What Does Mindy Kaling Eat in a Day? Unpacking Her Approach to Diet and Moderation

December 28, 2025 •

4 min read

Mindy Kaling told Women's Health that she views food as fuel to keep up with her busy lifestyle and kids, a shift away from punishing, restrictive diets. So, what does Mindy Kaling eat in a day, and how does her philosophy of moderation translate into her daily meals?

Quick Summary

An inside look into Mindy Kaling's daily meals and food philosophy, revealing her balanced approach to eating. Insights include her breakfast staples, lunch favorites, evening meal choices, and her strategic use of moderation for a sustainable, healthy diet.

Key Points

Moderation over restriction: Kaling moved from extreme dieting to a balanced approach where she enjoys her favorite foods in smaller portions.
Hydration is key: She prioritizes drinking plenty of water, especially early in the day, to boost energy and mood.
Breakfast variety: Her mornings rotate between nutrient-rich green smoothies and savory, high-protein Mexican-style breakfasts or breakfast sandwiches.
Lighter dinner: Kaling keeps her evening meal relatively light and lower in carbs, often featuring fish or chicken curry with grains and vegetables.
Strategic snacking: She doesn't deny her sweet cravings, instead incorporating small indulgences like a handful of candy or chocolate chips in the afternoon.
Mindful eating: Her diet is rooted in listening to her body and eating intentionally, rather than adhering to rigid rules.
Consistency is crucial: Kaling focuses on maintaining her healthy habits, especially during stressful periods when she is most likely to make unhealthy choices.

Mindy Kaling's Breakfast: Smoothies and Savory Options

For Mindy Kaling, the first meal of the day often varies depending on her schedule and energy levels. On busy mornings, she opts for a nutrient-packed green smoothie. This "liquid salad" is a quick way to get a concentrated dose of vegetables and fruits before a packed day of work and family life. The other days, she enjoys a more savory, protein-rich breakfast, favoring huevos rancheros or homemade breakfast sandwiches on English muffins. This flexibility shows her practical, non-dogmatic approach to eating, where convenience and nourishment are equally important.

The 'Liquid Salad' Smoothie

Mindy's go-to green smoothie is a powerhouse of vitamins and minerals. It typically includes:

Spinach
Kale
Banana
Pear
Lemon
Apple
Cucumber
Celery
Coconut water or tap water

Lunch: Submitting to Cravings with Moderation

Unlike a strict dieter, Kaling embraces her lunch cravings, often making it her heaviest meal of the day. She has publicly admitted she's "not a big salad person for lunch" and prefers more substantial options. Some of her frequent lunch choices include a turkey sandwich with a side of chips and salad, or sushi from a favorite L.A. spot. She balances this with options like grilled steak or tandoori chicken, being mindful to not make the meal too heavy on carbs to avoid an afternoon slump. This method proves that you can still enjoy your favorite foods by balancing them with healthier components and practicing portion control.

Snacks and Hydration: A Consistent and Sweet Habit

Kaling understands the importance of staying hydrated and managing mid-day energy with snacks. She commits to drinking plenty of water, aiming for 50 ounces before 7 a.m., which she credits for improving her mood and overall energy. For snacks, she admits to having a sweet tooth and incorporates a small amount of sugar into her routine around 4 p.m.. Instead of cutting out sweets entirely, she enjoys a handful of chocolate chips, licorice, or gummy worms, demonstrating her consistent theme of moderation over deprivation.

Dinner: Keeping it Lighter and Diverse

Dinner is typically a lighter affair for Mindy, often cooked at home or ordered in after her children are in bed. She makes a conscious effort to keep her evening meals lower in carbohydrates. While she enjoys a variety of cuisines, she frequently cooks fish, incorporating different types to avoid monotony, served with a side of grains and a salad. Other nights, she might opt for takeout from Ethiopian or Korean restaurants or prepare a chicken curry with cauliflower or regular rice. This variety keeps her evening meals interesting and nutritious without feeling overly restrictive.

Comparison of Kaling's Approach vs. Traditional Diets


Aspect	Mindy Kaling's Moderation Approach	Traditional Restrictive Diets
Philosophy	Focuses on sustainability, balance, and enjoying food.	Centers on deprivation and eliminating entire food groups.
Indulgences	Small, planned indulgences are acceptable and part of the routine.	Indulgences are viewed as cheats and often lead to guilt and cycles of binge eating.
Meal Plan	Fluid and flexible, with options based on cravings and schedule.	Rigid meal plans with specific, repetitive food choices.
Sustainability	Designed for long-term adherence and a healthy relationship with food.	Often unsustainable over time, leading to quitting and regaining weight.
Motivation	Fueled by health, energy, and being active for her kids.	Driven by vanity and achieving a specific, often unrealistic, weight goal.

The Keys to Kaling's Mindful Eating

Kaling's success in maintaining her wellness isn't due to a secret diet, but rather a set of consistent habits and a mindful approach to eating. Her evolution from punishing herself with juice cleanses to embracing moderation has created a healthier, more balanced lifestyle. Instead of demonizing food, she treats it as a tool for energy and happiness, a philosophy that is far more sustainable than any restrictive plan. She has also emphasized the importance of staying consistent, even during stressful times, and not letting setbacks derail her progress. Her journey is a testament to the power of small, consistent changes for long-term health and wellness.

Conclusion

By analyzing what Mindy Kaling eats in a day, it's clear that her strategy is less about a strict meal plan and more about a balanced, mindful, and moderate lifestyle. She incorporates nutrient-dense foods like green smoothies and lean protein while allowing room for her favorite treats and meals. This approach, paired with her consistent hydration and varied workout routine, provides a realistic and sustainable model for anyone looking to improve their eating habits without feeling deprived. It highlights that long-term health is built on consistency and balance, not restriction and punishment.

For more expert advice on mindful eating and developing a sustainable relationship with food, consider consulting resources from reputable health organizations such as the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

Frequently Asked Questions

Mindy Kaling's diet philosophy revolves around moderation, balance, and mindful eating rather than strict restriction. She focuses on eating nutrient-dense foods while still enjoying her favorite indulgences in smaller portions.

Yes, Mindy Kaling includes plenty of vegetables in her diet. Her meals are built around leafy greens and other fresh vegetables, which she often gets from her morning green smoothie or by pairing them with lean proteins at dinner.

No, Mindy Kaling has explicitly refuted rumors about using Ozempic or other weight-loss drugs. Her weight management and transformation are a result of a balanced diet, portion control, and a consistent workout routine.

A typical dinner for Mindy Kaling is relatively lighter and lower in carbs. She often opts for a fish dish, such as salmon, or a chicken curry, served with grains and a salad.

For snacks, Mindy Kaling allows herself a small, sweet treat in the afternoon, like a handful of chocolate chips or some candy. She also enjoys healthy options like nuts.

Kaling takes hydration seriously, aiming to drink 50 ounces of water before 7 a.m. This habit is key to her wellness, boosting her energy and mood throughout the day.

While Kaling tries to keep her dinner relatively low in carbs to avoid an afternoon crash, her overall diet is not strictly low-carb. She includes grains and carbs in her meals in moderation.