My husband and I follow the Mediterranean diet and shop at Costco. Here are 12 things I always buy.
Kate Santos
- My husband and I try to follow the Mediterranean diet on a budget, so we shop at Costco.
- Costco is a great place for Mediterranean-diet staples like olive oil and dried fruit.
To keep healthy, my husband and I began following the Mediterranean diet years ago.
It's considered one of the healthiest ways to eat, and those following the Mediterranean diet limit processed foods and red meat while focusing on seafood, healthy fats, and fresh produce.
Once my husband introduced me to Costco, it became my go-to for essential food items. We love the wholesale chain's meat and produce sections and the many other deals it offers.
Here's what we often buy at Costco while following the Mediterranean diet.
Olive oil, the ingredient we use the most, comes in large containers at Costco.
From making eggs to baking chicken to creating a healthy salad dressing, we use olive oil in almost everything we make.
Costco sells various types, but I usually prefer the Kirkland 100% Italian extra-virgin olive oil.
A great way to start following the Mediterranean diet in your own home is by replacing anything you typically cook in butter with olive oil.
My secret for helping the olive oil last longer is refilling an oil dispenser in our kitchen, which keeps us from pouring with a heavy hand.
Many of the folks in Blue Zones drink red wine, so we often pick some up.
After seeing research about wine drinkers in Blue Zones, areas with lots of centurions, we often use red wine in our cooking (or for sipping).
Being in California, I often opt for locally-produced wine to lessen carbon emissions during weekly grocery runs. (Although I do occasionally take home one of Costco's French or Italian wine offerings.)
Dried fruit is a staple snack item.
We no longer eat potato chips or sweets when we're hungry. Instead, dried fruits, such as dried plums, have become a great way to satisfy our snack cravings in between meals.
On this shopping trip, I opted for the Sunsweet brand.
Garlic supports our immune systems and makes everything taste better.
We eat a diet high in garlic, which is said to be great for the immune system. We dice garlic when cooking fish or chicken in olive oil. It's also a great flavor enhancer for pastas and soups.
In my opinion, the Christopher Ranch garlic is typically fresher than bulbs from other commercially farmed brands.
Blueberries are polyphenol-rich foods, making them a great ingredient.
Fresh blueberries from Costco are a great addition to my typical breakfast, low-fat Greek yogurt. However, the bulk size isn't always the best option when I'm only shopping for two.
Instead, I sometimes opt for dried blueberries. They're rich in polyphenols, which may improve cognitive functioning.
Dried blueberries pair well with mixed nuts for snacking. They're also great in yogurt or oatmeal.
We always have plenty of lemons on hand.
Although we're lucky to have a lemon tree in our backyard, it produces Meyer Lemons, which are a bit sweeter with more of a mandarin taste.
Since we love the taste of citrus lemons, we often buy them in bulk from Costco.
I don't have brand loyalty for lemons at Costco — I just get what's in stock. If organic lemons are available, I'll buy those.
Tomatoes are our go-to for every dinner.
Although I often purchase tomatoes on the vine, we never leave Costco without picking up organic grape tomatoes.
They're great for a snack (especially when paired with fresh mozzarella and basil), as a seasoned side dish, or tossed in salads.
Avocados are especially nice in meals without meat or carbs.
The Mediterranean diet is heavy on fruits and vegetables, and avocadoes seem to be the most adaptable to various recipes.
A Mediterranean-style way to eat them is mashing them and adding onion, tomato, and garlic to turn them into fresh guacamole. For dipping, we trade out fried tortilla chips for thin pita chips.
Fish is a Mediterranean staple and we love fresh tilapia.
Fresh fish is the staple of a Mediterranean-inspired diet, so I always check out Costco's seafood section. Often, fresh tilapia is available.
Although baked whole tilapia can require more advanced cooking skills, other fish, such as cod, can be a much easier process.
For beginner cooks, fresh tuna steaks can also be a great place to start.
Salmon is great for dinner (or breakfast).
Our local Costco features salmon in both the meat aisle and the prepared foods section, where a version already seasoned with garlic butter is ready to be put in the oven.
Since I prefer to avoid butter as often as possible, I typically prepare salmon myself. A pan-seared salmon dinner only requires a few ingredients, many of which are often part of the Mediterranean diet, including lemon, olive oil, salt, pepper, and garlic.
Salmon also makes an appearance in other meals. For breakfast, we occasionally eat eggs with smoked salmon we find at our local Costco.
The Kirkland Signature prepackaged quinoa is a fantastic side that requires little prep.
Since I work full-time, it can be difficult to cook every meal entirely from scratch. On busy days, I reach for Costco's prepared foods.
The chain's rotisserie chicken might be a fan favorite, but I really love its delicious quinoa salad, which is a great light side for dinner or lunch.
One container is large enough to last us a few meals.
Skip premade salads and opt for spring mix instead.
In my experience, premade salads with "Mediterranean" in the title often have dressing ingredients that don't pass muster for me.
Instead of choosing a premade salad, I make my own, using olive oil and lemon juice as the dressing.
By simply chopping up some vegetables — carrots, cucumber, or whatever else I like — I can quickly make my ideal salad with the freshest ingredients available.
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