Sharing some of my budget friendly and time saving Mediterranean Diet hacks to create mediterranean diet inspired meals in a hectic home.
Time Saving Tips
The Mediterranean Diet is know for its focus on fresh ingredients, less processed foods and more home cooked meals.
While I am a huge supporter of The Mediterranean Diet, I also pride myself in being realistic. There isn’t always time to cook meals from scratch and that is totally okay.
When life gets in the way, it’s still possible to create healthy, inspired meals with these time saving Mediterranean Diet hacks.
1. Stock Your Pantry
Canned goods are easy, affordable, quick ways to throw together a healthy, mediterranean inspired meal in a jiffy.
Some of my favorite canned items include –
- artichoke hearts to toss into pasta, salad or on top of fish
- tomatoes to create a quick sauce for any meal
- olives to toss into salads or add to chicken/fish for a quick dose of heart healthy fats
- beans can create a fiber filled, protein filled side dish within minutes
2. Meal Prep
To me, meal prep doesn’t have to mean devoting three hours on a Sunday to prepping entire meals for the upcoming week.
For me, meal prep typically involves –
- Making a ” big ass salad” for weekday lunches. Some of my favorites include this Mediterranean Plant Protein Power Bowl or this Lentil Salad with Cucumber.
- I also like to chop up some veggies to have ready to go in the fridge. I don’t know about you, but if I’m trying to put together a meal and have to pull out a cutting board and chop something, that’s a hard pass for me during the week.
- Smoothies can be a lifesaver in the mornings, so sometimes I’ll pull together these freezer smoothie packs. All I have to do is add some water/milk and toss in the prepped ingredients and I’m set.
3. Mix Your Own Spice Blends
Flavor is such an integral part of The Mediterranean Diet. Sometimes classic mediterranean dishes are made with simple ingredients but the spices make the ingredients shine.
Taking a few minutes to create your own spice blends is an easy way to speed up cooking time. It seems silly but I’d much rather be able to shake a few teaspoons of a pre-made spice blend over some chicken instead of measuring out 6 different spices.
Check out 3 of my favorite spices to make at home.
4. Frozen Fish Saves Time
I aim to have seafood twice a week as part of a way to improve and protect my heart health.
While there is nothing like the flavor of fresh fish that isn’t always feasible. That’s where frozen fish comes to the rescue. Most fresh caught fish is flash frozen, so there are lots of high quality, healthy options out there.
Tips for buying and preparing frozen fish –
- Look for wild caught
- Use the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch for recommendations on sustainable, safe types of fish
- Thaw slowly, as close to preparation time as possible
5. Stock Up on Seeds & Nuts
Sunflower seeds, slivered almonds, chopped walnuts and pistachios are some of the seeds and nuts I keep on hand to add flavor to many dishes.
A good source of heart healthy fats, they are an easy way to make a dish more filling and complete but also add a tremendous amount of flavor.
Not to mention that a handful of nuts makes a great midday snack when hunger calls. I like to purchase mine in the bulk bin section of my local grocery store – that way I can just purchase what I need which helps keep the budget in check.
6. Make Plants the Star of the Show
I think one of the biggest take aways from The Mediterranean Diet is that the more plants the better.
An easy way to transition into this way of eating is to focus on making plants the star of your meals. I like to plan a meal around the vegetables/lentils/legumes and then have chicken/beef/fish as more of a side dish.
It’s an easy way to reap the benefits of the mediterranean diet and save money at the same time.
7. Take Shortcuts When Needed
To make the Mediterranean Diet work for your life you have to be realistic about what you can make and what you can’t.
Sometimes I have the time needed to chop a bunch of vegetables, simmer a soup on the stove or soak beans before cooking. Other days I barely have enough time to preheat the oven before dinnertime.
That’s when I take shortcuts to make my life simpler. I purchase pre-chopped veggies, zucchini that has already been spiralized, or precooked lentils that only require a zap in the microwave. Make it work for you.
8. Plan Snacks in Advance
You can meal plan and prep your little heart out but there are days when it just doesn’t work. It happens to the best of us.
For those instances, have a couple snacks planned and ready. Some of my favorite Mediterranean Diet Inspired Snacks include –
- hard boiled eggs
- homemade trail mix
- beef jerky
- prepackaged olives
9. Have a Pre-Cooked Meal Plan B
I believe in having a Plan B when crap hits the fan.
Instead of reaching for the phone to order a pizza or drive thru the nearest fast food joint, have a go to meal you can pick up from the grocery store that is ready to eat.
It doesn’t have to be glamorous or fancy, just make it simple, as fresh as possible and something you enjoy.
This is my go to back up meal –
- store bought, fully cooked rotisserie chicken
- bagged salad (watch out for the dressings, there are many that have simple vinaigrettes instead of heavy, cream based dressings)
- marinated olives and mushrooms from the deli section of the store, that I top with a sliced avocado and sunflower seeds
10. Make It Fun
I know this probably doesn’t seem much like a Mediterranean Diet Hack, but it’s probably one of my favorite tips.
The Mediterranean Diet is a lifestyle. It’s meant to bring the social, fun aspect back to eating as a way to live a happy and healthy, well rounded life.
In addition to focusing on the food, make sure you are also remembering to make it fun.
If you are stuck in a rut or not enjoying meals, consider trying –
- a recipe swap with a neighbor to save time on making a meal and also trying new dishes
- meal prep party with friends – everyone helps with some of the prep and everyone goes home with some of the goods for the week ahead
- healthy potluck gathering – instead of inviting friends out for dinner, assign everyone a part of the meal and have a healthy dinner in with friends or family
Making The Mediterranean Diet Work For You
I hope you find some of these Mediterranean Diet hacks useful and just remember what works for one person doesn’t always work for others. Your diet and lifestyle should be fun and filled with food that you enjoy.
If you have any time saving hacks that have worked for you, share below!
