-protein edamame and shrimp, this satisfying lunch will help you power through the afternoon.

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Chicken Caesar Salad Wraps

Chicken Caesar Salad Wraps

These chicken Caesar salad wraps make for a quick, easy lunch or dinner. We like a mix of romaine and kale for texture and color, but you can use one or the other if you prefer. Romaine will not hold well once dressed, so we recommend not making this wrap more than one day in advance or the leaves will get soggy. Parmesan crisps act as another crouton-like element—use store-bought crisps or make your own with our Parmesan Crisps recipe.

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Meal-Prep Chili-Lime Chicken Bowls

Meal-Prep Chili-Lime Chicken Bowls

Skip takeout and whip up these equally delicious, and easy-to-make burrito bowls at home. They're great as meal-prep lunches to pack for work throughout the week.

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Vegan Roasted Vegetable Quinoa Bowl with Creamy Green Sauce

In a vegan riff on green goddess dressing, cashews provide a creamy base with tons of flavor from herbs and apple-cider vinegar. Drizzle it all over this bowl of quinoa and roasted vegetables to make a satisfying vegan packable lunch.

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Chicken Fajita Bowls

These satisfying bowls are chock full of protein and fiber, thanks to chicken breast, black beans, sweet potatoes and bulgur—a versatile grain that has about 15 g fewer carbs—and more than twice the fiber—per cup than brown rice.

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Pita Panzanella Salad with Meatballs

This Mediterranean-inspired salad combines the flavors of Greece with the format of a traditional Tuscan bread salad for a refreshing, yet hearty meal. For a twist, try stuffing the salad into the pitas rather than crisping them in Step 3.

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Egg Sandwiches with Rosemary, Tomato & Feta

How to Make Egg Sandwiches with Rosemary, Tomato & Feta

These hearty sandwiches are packed with ingredients popular in the Mediterranean diet, including feta, tomato and spinach.

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