What you have here is probably one of the most comprehensive lists of food substitutions in existence. This will serve you as a companion to the sample Mediterranean diet listed on our website. If you find a meal with an ingredient you don’t like, you can use this substitutions list to find an ingredient you do like along with the amount of the substituted ingredient so that the nutritional integrity of the meal is left intact. Here’s an example, let’s say that you have a recipe that calls for pinto beans. You’ll find pinto beans under the “CARBS” section, under “Beans, peas, and lentils”. You’ll then see that 1/2 cup of pinto beans can be substituted for 1/2 cup of refried beans with very little alterations in the percentage of macromolecule ratio (% carb, fat, or protein). You can make as many modifications as you like as long as you stay within the categories at the top of every list of ingredients. For example, you can’t substitute pinto beans for corn or parsnips because corn and parsnips belong to the group “Starchy Vegetables”. Beyond that, you are free (and encouraged) to change any of the recipes you see on the sample Mediterranean diet below. Make them your own!