Does Anyone Here Follow the Mediterranean Diet?

[JAM2b]

I have been wanting to switch to this way of eating, and have tried some, but I find it difficult.

One of the reasons is that the flavors are more intense than I like. In general I like my food to be bland by most people's standards.

Another problem is that I can't have some of the food that are in the recipes I have due to IBS, lactose intolerance, and chronic gastritis. Tomatoes, onions, garlic, mustard, yogurt...

And one more problem is that my work schedule changes so it is difficult to prepare and cook.

All the recipes that I find seem to be containing something I can't eat or too flavorful for my palate.

Can this diet be beneficial if it gets tweaked down to what I can do?

Is there a very basic eating plan that doesn't get complicated with the ingredients?

 

[SkyWriting]

I have been wanting to switch to this way of eating, and have tried some, but I find it difficult.

One of the reasons is that the flavors are more intense than I like. In general I like my food to be bland by most people's standards.

Another problem is that I can't have some of the food that are in the recipes I have due to IBS, lactose intolerance, and chronic gastritis. Tomatoes, onions, garlic, mustard, yogurt...

And one more problem is that my work schedule changes so it is difficult to prepare and cook.

All the recipes that I find seem to be containing something I can't eat or too flavorful for my palate.

Can this diet be beneficial if it gets tweaked down to what I can do?

Is there a very basic eating plan that doesn't get complicated with the ingredients?

Yes. It's called SuperFridge. You prepare most all food on Sunday. And you eat as much as you like.

https://twitter.com/bjfogg/status/921014421836595203

The Answer to Obesity is In Your Refrigerator. » EatPlayFit

 

[Lost4words]

Marrow bone is healthy and suits my needs!

 

[JAM2b]

Food prepping is near impossible for me because of how much my work schedule changes. It often changes multiple times during a week. And I often work over time. Trying to do that would only frustrate me and keep me discouraged. I need a way to do it that doesn't involve major weekly food prepping.

 

[FireDragon76]

It's actually a misnomer this type of diet means you must eat Italian or Greek food. It's really a pattern of eating that's just centered around legumes, vegetables, and whole grains, and healthier choices in fats, such as olive or canola oil. Similar diets have been developed for other cultures, such as the so-called Nordic diet, which is focused on foods like lentils, root vegetables, rye bread, non-fat dairy, and berries.

If you have IBS and gastritis, it's probably due to gut dysbiosis being the underlying problem. I know because I dealt with that for years. I'm only now starting to get it under control. I actually eat a fair amount of garlic and onions now, because they are very healthy. In my case, regularly taking laxatives, prokinetics, and getting regular exercise lead to gradual improvement and ability to tolerate previously offending foods.

 

[bèlla]

You can take a few shortcuts to make things easier. All you need is a food processor and storage vessels. I prefer glass. Ikea has a nice one for this purpose. Use the snap lids.

Get a bag of onions. Slice them in half and half again. Throw them in the food processor and let it dice them. Put the contents in a container. Do the same for garlic, carrots, celery, green onions, etc. All the ingredients you use most.

Make double portions of recipes and freeze the extra. This is a good container for it. Place a sheet of wax paper over the food to prevent freezer burn.

Create salad on the go. Buy a bag of lettuce and layer the ingredients in a mason jar save dressing. Have several in the refrigerator. Now you have salad when you need it. You can use it as a main with chicken or fish or as a side.

Make a batch of soup and pasta sauce. Freeze the excess. Now you have soup and sauce when needed. All you have to do is boil the pasta.

Keep chicken soup on hand. Double the portion and freeze it all or the majority. When you’re under the weather you’ll be glad you did.

Put the ingredients for vegetable soup in a ziploc bag. Add everything save salt and pepper. If you don’t have time to make broth keep several varieties in your pantry. Chicken, vegetable, and beef.

Meals like that come together easily. You don’t have to do everything at once. Devoting time each week will pay off.

I’d do the same for meatballs, chili, meatloaf, and so on. You can portion out breakfast too. Get a yogurt maker. Buy some granola. Add honey and you’re done for the week.

The slow cooker is your friend. Have it run overnight and you’ll wake to a meal. Let your diet and need guide you. Set a small goal and build on it.

 

[JAM2b]

I cannot have onions, garlic, tomatoes, or yogurt, plus some other things.

I need to not have to do a food prep days or a week out. I need recipes that are simple and don't have a lot of seasonings or flavors.

I'm just really wondering if someone has a simple, very basic food plan for a Mediterranean style diet and wanting to know from someone who might have tried it if it was beneficial.

 

[bèlla]

Anti-inflammatory diets are usually along these lines. You may want to peruse a few books on the subject.