A Mediterranean diet focuses on whole, unprocessed foods and includes plant-based foods more often than a typical Western diet. The options at fast food restaurants like Dairy Queen aren’t usually very Mediterranean-friendly, but with some tweaks, you can choose from some menu items to enjoy on less frequent occasions.
We’ve reviewed the nutrition tables Dairy Queen offers to come up with a list of Mediterranean food and drink options. They don’t have the best layout for reviewing information, so not all of the ingredients are available to view, so we had to make a few educated assumptions at times.
To see the complete list, keep reading!
What is a Mediterranean diet?
A Mediterranean diet is a balanced, plant-forward diet that encourages regular consumption of foods like fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, and seeds. Fish is the preferred non-plant protein, with poultry eaten in moderation. While a Mediterranean diet doesn’t exclude or limit foods outright, some of the things you won’t find in a Mediterranean eating style regularly are:
- Refined grains (e.g. white bread)
- Processed foods
- Refined sugars
- Dairy (aim to eat dairy in moderation)
- Red meat (eat less often; processed meats like sausage and bacon are avoided)
Mediterranean Food and Drink Options at Dairy Queen
Ice cream treats
Because ice cream treats like Blizzards, ice cream cones, and cakes are so high in added sugar, they aren’t considered Mediterranean diet-friendly.
Mediterranean Blizzards: none
Mediterranean shakes: none
Mediterranean Moolatte beverages: none
Mediterranean “Curl on Top” treats (banana split, Cupfection, etc): none
Mediterranean sundaes: none
Mediterranean ice cream cones: none
Mediterranean DQ cakes: none
Mediterranean novelties (e.g. Dilly Bar, etc): none
Mediterranean fruit smoothies (including Orange Julius drinks): none (they are very high in added sugar)
Mediterranean Misty Slush/Freeze: none
Add-ons
| Item | Mediterranean-friendly? |
| Burger patty | Yes, in moderation |
| Diced tomato | Yes |
| Lettuce | Yes |
| Mayo | Yes, in moderation |
| Yellow mustard | Yes |
Other add-ons
| Item | Mediterranean-friendly? |
| Antioxidant boost | Unknown since ingredients aren’t available |
| Energy boost | Unknown since ingredients aren’t available |
| Vitamin C boost | Unknown since ingredients aren’t available |
Food
Burgers and Sandwiches
Red meat isn’t eaten often on a Mediterranean diet, but it can be included at times. To make burgers more Mediterranean-friendly, the refined bread (bun) should be avoided. Bacon and other processed meats are avoided on a Mediterranean diet as well.
Cheese and other dairy products can be eaten in moderation on a Mediterranean diet.
Keep in mind that burgers aren’t generally considered a Mediterranean diet-type food. However, this eating plan doesn’t restrict foods like other diets (vegan, paleo, keto), so we’re keeping some burgers as options with modifications – but it should be more of a rare occurrence if you’re aiming to follow a plant-forward diet.
| Item | Modifications needed to make it more Mediterranean-friendly |
| Backyard Bacon Ranch Burger (double and triple) | No bun, no bacon |
| Bacon Two Cheese Deluxe Burger (double and triple) | No bun, no bacon |
| FlameThrower Burger (double and triple) | No bun |
| Hamburger (single, double, and triple) | No bun |
| Two Cheese Deluxe Burger (double and triple) | No bun |
Chicken & salads
Chicken is eaten on a Mediterranean diet, but not as often as fish. Because the chicken at Dairy Queen is breaded and fried, we’re not including it in our list of Mediterranean-friendly items – but that’s not to say you can NEVER have fried chicken if you follow a Mediterranean diet the majority of the time (it’s all about balance!).
| Item | Mediterranean-friendly? |
| Side Salad | Yes |
Hot dogs
Hot dogs are a type of processed meat, and those aren’t included in a Mediterranean diet. (Remember, a Mediterranean diet aims to opt for more whole, unprocessed foods while putting plants first!)
Mediterranean hot dog options: None
Snacks and sides
| Item | Mediterranean-friendly? |
| Fries | Yes, in moderation |
Dressings and dips
The ingredients for all of the sauces and dressings at Dairy Queen aren’t available on the nutrition tables, so it’s difficult to ascertain if each one aligns with a Mediterranean diet. Many dressings and sauces contain added sugar and refined oils, so if you choose to eat them on a Mediterranean diet, aim to do so in moderation.
We’re excluding BBQ sauces since they are notoriously high in added sugar.
| Item | Mediterranean-friendly? |
| Country Gravy Dipping Sauce Cup | In moderation |
| Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce Cup | In moderation |
| House Made Hidden Valley Ranch Dipping Sauce Cup | In moderation |
| Kraft Fat-Free Italian Dressing | In moderation |
| Kraft Honey Mustard Dressing | In moderation |
| Marzetti Light Italian Dressing | In moderation |
| Wild Buffalo Dipping Sauce Cup | In moderation |
Local favorites
Items like corn dogs and chili cheese fries are excluded from this list because they have multiple processed ingredients.
| Item | Modifications to make it more Mediterranean-friendly |
| Wild Alaskan Fish Sandwich | No bun |
| Pork Tenderloin Sandwich | No bun |
Breakfast
| Item | Mediterranean-friendly? |
| Coffee | Yes |
| Hash browns | In moderation |
| Orange juice bottle | Yes |
Kids Menu
| Item | Mediterranean-friendly? |
| Applesauce | Yes |
| Banana | Yes |
| Kids’ fries | Yes, in moderation |
| Hamburger | In moderation/no bun |
| Hot dog | In moderation/no bun |
FAQs:
Soft-serve ice cream is typically a little lower in fat than regular ice cream, but it’s still high in sugar. It shouldn’t be thought of as a healthy option per se, but it can be slightly lower in fat and calories than full-fat ice cream, which are some potential perks.
Whole grains are included in a Mediterranean diet, while refined grains with enriched flour are avoided.
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