The Mediterranean diet is a heart-healthy, plant-forward approach to eating that many have found success with, whether they follow it for specific health reasons or simply to help maintain an overall balanced diet.
Because processed foods, added sugars, and other more unnatural ingredients are to be avoided on the diet, it can be tough to find something diet-friendly when you go out to eat. But Chipotle is known for being just that: diet-friendly.
With keto-friendly, paleo-friendly, vegan, and gluten-free options on the menu, there are also a fair amount of items to choose from that fall within the Mediterranean diet. Here’s the complete list of every item on the menu that you can feel good about ordering.
Mediterranean diet-friendly food and drinks available on the Chipotle menu
What makes the Mediterranean diet both great and tricky is that there aren’t necessarily specific or strict guidelines. There are general food categories to avoid or limit – like refined grains and sugar, highly processed ingredients and additives, and red meat – but it’s more about focusing on whole foods like whole grains, healthy fats, lean meats, fruits and vegetables, and nuts and seeds.
So that leaves a lot to play around with when you’re ordering at Chipotle, especially since the restaurant has committed to a list of 53 real ingredients that they use to make all of their dishes on the menu. While items like tortillas, chips, and white rice are best avoided, most of Chipotle’s vegetable and protein options are fair game.
Dairy is a bit of a gray area on the Mediterranean diet – while some on the diet eliminate dairy entirely, others choose to consume it sparingly or stick to certain types of dairy products. So we’ve included dairy on the list of diet-friendly ingredients, but it depends what specific dietary guidelines you choose to follow.
You’ll also notice that we’ve left red meat off the list; however, since this category is meant to be limited but not necessarily completely eliminated, it’s up to you whether you choose to consume it occasionally. And although corn masa flour is technically a whole grain, we’ve removed the chips and crispy corn tortillas as acceptable options since they’re deep-fried.
Here’s everything on the Chipotle menu that you can order while sticking to the Mediterranean diet.
| Lifestyle Bowls | |
| Wholesome Bowl | |
| Grain Freedom Bowl* | |
| (Build Your) Burrito Bowls | Mediterranean Diet-Friendly Choices |
| Choice of Protein or Veggie | Chicken Sofritas Veggie |
| Choice of Rice | Brown Rice |
| Choice of Beans | Black Beans Pinto Beans |
| Choice of Toppings | Guacamole Fresh Tomato Salsa Roasted Chili-Corn Salsa Tomatillo-Green Chili Salsa Tomatillo-Red Chili Salsa Sour Cream* Fajita Veggies Cheese* Romaine Lettuce Queso Blanco* |
| (Build Your) Salads | Mediterranean Diet-Friendly Choices |
| Choice of Protein or Veggie | Chicken Sofritas Veggie |
| Choice of Rice | Brown Rice |
| Choice of Beans | Black Beans Pinto Beans |
| Choice of Toppings | Guacamole Fresh Tomato Salsa Roasted Chili-Corn Salsa Tomatillo-Green Chili Salsa Tomatillo-Red Chili Salsa Sour Cream* Fajita Veggies Cheese* Romaine Lettuce Queso Blanco* Chipotle-Honey Vinaigrette |
| (Build Your) Kid’s Meal | Mediterranean Diet-Friendly Choices |
| Choice of Protein or Veggie | Chicken Sofritas Guacamole Queso Blanco* |
| No Tortilla | |
| Choice of Toppings | Brown Rice Black Beans Pinto Beans Fresh Tomato Salsa Roasted Chili-Corn Salsa Tomatillo-Green Chili Salsa Tomatillo-Red Chili Salsa Sour Cream* Fajita Veggies Cheese* Romaine Lettuce |
| Included Sides | Kid’s Fruit |
| Chips & Sides | |
| Side of Guacamole | |
| Side of Queso Blanco* | |
| Drinks | |
| San Pellegrino Sparkling Water | |
| Tractor Organic Black Tea | |
| Milk* |
Every Mediterranean diet-friendly ingredient at Chipotle
The reason Chipotle has so many diet-friendly ingredients to choose from is that the Mexican food chain commits to a finite group of 53 real ingredients to craft all of their recipes and menu items. Focusing on fresh and real ingredients, much of this list is allowable on the Mediterranean diet.
Refined grains like flour and white rice have been eliminated along with red meat. However, pretty much everything else on Chipotle’s list of ingredients fits within the Mediterranean diet. See below for the complete list of diet-friendly ingredients that Chipotle uses.
| Produce |
| Avocado |
| Baby Kale |
| Baby Spinach |
| Cilantro |
| Garlic |
| Jalapeno |
| Lemon Juice |
| Lime Juice |
| Romaine Lettuce |
| Onion |
| Bell Pepper |
| Chipotle Chili |
| Poblano Pepper |
| Red Chili |
| Serrano Pepper |
| Tomatillo |
| Tomato |
| Tomato Paste |
| Meat |
| Chicken |
| Pork |
| Dairy + Animal Products |
| Milk* |
| White Cheddar* |
| Monterey Jack Cheese* |
| Cheese Cultures* |
| Cultured Cream* |
| Honey |
| Legumes + Grains |
| Black Beans |
| Pinto Beans |
| Soy Beans |
| Brown Rice |
| Corn Masa Flour |
| Spices + Seasonings |
| Salt |
| Black Pepper |
| Bay Leaf |
| Cloves |
| Cumin |
| Juniper Berries |
| Oregano |
| Thyme |
| Oils + Vinegars |
| Canola Oil |
| Rice Bran Oil |
| Sunflower Oil |
| Distilled Vinegar |
| Red Wine Vinegar |
| Water, Minerals + Enzymes |
| Water |
| Lime |
| Gypsum |
| Vegetable Rennet |
Yes! While you should be cautious at any fast food or quick service restaurant to avoid overly processed ingredients, Chipotle has many menu options that consist of real ingredients or whole foods. Protein options like chicken, sofritas, and veggies are good choices on the Mediterranean diet, along with beans, brown rice, and any of Chipotle’s vegetables and salsas.
Chipotle’s sofritas are a dish of chopped tofu that’s braised in a spicy chipotle sauce. It’s made with onions, bell peppers, garlic, and tomatoes, chipotle chiles, and a blend of spices.
Aside from making your own burrito bowl or salad with diet-friendly ingredients, the most Mediterranean diet-friendly Lifestyle Bowl at Chipotle is the Wholesome Bowl. It’s made with a supergreens lettuce blend, chicken, fajita veggies, fresh tomato salsa, and guacamole.
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