- Eating healthily doesn’t have to take lots of time or preparation, according to an Italian dietitian named Marika Mancino.
- Mancino, a lifelong follower of the Mediterranean diet, shares five kitchen hacks for maintaining a balanced and delicious diet.
Eating healthy, balanced meals doesn’t have to mean hours of cooking or bland food.
Marika Mancino, an Italian dietitian who grew up on the Mediterranean diet and now incorporates it into her clinical practice, shares five kitchen hacks for easy diet maintenance.
Mancino believes that the Mediterranean diet is both the most “complete” and delicious eating plan in the world.
Planning is vital for a healthy lifestyle, according to Mancino. This involves thinking ahead and ensuring you have kitchen staples available for busy days.
She stressed that there is no food that is inherently bad for you, but portion control and awareness of the ingredients in store-bought products are key.
Here are the kitchen hacks she recommends.
Always keep bags of salad in the fridge
Mancino suggests keeping pre-made bags of salad in the fridge for easy access after a long day. Healthy food doesn’t always require extensive preparation.
If a recipe doesn’t include vegetables, Mancino simply opens a bag of salad and adds some carrots and tomatoes for a balanced meal alongside the main dish.
Buy frozen vegetables
While vegetables are essential in the Mediterranean diet for their micronutrients, they don’t have a long shelf life. Mancino recommends buying frozen vegetables as a convenient alternative to fresh ones.
Stock up your store cupboard with tinned proteins
Mancino suggests keeping canned chickpeas or tuna on hand to quickly turn a salad or pasta dish into a high-protein meal when time is limited.
For a simple meal, she drains the chickpeas and adds them to a salad of leafy greens, artichokes, and tomatoes. Adding some bread completes the dish.
Another go-to meal for Mancino is a pasta salad with mozzarella cheese, olives, tomatoes, and tinned tuna.
Use herbs and spices instead of salt
Mancino recommends using herbs and spices to enhance the flavor of food without relying on excessive salt. The Mediterranean diet incorporates various spices, such as basil, coriander, cumin, black pepper, turmeric, and rosemary.
Use miso paste instead of stock
Mancino suggests using miso paste as a healthier alternative to store-bought stock, which often contains added salt. Miso paste adds flavor and is more natural.
Mancino emphasizes the importance of checking nutritional labels and opting for products with less added salt and sugar when buying groceries, such as stock or breakfast cereals.
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