7 days of Mediterranean Diet with less than 50 euro

Mediterranean Diet. What do we know?

How much will it cost us a week of Mediterranean Diet? The secret of longevity of the Mediterranean people, especially the Cretans’, was their plain and simple diet which emphasized the consumption of fruits, vegetables, whole wheat cereals, virgin olive oil and wine and their active lifestyle characterized by high levels of everyday exercise. The principles of the Mediterranean Diet pattern of eating are depicted in the form of a pyramid, the known Mediterranean Diet Pyramid. Years of scientific research have shown that the Mediterranean Diet pattern is related to a reduced risk of chronic disease, such as the cardiovascular disease, diabetes mellitus, obesity, certain types of cancer etc.

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The Mediterranean Diet Pyramid is separated in three levels according to the types and frequency of foods that should be enjoyed daily, weekly or monthly. At the base of the pyramid there are foods that should be consumed more often and in significant quantities, while foods that should be consumed rarely and in smaller portions are found on the top. The Mediterranean Diet Pyramid is characterized by the high consumption of fruits, vegetables and whole wheat cereals. Semi-skimmed and/or skimmed dairy products should be consumed on a daily basis, while the extra virgin olive oil should serve as the main fat of the diet. What is more, Mediterranean Diet suggests the weekly consumption of pulses, fresh fish and poultry instead of red meat which should be consumed on a monthly basis. The Mediterranean Diet Pyramid is shown in the picture below:

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How to follow the Mediterranean Diet Pyramid?

Adopting the main principles of the Mediterranean Diet eating pattern is the best start for a healthier lifestyle. At first, five meals – breakfast, lunch, dinner and two snacks- should be consumed during a typical day. The Mediterranean Diet Pyramid emphasizes the frequencies, not the serving sizes, of foods that should be enjoyed every day, as the latter differ and depend on factors such as the weight, height, age and level of activity of each person.

Therefore, foods to eat everyday are the following:

Whole wheat cereals: bread pasta and rice
Fruits: oranges or fresh orange juice, tangerines, apples, kiwis
Vegetables: carrots, broccoli, cabbages, cauliflower, greens, onions
Dairy products: semi-skimmed and/or skimmed milk, yoghurt, feta cheese, low fat cheese
Aromatic grass: basil, thymus, oregano, garlic
Olive oil and wine
Nuts: almonds, walnuts

The daily consumption of 2-3 fruits (one glass of fresh orange juice and a fruit), 3-4 vegetables servings (four cups of vegetables), 2-3 dairy servings (one cup of milk, 180 gr yoghurt, 30 gr low fat cheese), one glass of wine and the common use of olive oil and aromatic grass in cooking, should be the daily routine of every person who tries to obtain a healthier eating pattern.

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Eat 1-3 times a week:

Pulses: lentils, beans, chickpeas, split peas
Oily Fish: bream, sardines, mackerel, red mullet
White meat: poultry, tenderloin
Eggs
Potatoes

As far as meat is concerned, eat more white -Mediterranean oily fish (as they don’t contain heavy metals) 1-2 times a week and poultry and/or tenderloin 1-2 times a week- and less red meat. Don’t forget the pulses.

How much will it cost us a week of Mediterranean Diet?

We made a list with the foods of the Mediterranean Diet Pyramid, we went to the super market to see how much the adoption of this diet pattern for one week will cost and in the following table we present the results. The quantities listed are indicative, corresponding to recruit about 2,000 calories a day and meet the needs of an average person.

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