Mediterranean Diet - Five portions of fish?

[AperolSpitz]

Am trying to move family to a Mediterranean diet after so many reports and latest reports over weekend have me sold.

How do you achieve five family fish meals a week? It seems so expensive in comparison to meat and vegetables. I tend to buy organic cheap cuts (eg lamb neck) and stretch them with chick peas etc. We have salmon once a week.

Any top tips for cheap family fish dishes much appreciated (or do I bite the bullet?) Three DCs, all under 7 - do fish fingers count?

Yes, why all the fish? The Med diet (as seen by dieticians who live in the med area) is meat max 3 times a week, including cured meats, fish max 3 times of which only 2 oily fish/shellfish for the mercury content, and the rest of the time pulses and grains with unlimited veg and lots of ev olive oil (and a little wine!). Can you not substitute some fish meals with pulses? Much cheaper and much more sustainable. We eat a lot of pasta with beans, chickpeas or green lentils. That, followed by a salad or some other veg, is a complete meal nutritionally.

Lebanese food is also considered Mediterranean, so hummus, falafel, tabbouleh etc. with salads/crudités is also super healthy. I also make a fab broad bean purée, Moroccan style with onions, cumin seeds, smoked paprika and lemon juice. In Puglia it's often eaten with bitter greens (cicoria) but it goes well with Swiss chard as well and pitta or crusty bread.

I think you're supposed to eat some dairy on the Mediterranean diet, but moderate amounts of cheese and yogurts and not milk to drink.

Just had a look at the diet plan I had pre wedding, done by a dietian here in Italy and following the Med Diet.

I had fish 7 times a week, red meat twice, white meat 3 and pulses 2 times a week.

Adorabel I go to Asda especially for their frozen tuna!

Thanks, I'll see what I can find.

I would love to move to med breakfast described above but I already eat too much fat and sugar. I will stick with my museli with no added and fruit and in the winter I have porridge with seeds and fruit.