The Mediterranean diet is widely recognized as one of the healthiest ways of eating. It is based on fresh, unprocessed foods rich in nutrients and antioxidants. More of a lifestyle than a restrictive program, it promotes heart-healthy ingredients in your meals.

If you are interested in following a Mediterranean diet, there are a few staples that you will need to stock your kitchen with. Adding these items to your diet can help to improve your overall health and wellbeing.

Here are some Mediterranean diet staples to keep on hand:

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

The benefits of the Mediterranean diet are well-documented, and extra virgin olive oil is a key component of this healthy way of eating. Olive oil is packed with antioxidants and fatty acids that have been shown to promote heart health, lower cholesterol levels, and reduce inflammation. When used judiciously, extra virgin olive oil can help you enjoy all the benefits of the Mediterranean diet. You can use it for cooking, on salads, or as a finishing touch before serving.

Olives

Olives are also a staple of the Mediterranean diet that you can keep on hand in your pantry. They’re great to add a bit of a briny taste to your dishes or served as a snack along with nuts and cheeses.

Nuts and Seeds

These make a great snack and can add a satisfying crunch to any dish. Walnuts, pine nuts, almonds, and pistachios are excellent choices for this Mediterranean lifestyle.

Canned Seafood

While fresh is best, grabbing cans of tuna, anchovies, sardines, and clams can help you add protein and omega-3 fatty acids to your meals in a pinch. These are great for quick lunches and can help you make some light and refreshing dishes that make you feel like you’re dining on the coast.

Tomatoes

Having canned tomatoes in any form is a great idea to concoct dishes from just about any cuisine. For example, you can make sauces or shakshuka with ease when you have canned tomatoes in paste or sauce form. Even sun-dried tomatoes can jazz up a bland meal with great flavors and nutrition.

Beans

Another canned item you should never be without is canned beans. Chickpeas, lentils, cannellini, and more can come to the rescue at a moment’s notice, helping you make soups and stews or topping off a salad with fiber-rich protein.

Whole Grains

You can choose millet, pasta, corn grits, whole-grain crackers, and more. These simple ingredients add more substance to your meals to leave you feeling full and satisfied.

Artisanal Cheeses

In the Mediterranean, people indulge in cheeses often. The secret is that they choose artisanal types like briny feta or an authentic Parmesan, adding just a touch to their meals. Sprinkle it on roasted potatoes, and you’ll see you don’t need to smother a dish in cheese to let it work its magic. If you want to take a non-dairy approach, grab some of your favorite non-dairy cheeses.

Additionally, you can keep dried fruits, plain Greek yogurt, onions, garlic, and herbs and spices that will help you create the cuisine from the Mediterranean. These foods all bring bold flavors and a bounty of nutrition to any meal you make so you can stay on target without suffering through a bland dish.

Do you ever feel like there’s too much to do in terms of living a healthier life? You might feel like you have no idea where to start or that so much needs to change you feel discouraged. While I understand those feelings completely, I want to encourage you that there is a more effective and less stressful way.

Lasting change happens one decision at a time. While you don’t need to change everything on your to-do list at once, start with a few small changes in your day that can start to compound and make a difference. Once you get the ball rolling, you’ll be encouraged to continue down your to-do list and keep working toward those goals.

Here are a few simple swaps you can do to start feeling better:

Make hydration important.

Is that warm cup of coffee the first thing you think about when you hop out of bed in the morning? You don’t have to give that up – but start your day with a tall glass of water first. This will help jumpstart your metabolism and help to rehydrate you from your night’s sleep. If you struggle with this, try leaving a glass of water on your bedside table so it’s the first thing you see in the morning.

Practice listening to your body.

Often, if we choose to move our bodies each day, we stick to a strict workout schedule. Cardio on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Weight training and yoga on Tuesday and Thursday. This rigid schedule can sometimes burn us out and cause us to ignore what our body is asking for at the moment. Instead, make a “workout menu” of options that sound enjoyable. Then, each day, check-in and see which option sounds most appealing and most beneficial.

Healthier food options.

Making a healthy food choice can sometimes feel overwhelming when it doesn’t have to be. Each day, choose one area to make a swap. This may be using zucchini noodles instead of traditional pasta. Or it could be grabbing a square of dark chocolate instead of a candy bar. They may seem like insignificant decisions at the time, but they can really add up in the long run, and the practice of making these small decisions will start to stick.

Create a sleep routine.

If your evening routine could take a tune-up, now’s the perfect time to
create a healthier routine focused on sleep hygiene. Turn the lights down, take a hot bath, use clean sheets, diffuse a relaxing scent, enjoy a full skincare routine, read a book or journal. It doesn’t matter which activities you choose — any of them are better than spending time scrolling on your phone before bed. A better nighttime routine will not only get you to sleep earlier, but your quality of sleep will also be much better.

Lasting changes don’t happen overnight — it takes one small decision after another to build a healthy lifestyle that sticks.

So be intentional about small efforts, and you’ll start to see lasting shifts that lead to the desire for more healthy swaps.