Mediterranean Diet Grocery List
Imagine being someone who is looking for a long-term solution for their weight loss goals, only to find a world full of various complex diets. Diets are often unaffordable and unmanageable, yet you still get pushed into them due to your fears.
Well, this is where you need to find a diet that is quite basic and simple, one that doesn’t require you to overthink about calories. Now, you can simplify your dietary regimen with a Mediterranean diet plan in your daily schedule.
The Mediterranean diet is a complete package of healthy and easy-to-find sources, similar to the age-old Greek diet, where most food sources were plant-based.
What Can You Eat on a Mediterranean Diet
The Mediterranean diet can be considered a highly sustainable diet. (1) You can simply follow it for your life, consuming only plant-based foods with some meat as celebratory meals. The Mediterranean diet grocery list may include vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, herbs, herbal drinks, etc.
One of the other important aspects of a Mediterranean meal is consuming fresh veggies, fruits, and fish grown or sourced from nearby locations. Whether it’s a Mediterranean diet or any other, you will always find it quite challenging to find the best food items from the grocery to cover your dietary requirements.
While you may be among the big bunch, let us bring you a detailed list of every item you must look out for at the grocery store.
Food Items to be Included in Your Mediterranean Diet Grocery List
Mediterranean diet grocery list
Vegetables
Opt for seasonal and local vegetables at the grocery store when looking for vegetables. With that said, all unseasonal and imported vegetables are a big no. You must cook your veggies in olive oil, ensuring only healthy fats enter your body. Look at the list of veggies you must opt for at the grocery store while on a Mediterranean diet.
- Tomatoes
- Eggplants
- Peppers
- Green beans
- Cucumbers
- Garlic
- Zucchini
- Potatoes
- Peas
- Mushrooms
- Broccoli
- Carrots
- Okra
Fruits
When it comes to fruits, follow the same rule as with veggies: go seasonal and local, enabling you to get the best out of the fruit bunch. It should be mentioned here that Greeks consumed more citrus fruits in the winter than in summer, given their high antioxidants and vitamin C properties.
Let’s look at the fruits you must include in your Mediterranean diet grocery list.
- Apples
- Apricots
- Berries
- Bananas
- Cherries
- Figs
- Dates
- Grapes
- Lemons
- Oranges
- Peaches
- Pomegranates
- Plums
- Avocados
Dairy
Dairy items mainly include cheese, yogurt, butter, and buttermilk. You also have the option to choose low-fat milk. Dairy will significantly help feed your body with all the calcium, iron, and magnesium it needs. So, when you go grocery shopping, include these as part of your daily requirements.
- Greek Yogurt
- Sheep’s milk yogurt
- Ricotta cheese
- Parmesan cheese
- Low-fat milk
- Low-fat buttermilk
Meat
Although a Mediterranean diet is mainly about plant-based foods, you can add meat (red meat) once a week as a celebratory meal, avoiding other high-on-fat meat options. To make it easier for you, look at the list below.
- Salmon
- Whitefish
- Crab
- Shrimp
- Lobster
- Lean beef
- Pork
Eggs
As mentioned, meat plays a minor role in the overall Mediterranean diet, with eggs being the main source of protein. Although the emphasis is still on a plant-based diet, eggs have been included to feed the body with all the required amount of proteins. Your egg diet should come along with some salads and should be taken at lunch or dinner. Have a look at the list below for a better idea.
- Organic eggs (preferably from grass-fed hens)
- Brown eggs
Grains and Bread
The Mediterranean diet is not at all a high-carb diet; only 40% of the whole calorie intake comes from carb sources. As we talk about carbs, bread comes as the most common carb source. Moreover, you can also have pasta and brown rice once in a while. Here are the grains you can add to your Mediterranean diet grocery list:
- Barley
- Whole wheat
- Pasta
- Brown rice
- Bulgur
- Couscous
- Quinoa
- Polenta
Fats and Nuts
Regarding fat sources, you are mainly relying on olive oil to cook all of your veggies. Try to find the best and freshest extra virgin olive oil from the grocery store for the best results. Nuts, on the other hand, act as a perfect source of healthy fats, magnesium, iron, and proteins. Fats and nuts to include in your Mediterranean diet grocery list:
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Almonds
- Pine nuts
- Walnuts
- Sesame seeds
- Pistachios
Beans, Herbs, and Spices
Beans play a big role in the Mediterranean diet and should be eaten twice a week. You can have them in dried or canned form. When it comes to herbs and spices, you should include almost every spice in your kitchen, along with cinnamon sticks and cumin seeds. Found it confusing? See the list below.
- Lentils
- White beans
- Chickpeas
- Basil
- Bay leaves
- Cilantro
- Parsley
- Oregano
Other Pantry Items
Talking about pantry items, canned tomatoes make it to the top of the list. Other than that, you can also include certain items in your Mediterranean diet grocery list:
- Olives
- Sun-dried tomatoes
- Tomato paste
See Also
Mediterranean diet plan benefits
Mediterranean Diet Lunch Ideas