Mediterranean Diet Meals

Organize your kitchen and pantry shelves to have the important staples of the Mediterranean Diet within easy reach. Keep a variety of choices from the following key ingredients on hand so you can always make a healthy meal.



In The Pantry 

• Beans: Chickpeas, cannellini, fava, and kidney beans; lentils. 
• Breads: Bread crumbs, foccaccia, lavash, pita, and other breads (mostly whole grain).
• Canned Seafood: Anchovies, clams, salmon, sardines, tuna.
• Capers: Once opened, they will keep in the refrigerator for up to six months. 
• Cereals: Oatmeal, plus other hot or cold cereals. The best choices list the first ingredient as whole grain, provide at least 3 grams of fiber and no more than 8 grams of sugar per serving.
• Crackers: Look for labels that list a whole grain ingredient first, and that provide 2–3 grams of fiber per serving.
• Dried Fruit: Apricots, blueberries, cherries, cranberries, figs, raisins, prunes. 
• Garlic: Keep a head or two within easy reach. Or, buy peeled garlic cloves and store in the refrigerator
• Grains: Bulgur, couscous, farro, millet, oats, polenta, rice, quinoa. 
• Herbs and Spices: Basil, bay leaves, black pepper, cinnamon, cloves, coriander, crushed red pepper, cumin, curry powder, dill, garlic powder, ginger, oregano, paprika, rosemary, saffron, sage, thyme, turmeric, or blends like Italian seasoning.
• Honey
• Nuts: Almonds, hazelnuts, peanuts, pine nuts, pistachios, walnuts 
• Oil: Extra-virgin olive oil, grapeseed oil, peanut oil
• Olives: (all types)
• Pastas: (all types, including whole grain)
• Potatoes
• Red Wine
• Salt: Kosher, sea and iodized
• Seeds: Fennel, flax, sesame, sunflower
• Tomatoes: Canned, paste, sauce, sundried
• Vinegars: Balsamic, champagne, cider, fig, red wine, white wine,Mediterranean Diet Meals

On The Counter 

• Fresh Fruit ~ Avocados, apricots, cherries, clementines, figs, grapefruit, lemons, limes, oranges, melons, nectarines, dates, bananas, plums, apples, peaches, pears, pomegranates, and/or tangerines. These fruits keep best at room temperature. 
• Tomatoes ~ Store fresh tomatoes at room temperature.
• Olive oil ~ Keep an olive oil dispenser near your stovetop, and store the rest in a cool, dark place.

In The Refrigerator 
Cheese (soft and hard varieties),Eggs ,Fruit (berries, grapes), Poultry Hummus and other Med dips, Milk, Mustard, Pesto, Pickles, Tapenade, Vegetables (a variety, plus salad greens), White and Sparkling Wine ,Yogurt

In The Freezer 
Frozen Fruit ,Frozen Poultry and Meat, Frozen Seafood ,Frozen Vegetables, Frozen Chicken Stock ,Sorbet and Gelato