I've developed a couple easy-to-do tricks for shopping and cooking. Going Mediterranean has made those tricks even easier. (I don't like to cook, and now that I'm the only one to feed, I had to make cooking as easy as I possibly could.) 1) I make up a few meal menus, but I only buy enough for two meals. I get four meals, original and leftovers. 2) I prep the foods on the original day I'm going to eat them. I "cook for two" for leftovers.
I meal plan every Friday for the upcoming week based on what’s in my fridge, freezer, and pantry. Then I place a pick-up order to fill the holes, get fresh produce, and stock up on staples if they’re on sale. I’m a little flexible in that we don’t have to eat what I planned on certain days, the main thing is that everything is there when I need it.
Thank you so much for putting this video together. I recently had a doctors appt. and my physician recommended the Mediterranean diet, for heart health, heart disease runs in my family, and I am so happy that I found your video's! I was following a vegan/vegetarian program, (not 100%) and there are so many similarities! I noticed that its extremely rare that I include fruits in my everyday foods, which is scary to me because of all the bad publicity they get with the high sugar content. I try to have overnight oats for breakfast which includes maple syrup, where does that fall into place? So many questions, but the more videos I'm watching, the more knowledge I obtain. I've been forwarding your videos onto my sister who has more health concerns than I do, mine are minimal. So thank you so much for helping me and my sister through our journey!! :0)
Wow I’m so honored you like the content!!! You’re asking such excellent questions and you bring up some common points of confusion. I agree with you, there are so many overlaps between the Mediterranean approach and vegetarian/vegan patterns - both are plant-based, and if you’re doing either correctly, you’ll be eating lots of whole foods that contain tons of nutrients and important things like fiber, healthy fats, antioxidants, etc. In my view, it’s not possible to claim that one is “better” than the other- when done correctly, both are great! About the fruit and sugar question - there is a lot of misconception about the sugar in fruit and the negative health impacts of sweetened foods. Lots of research studies have consistently concluded that fruit, when eaten whole (where it still contains the fiber) does not negatively impact health and actually is correlated with improved health markers like improving insulin resistance, lowering cholesterol levels, decreasing weight and adiposity - which are risk factors for common conditions like type 2 diabetes or heart disease. Please feel free to ask questions at ANY time!
I worry about eating too much Mercury. I know SafeCatch has lower Mercury canned Tuna (line caught). But how can we avoid too much Mercury in Fish. And what are your thoughts on Farmed fish and shrimp? And as far as shopping-we go rogue and buy what’s on sale-leafy greens, a cooking cruciferous vegetable, onions (all kinds), and proteins. Then if we want something like a Stew, buy whatever is on sale-cubed beef, fish, ground turkey, chicken or go veggie with beans. We keep it simple. We buy big bags of brown rice and quinoa too.
Simple is great! Farmed fish/seafood is one of those things, where the quality is going to be lower than wild caught but may be all some people have access to or can afford. Some is better than none if people enjoy the taste of fish- the health benefits are unquestionable regardless of quality
I love soups so I have already planned on buying beans and lentils. Investigating on which EVOO are the best. This has been an eye opener in itself. Have to use up my Costco olive Oil first and then I will be buying some lighter EVOO for salads and heavier one that is spicy like Picual. Ordered a good chef knife and will soon be chopping like a chef. Lol. I was doing keto and lost 70 lbs. put back on 25 and was eating too much red meats and I ended up being fully inflamed and had gout. Pain is still not quite gone out of my joints and back so I am now looking to a more anti-inflammatory Mediterranean style that looks like is more controlling as you have so much to choose from. Wish me luck. ❤🍀
I’m so glad you’re finding the videos useful! And thank you for sharing your experiences - it’s helpful to others in our community to learn of different experiences people have with other approaches to eating- for better or worse. I think you’ll find the Mediterranean approach to eating very easy and sustainable. Feel free to ask any questions that come up!
Hi, Dr. Anna! I'm so glad I found you. I have MS and have tried meal planning, but have found it difficult because of my fatigue. I need to eat more variety and am now trying to eat more Mediterranean type foods. I really like the way you recommended eating foods that you already like. Do you have any suggestions for people who struggle with lack of energy/fatigue regarding meal prep? Thanks so much 💗 Valerie
Hi Valerie! Thank you so much for asking this question - it's such an important one. Being fatigued can be a hurdle in the kitchen. It's good to identify a couple cooking methods that you could manage. I think something like steaming for vegetables is great, since there is just a little chopping involved and the cooking time is quite fast. Getting a steamer basket is important for this. Another cooking method could be making soups and stews - easy to cook and great to freeze for later. These could also be done in a crock pot or pressure cooker. In terms of selecting foods that give lots of nutrition, things like nut or seed butter will provide lots of healthy fats and will be easy to chew and swallow and are foods to be eaten raw - easy to have with fruit, on toast, etc. Other protein-rich foods could include eggs and yogurt - little cooking and easy to chew and swallow. Having foods that can be prepared quickly and easily will help decrease the temptation to reach for pre-packaged and processed foods - an important principle of the Mediterranean Diet!
Great video…. Useful info; well-presented. Suggestion-be more precise about describing grains. Not everything you mentioned , ( buckwheat, quinoa) are grain. These are seeds. That matters for certain physical conditions.
I’m glad you like the video! And your point is well taken - I actually remember in nutrition school having this debate about seeds vs grains. I never could quite keep it straight - apologies if I mixed the words. This article captures the confusion quite well! www.huffpost.com/entry/quinoa-is-not-a-grain_n_59380558e4b0aba888ba7b44
We have very little produce available without a twenty mile drive and that is one way. We only plan meals very far ahead when entertaining or one of us just wants a specific item. We mostly buy produce "staples" and base meals on them combined with nonperishable foods and proteins. Lately, I have been freezing some extra produce and have found common sense guidence online.
You bring up such a good point here - availability of healthy foods like produce. I’m so grateful you shared your tactic here - it is a great one for others to copy if they are in the same situation. Thank you!!
yes, this can be challenging! Starting with simple approaches like buying frozen or canned vegetables is a cost-effective way to include more veggies with healthy fiber into the diet without the need for chopping - a big time saver!
I go rogue after buying my groceries so I try to buy healthier items because my meals may not plan out just how I wanted but at least they are made up of healthier choices
Protein
Leafy greens
Cooking greens
Starches
Grains
Something that sparks joy
Fabulous!! Thank you for sharing :)
I've developed a couple easy-to-do tricks for shopping and cooking. Going Mediterranean has made those tricks even easier. (I don't like to cook, and now that I'm the only one to feed, I had to make cooking as easy as I possibly could.)
1) I make up a few meal menus, but I only buy enough for two meals. I get four meals, original and leftovers.
2) I prep the foods on the original day I'm going to eat them. I "cook for two" for leftovers.
That is awesome! Thanks for sharing with us :)
I meal plan every Friday for the upcoming week based on what’s in my fridge, freezer, and pantry. Then I place a pick-up order to fill the holes, get fresh produce, and stock up on staples if they’re on sale. I’m a little flexible in that we don’t have to eat what I planned on certain days, the main thing is that everything is there when I need it.
Amazing!!
Thank you so much for putting this video together. I recently had a doctors appt. and my physician recommended the Mediterranean diet, for heart health, heart disease runs in my family, and I am so happy that I found your video's! I was following a vegan/vegetarian program, (not 100%) and there are so many similarities! I noticed that its extremely rare that I include fruits in my everyday foods, which is scary to me because of all the bad publicity they get with the high sugar content. I try to have overnight oats for breakfast which includes maple syrup, where does that fall into place? So many questions, but the more videos I'm watching, the more knowledge I obtain. I've been forwarding your videos onto my sister who has more health concerns than I do, mine are minimal. So thank you so much for helping me and my sister through our journey!! :0)
Wow I’m so honored you like the content!!! You’re asking such excellent questions and you bring up some common points of confusion.
I agree with you, there are so many overlaps between the Mediterranean approach and vegetarian/vegan patterns - both are plant-based, and if you’re doing either correctly, you’ll be eating lots of whole foods that contain tons of nutrients and important things like fiber, healthy fats, antioxidants, etc. In my view, it’s not possible to claim that one is “better” than the other- when done correctly, both are great!
About the fruit and sugar question - there is a lot of misconception about the sugar in fruit and the negative health impacts of sweetened foods. Lots of research studies have consistently concluded that fruit, when eaten whole (where it still contains the fiber) does not negatively impact health and actually is correlated with improved health markers like improving insulin resistance, lowering cholesterol levels, decreasing weight and adiposity - which are risk factors for common conditions like type 2 diabetes or heart disease.
Please feel free to ask questions at ANY time!
I’m new to the Mediterranean diet and I am finding these videos very helpful!
I'm so glad! Please feel free to ask any questions that come up for you - thats’s what I do!!
I worry about eating too much Mercury. I know SafeCatch has lower Mercury canned Tuna (line caught). But how can we avoid too much Mercury in Fish. And what are your thoughts on Farmed fish and shrimp?
And as far as shopping-we go rogue and buy what’s on sale-leafy greens, a cooking cruciferous vegetable, onions (all kinds), and proteins. Then if we want something like a Stew, buy whatever is on sale-cubed beef, fish, ground turkey, chicken or go veggie with beans. We keep it simple. We buy big bags of brown rice and quinoa too.
Simple is great! Farmed fish/seafood is one of those things, where the quality is going to be lower than wild caught but may be all some people have access to or can afford. Some is better than none if people enjoy the taste of fish- the health benefits are unquestionable regardless of quality
I love soups so I have already planned on buying beans and lentils. Investigating on which EVOO are the best. This has been an eye opener in itself. Have to use up my Costco olive
Oil first and then I will be buying some lighter EVOO for salads and heavier one that is spicy like Picual. Ordered a good chef knife and will soon be chopping like a chef. Lol. I was doing keto and lost 70 lbs. put back on 25 and was eating too much red meats and I ended up being fully inflamed and had gout. Pain is still not quite gone out of my joints and back so I am now looking to a more anti-inflammatory Mediterranean style that looks like is more controlling as you have so much to choose from. Wish me luck. ❤🍀
I’m so glad you’re finding the videos useful! And thank you for sharing your experiences - it’s helpful to others in our community to learn of different experiences people have with other approaches to eating- for better or worse. I think you’ll find the Mediterranean approach to eating very easy and sustainable. Feel free to ask any questions that come up!
This is such a practical and easy approach and I like the fact that a happy treat is allowed. Molasses cookie is mine for this week! :)
I’m so glad you like it! Yes, for me it’s all about balance and sustainability :)
@@annapleetmd 👍👍
Hi, Dr. Anna! I'm so glad I found you. I have MS and have tried meal planning, but have found it difficult because of my fatigue. I need to eat more variety and am now trying to eat more Mediterranean type foods. I really like the way you recommended eating foods that you already like. Do you have any suggestions for people who struggle with lack of energy/fatigue regarding meal prep? Thanks so much 💗 Valerie
Hi Valerie!
Thank you so much for asking this question - it's such an important one. Being fatigued can be a hurdle in the kitchen. It's good to identify a couple cooking methods that you could manage. I think something like steaming for vegetables is great, since there is just a little chopping involved and the cooking time is quite fast. Getting a steamer basket is important for this. Another cooking method could be making soups and stews - easy to cook and great to freeze for later. These could also be done in a crock pot or pressure cooker.
In terms of selecting foods that give lots of nutrition, things like nut or seed butter will provide lots of healthy fats and will be easy to chew and swallow and are foods to be eaten raw - easy to have with fruit, on toast, etc. Other protein-rich foods could include eggs and yogurt - little cooking and easy to chew and swallow.
Having foods that can be prepared quickly and easily will help decrease the temptation to reach for pre-packaged and processed foods - an important principle of the Mediterranean Diet!
Thanks for this 🎉
You’re welcome 😊 my pleasure !
Great video…. Useful info; well-presented. Suggestion-be more precise about describing grains. Not everything you mentioned , ( buckwheat, quinoa) are grain. These are seeds. That matters for certain physical conditions.
I’m glad you like the video! And your point is well taken - I actually remember in nutrition school having this debate about seeds vs grains. I never could quite keep it straight - apologies if I mixed the words. This article captures the confusion quite well!
www.huffpost.com/entry/quinoa-is-not-a-grain_n_59380558e4b0aba888ba7b44
I prep and freeze so I have variety of foods frozen and ready. Each week I prep a new different meal.
That is awesome!
We have very little produce available without a twenty mile drive and that is one way. We only plan meals very far ahead when entertaining or one of us just wants a specific item. We mostly buy produce "staples" and base meals on them combined with nonperishable foods and proteins. Lately, I have been freezing some extra produce and have found common sense guidence online.
You bring up such a good point here - availability of healthy foods like produce. I’m so grateful you shared your tactic here - it is a great one for others to copy if they are in the same situation. Thank you!!
There is o ly me I
Feeding it is difficult to cook for one
yes, this can be challenging! Starting with simple approaches like buying frozen or canned vegetables is a cost-effective way to include more veggies with healthy fiber into the diet without the need for chopping - a big time saver!
I go rogue after buying my groceries so I try to buy healthier items because my meals may not plan out just how I wanted but at least they are made up of healthier choices
Awesome! I also do this too especially in busy week days- thanks for sharing 😁