Making a Grocery List for the Mediterranean Diet

If you’re struggling to make a grocery list for a Mediterranean diet, you’re not alone. Whether it’s your first time shopping from the Mediterranean diet foods list or you’re just looking to shake up your meals, we’ve got tips for you. 

Our first tip: the average monthly cost for a Mediterranean diet is usually less than your current grocery bill, and when you use the Fetch app to earn rewards on your grocery purchases, you can save even more.

What is the Mediterranean diet?

You already know what a diet is, but what is the Mediterranean diet? The Mediterranean region is home to nearly two dozen countries, and the Mediterranean diet is most closely related to Greek and Italian cuisines. The Mediterranean diet is more about the types of foods you eat than the specific cuisines, focusing on:

• Plant-based foods
• Healthy fats
• Lean proteins
• Minimal processed foods

Traditionally regarded as a “heart-healthy” diet, the Mediterranean diet foods list also makes it very easy to maintain or lose weight as part of a healthy lifestyle. Remember, your regular grocery list for a Mediterranean diet might not have beef or processed foods on it, but that doesn’t mean they’re off the table. They just shouldn’t be common.

Mediterranean diet grocery list essentials

Your Mediterranean diet shopping list will rarely look identical to someone else’s, and that’s okay. These are the starting points to a grocery list for the Mediterranean diet, but as long as you follow the basic outline we’ve got above, you’ll reap the benefits.

Fruits and Vegetables

Essential:

• Garlic 
• Onions
• Leafy greens 
• Tomatoes 
• Lemons
• Grapes

Additional:

• Olives
• Figs and dates
• Asparagus 
• Bell peppers 
• Eggplant 
• Mushrooms 
• Squash

Healthy fats

Essential:

• Extra virgin olive oil
• Chosen Foods avocado oil
• Avocados
• Nuts (almonds, cashews, walnuts)

Additional:

• Ghee (clarified butter)

Proteins

Essential:

• Whitefish
• Salmon
• StarKist tuna
• Beans and chickpeas
• Sabra hummus
• Eggland’s Best eggs

Additional:

• Chicken
• Scallops
• Shellfish

Whole Grains

Essential:

• Nature’s Own whole-wheat bread
• Pita bread
• Barilla pasta
• Brown rice

Additional:

• Stacy’s pita chips 
• Success quinoa

Dairy

Essential:

• Greek yogurt (So Delicious for vegan)
• Feta cheese

Additional:

• BelGioioso cheeses (mozzarella, parmesan, ricotta)
• Promised Land low-fat milk

Herbs and Spices

Essential:

• Basil
• Oregano
• Cilantro
• Garlic powder
• Cumin

Additional:

• Mint
• Bay leaves
• Paprika
• Aleppo pepper

Starting your Mediterranean diet foods list

There’s nothing wrong with just taking that list and going shopping, but we suggest thinking about recipes that use some of those ingredients first and then crafting your shopping list. 

One of the best ways to build out a Mediterranean diet shopping list is to open up the Fetch app and scroll through your personalized offers. Just tap the heart icon to favorite it and create your own shopping list of points-optimized foods in the app.

Don’t have time to head to the store and want to reap even more rewards? Tap the shopping cart in the Fetch app to open up Fetch Shop and put together a grocery order from Target, Walmart, Sam’s Club and more right on your phone.

Is the Mediterranean diet appropriate for kids?

The Mediterranean diet is appropriate for kids and adults. Now, that doesn’t mean your kiddo is going to be excited for feta cheese, olives or mushrooms. Here are some Mediterranean diet foods kids will like:

• Whole-grain pasta with tomato sauce
• Mozzarella cheese sticks
• Make your own cauliflower fajitas
• Stuffed bell peppers
• Desserts with fresh fruit
• Snacks of dates or figs 

Mediterranean diet meal ideas

You can turn your staple meals into Mediterranean diet meal ideas pretty easily by swapping out some ingredients, but here are some good starting places for meals.

Mediterranean diet breakfast ideas

Coming up with new Mediterranean diet breakfast ideas shouldn’t be too hard, you’ll just want to cut back on meats like bacon and sausage. Here are some examples:

• Avocado toast (on whole grain toast)
• Scrambled eggs with spinach and feta
• Greek yogurt with Local Hive honey
• Oatmeal with fresh berries

Mediterranean diet lunch ideas

If you’ve ever tried to eat healthier more generally, you’ve probably come up with some Mediterranean diet lunch ideas without even realizing it, like:

• Grain bowls with brown rice, quinoa, mushrooms, sliced avocado, hard boiled egg and pumpkin seeds
• Fresh salads with spinach, feta, cherry tomatoes and a balsamic vinaigrette
• Veggie wraps with your salad ingredients (and maybe some grilled chicken)

Mediterranean diet snacks

Snacking on the Mediterranean diet is pretty simple: did anything we listed above sound like something you might munch on between meals? Mediterranean diet snacks include:

• Hummus with pita chips or fresh veggies
• Fresh fruits like berries, apples and plums
• Cashews, walnuts and mixed nuts
• Mozzarella string cheese
• Greek yogurt 

Sugar substitutes for the Mediterranean diet

Although there’s no ban on sugars, it’s a good idea to think of sugar substitutes for your Mediterranean diet needs. This is because many of the sugary foods people eat tend to also be processed foods, which we are trying to reduce. 

Here are some examples of sweet snacks and sugar substitutes for the Mediterranean diet:

• Dried apricots
• Dates
• Honey
• Agave syrup
• Maple syrup

If you do feel the need to eat something sweet, fresh fruits and the occasional dark chocolate are your best bets.

How much does the Mediterranean diet cost?

The average monthly cost for a Mediterranean diet will depend on how many people you’re shopping for, but in most cases it saves you 10-20% off of your normal grocery bill. 

• The average household can expect to spend about $60-70 per person per week on the Mediterranean diet.
• In one study, a traditional western diet cost a family $312 per week while a switch to the Mediterranean diet was $285
• Shopping in-season produce, practically a requirement for the Mediterranean diet, also tends to reduce your grocery bill.

If the average monthly cost of a Mediterranean diet seems enticing, remember to snap your receipts, shop offers and boosted brands and do your shopping in the Fetch app to earn points and reward yourself with free gift cards.

How Fetch can help you shop for the Mediterranean diet

Fetch should be your grocery shopping sidekick, especially when you’re working on a Mediterranean diet shopping list. If it’s not already on your phone, it should be (and you can catch up on points by snapping some recent receipts).

As America’s Rewards App, Fetch makes rewarding yourself simple: redeem points for free gift cards to some of your favorite retailers. Here’s how you can earn points:

• Snap your receipts in the Fetch app to earn points just for the things you buy every day.
• Shop personalized offers on retailers and products to earn more points.
• Shop from special boosted brands, where everything from that brand delivers more points.
• Tap the shopping cart icon in the Fetch app and do your shopping in Fetch Shop, where you’ll earn points on the dollar on nearly every purchase.

Fetch partner brands like Sabra hummus, So Delicious Greek yogurt and Chosen Foods avocado oil make it easy to stick to the Mediterranean diet and maximize your rewards.