Neto, B.Dikmen, D.Ferreira, L.Viegas, CláudiaFilipec, S.Drobac, L.Šatalić, Z.Rocha, Ada2025-12-232025-12-232026-03Neto B, Dikman D, Ferreira L, Viegas C, Filipec S, Drobac L, et al. Higher education settings menus have low compliance with the Mediterranean Diet and high carbon and water footprint: a case study from Portugal, Croatia and Turkey. Int J Gastron Food Science. 2026;43:101380.1878-450Xhttp://hdl.handle.net/10400.21/22409Funded through the Project “MEDDIETMENUS4CAMPUS - Promoting stakeholder adherence to Mediterranean Diet on Campus through menu interventions and social marketing strategies”, within the scope of the Transnational Cooperation – Partnership for Research and Innovation in the Mediterranean Area (PRIMA) supported by the HORIZON 2020 Program and through national funds through FCT – Foundation for Science and Technology, I.P., under the project PRIMA/0008/2022/FCT and PRIMA/0009/2022/FCT, and through national co-funding in Turkey provided by the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TÜBİTAK) under Project No: 123N063. This research was also supported by national funds through FCT - Foundation for Science and Technology within the scope of UID/5748/2025 GreenUPorto - Centro de investigação em Produção Agroalimentar Sustentável.This study focuses on evaluating the compliance of menus from Higher Education Institutions (HEI) with the Mediterranean Diet (MD) and calculates their respective carbon and water footprints. From September 2023 to June 2024, menus from 52 HEIs across Portugal, Croatia, and Turkey were analysed using a Mediterranean Diet Compliance Index (MeDCIn). Also, the footprints of 300 meals from 30 different menus were calculated. Overall results show a low compliance with the MD (mean score 2.7 ± 3.4). Turkish menus scored the highest values (5.2 ± 1.7) while Portuguese menus scored the lowest (1.10 ± 3.7) (MeDCIn varies between −20.5 and 27). The limited availability of dishes with eggs, wholegrains, olive oil, nuts, seeds, and seasonal products was a key factor contributing to the low compliance observed, as well as insufficient variety in Mediterranean dishes, vegetables, pulses, seafood, and lean meat. The average water footprint was 1785.41 ± 909.3 m3/ton, with Turkish menus having the highest consumption (2271.90 ± 1016.11 m3/ton) and Portuguese menus the lowest (1485.46 ± 767.28 m3/ton). The average carbon footprint was 1.9 kg CO2-eq, with Turkish menus again scoring the highest (2.91 ± 2.13 kg CO2-eq) and Portuguese menus the lowest (1.42 ± 1.26 kg CO2-eq). The findings reveal a complex relationship between MD compliance and environmental footprints, with moderate positive correlations observed. These results provide valuable insights to develop targeted interventions to improve menu options in HEI cafeterias and reduce their environmental impact.engNutritionMediterranean dietHigh carbon footprintWater footprintCanteen menuHigher educationPortugalCroatiaTurkeyjournal article10.1016/j.ijgfs.2025.101380