Chapter 9 - How to Switch to a Mediterranean Diet

Switching to a Mediterranean diet is not as difficult as it may seem. The foods are widely available so you should not have any challenges stocking your pantry, refrigerator or spice rack.

In making the switch you’ll probably find yourself visiting the grocery store or local fishmonger more often than you use to. This is in order to get fresh ingredients for your meals.

You may want to consider shopping the Mediterranean way by walking to the store, seeing what’s fresh that day and planning your meals around that.

Making the switch

To begin, browse your kitchen and pantry shelves and throw out anything that is not in line with the Mediterranean diet. Throw out margarine, processed foods, white bread, sugary cereals and any oils that are not monounsaturated .

When you are finished going through your kitchen and pantry, check the fridge and make sure that it is filled with only the basics like eggs, yogurt, fruits and vegetables.

Next, have a look at your spice rack to see if you have what you need. I have some very specific spices that I don’t run out of because they are robust and add flavor to my meals. I also make sure to buy spices that do not contain added salt. I would recommend that you do the same.

Here is a list of spices you should have in your spice rack to get you started.

Spice List:

Rosemary

Cumin and cumin seeds

Coriander and coriander seeds

Oregano

Bay Leaves

Cinnamon

Ground pepper

Garlic bulbs

Minced Garlic in the jar

Garlic powder

Onion Powder

Chili peppers (I keep a bag of them in my vegetable drawer)

Basil

Allspice

Pimento

Cardamo m

Chives

Cilantro

Cloves

Curry and Curry leaves

Cayenne Pepper

Crushed Red Pepper

Paprika or sweet paprika

Tahini or sesame paste

Sesame seeds

Dill and dill seeds

Fennel seeds

Fenugreek leaves and seeds

Ginger

Saffron

Mint Leaves

Mustard seeds, dry mustard

Nutmeg

Star Anis e

Tamarind

Thyme

Turmeric

(see Tier two in Chapter 3 for more spices)

Pantry List:

Keeping things in the pantry is just as important as stocking spices so let’s look at the pantry items we need to prepare for the Mediterranean Diet .

Canned fish from tuna to anchovy

Beans: chickpeas, cannellini, fava, lentils, red beans, black beans, kidney beans, and butter beans

Capers

Pita bread

Whole grain bread

Mushrooms - canned and fresh

Bulgur, couscous, faro, polenta, and semolina 

Almonds, hazelnuts, pine nuts, pistachios, walnuts, cashews etc (see Tier two in Chapter 3 for more nuts and herbs)

Raisins

Extra virgin olive oils, and walnut oils

Olives - Kalamata, Lucque, Nicosia, Picholine, Black, Green

Pasta

Rice (Brown, long grain, or wild rice)

Canned tomatoes, sun dried tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste and fresh tomatoes

Vinegar, balsamic vinegar, red wine vinegar, sherry vinegar, white wine vinegar, and apple cider vinegar

Fridge List:

You’ll also need some things in the fridge. You will see some repeats here like fresh spices rather than the dried spices mentioned earlier.

Cheeses - feta, parmesan, gorgonzola, manchego, mozzarella, ricotta, Roquefort, brie, ricotta, Parmigiano-Reggiano, chevre, pecorino etc (see Tier four in Chapter 3 for more cheeses).

Fresh spices - Oregano, basil, parsley, thyme, mint, and rosemary

Fresh vegetables - Bell peppers, garlic, eggplant, lemons, limes, onions, Roma tomatoes, kale, arugula, spinach etc (see Tier two in Chapter 3 for more vegetables and fruits).