A Mediterranean diet is one of the most popular diets, and for good reason! It’s not outright restrictive and encourages the focus on plant-based foods like fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, and seeds. Fish is the preferred non-plant protein, with poultry eaten in moderation. 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)
If you choose to follow a Mediterranean diet, you might find that eating out offers limited choices that follow this style. What are your Mediterranean food and drink options at Five Guys Burgers and Fries? We have the complete list below!
Burgers
A Mediterranean diet doesn’t include much beef – instead, the proteins are primarily plant-based in the form of legumes, nuts, and seeds. Fish is touted as a prime Mediterranean protein.
Since a Mediterranean diet doesn’t exclude foods like keto, paleo, or vegan diets do, that means that you could eat a burger while following a Mediterranean diet, but it ideally wouldn’t be happening too often.
We’ve excluded bacon burgers because it’s a double-whammy with processed meat AND beef (the Mediterranean diet typically avoids processed foods, especially processed red meat).
| Item | Modifications to make it more Mediterranean-friendly |
| Hamburger | Lettuce wrap instead of bun |
| Cheeseburger | Lettuce wrap instead of bun |
| Little hamburger | Lettuce wrap instead of bun |
| Little cheeseburger | Lettuce wrap instead of bun |
Hot dogs
Mediterranean hot dog options: None
Hot dogs are highly processed, so they aren’t the best option for a Mediterranean diet.
Drinks
Five Guys serve Coca-Cola products “at participating locations”. These beverages are high in refined sugars, which are avoided on a Mediterranean diet.
Diet soft drink options are likely available at most Five Guys locations. A Mediterranean diet focuses on including whole foods, so artificial sweeteners aren’t typically encouraged. However, some Mediterranean dieters may choose to include diet soda in place of sugar-sweetened beverages, and that is an individual preference.
Mediterranean drink options: None (other than water); some Mediterranean dieters may opt for diet soda to avoid added sugar
Fries
French fries are cooked in 100% peanut oil, so the fries are considered fair game for a Mediterranean dieter while eating at Five Guys Burgers and Fries!
| Item | Mediterranean-friendly? |
| Five Guys Style French Fries | YES |
| Cajun Style Fries | YES |
Milkshakes/mix-ins
Ice cream is high in added sugar, which isn’t included often in a Mediterranean diet. While that doesn’t mean you can’t have ice cream once in a while (balance is key to any sustainable eating plan!), we can’t say that milkshakes are Mediterranean-friendly.
The mix-ins for milkshakes also have added sugar (even the strawberries and bananas), so we’re skipping over those too.
Mediterranean milkshake options: None
Sandwiches
Cheese is fine in moderation on the Mediterranean diet, so there are a few Mediterranean sandwich options! (We’re excluding the BLT because of the bacon, similar to the burger section.)
| Item | Modifications to make it even more Mediterranean-friendly |
| Veggie Sandwich | Skip the bun and do a lettuce wrap (bun has enriched flour) |
| Cheese Veggie Sandwich | Skip the bun and do a lettuce wrap (bun has enriched flour) |
| Grilled Cheese | None – you can’t do grilled cheese without the bread, so don’t sub the bread here! |
Toppings & sides
There might not be a lot of GREAT Mediterranean diet options at Five Guys Burgers and Fries, but there are a few sides that fit in perfectly with the Mediterranean diet.
| Item | Mediterranean-friendly? |
| A1 Original Steak Sauce | YES (in moderation due to added sugar/corn syrup) |
| Green peppers | YES |
| Grilled mushrooms | YES |
| Hot sauce | YES |
| Jalapeno peppers | YES |
| Ketchup | YES (in moderation due to added sugar/high-fructose corn syrup) |
| Lettuce | YES |
| Mayonnaise | YES (in moderation due to added sugar/high-fructose corn syrup) |
| Mustard | YES |
| Onions/grilled onions | YES |
| Pickles | YES |
| Relish | YES (in moderation due to added sugar/high-fructose corn syrup) |
| Tomatoes | YES |
| Bulk peanuts | YES |
| Malt vinegar | YES |
FAQs:
Five Guys will easily swap out their bun for a lettuce wrap, which makes a good gluten-free, low-carb, and vegan option (the buns contain milk and eggs, so they aren’t vegan).
The veggie sandwich at Five Guys is a healthier alternative to burgers and hot dogs and contains grilled onions, mushrooms, green peppers, lettuce, and tomatoes on a sesame bun. You can also get a version with cheese for a bit of added protein.
Leave a Comment