Mediterranean Diet Grocery List
Imagine being someone who is looking for a long-term solution for their weight loss goals and all they get is a world full of various complex diets.
Diets are unaffordable and unmanageable but you still get pushed due to your fears.
Well, this is where you have to find a diet that is quite basic and simple and doesn’t require you to think too much about the calories in the process.
Now that’s where 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 diet sources. The diet finds its similarities to the age-old Greek diet, where most of the food sources were plant-based.
What Can You Eat on a Mediterranean Diet?
If we talk about the Mediterranean diet, can be considered a highly sustainable diet.
You can simply follow it for your life while consuming only plant-based foods with some meat in the form of celebratory meals.
These may include vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, herbs, herbal drinks, and so on.
One of the other important aspects of a Mediterranean meal comes in the fact that you must consume fresh veggies, fruits, and fish that are grown or sourced from nearby locations.
Be it a Mediterranean diet or any other diet, you will always find it quite tough to reach out for the best food items to cover your dietary requirements from the grocery.
While you may be amongst 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
Once you look out for vegetables, make sure you opt for seasonal and local vegetables at the grocery store.
With that said, all the unseasonal and imported vegetables are a big no. You must cook your veggies in olive oil and hence ensure only healthy fats enter your body.
Hence, let’s look at the list of veggies you must opt for at the grocery store while being on a Mediterranean diet.
- Tomatoes
- Eggplants
- Peppers
- Green beans
- Cucumbers
- Garlic
- Zucchini
- Potatoes
- Peas
- Mushrooms
- Broccoli
- Carrots
- Okra
Fruits
Coming on to fruits, you have to follow the same rule which you did while buying your veggies.
Go seasonal and local and that way you can get the best out of the fruits bunch.
It must be mentioned here that Greeks used to consume more citrus fruits in the winter than in summer, given their high antioxidants and vitamin c properties.
With that said, let’s look at the fruits you must opt for at the grocery store while going along with a Mediterranean diet.
- Apples
- Apricots
- Berries
- Bananas
- Cherries
- Figs
- Dates
- Grapes
- Lemons
- Oranges
- Peaches
- Pomegranates
- Plums
- Avocados
Dairy
When we talk about Dairy items, it mainly includes foods like cheese, yogurt, butter, buttermilk, and so on.
You also have the option to choose milk but that has to be low fat. Dairy will help big time feed your body with all the calcium, iron, and magnesium.
So, once you get along with your grocery shopping, make sure you include these as a part of the 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 to be specific) once a week.
This must be taken as a celebratory meal and you must not go for other high-on-fat meat options in the process. To make it easier for you, have a look at the below list.
- Salmon
- Whitefish
- Crab
- Shrimp
- Lobster
- Lean beef
- Pork
Eggs
As we said that meat plays a minor role in the overall Mediterranean diet, and your main source of protein comes as eggs.
Although the emphasis is still on plat based diet, Eggs have been included to feed the body with all the required amount of proteins.
Please note that your egg diet must come along with some salads and should be taken at lunch or dinner. Have a sneak peek into the below list for a better idea.
- Organic egg(preferably from grass-fed hens)
- Brown eggs
Grains and bread
Mediterranean diet is not at all a high-on carb diet and this is where only 40% of the whole calorie intake comes from carbs 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.
Without putting you into any further confusion, we bring you a detailed list of all the grocery items in the same context.
- Barley
- Whole wheat
- Pasta
- Brown rice
- Bulgur
- Couscous
- Quinoa
- Polenta
Fats and nuts
Coming onto the fat sources, you are mainly relying on Olive oil to cook all of your veggies in the process.
Try to find the best and freshest extra virgin olive oil from the grocery store for the best results.
Nuts, on the other side, act as a perfect source of healthy fats, magnesium, iron, and proteins.
Look at the below list to find the best ones at the grocery store while you are on a Mediterranean diet.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Almonds
- Pine nuts
- Walnuts
- Sesame seeds
- Pistachios
Beans, herbs, and spices
Beans have a big role to play in the Mediterranean diet and they have to be eaten twice a week during the diet regimen.
You can have them in dried form or can also go for the canned ones.
When it comes to herbs and spices, you must include almost every spice in your kitchen, along with cinnamon sticks, and cumin seeds. Found it confusing? Simply see the below list.
- Lentils
- White beans
- Chickpeas
- Basil
- Bay leaves
- Cilantro
- Parsley
- Oregano
Other pantry items
Talking about the Pantry items, canned tomatoes makes it to the top of the list. Other than that, you can also include certain items listed below.
- Olives
- Sun-dried tomatoes
- Tomato paste
Mediterranean diet plan benefits
Mediterranean Diet Lunch Ideas