With Thanksgiving behind us, the holiday season is in full swing. It's a time of traditions, giving thanks, gathering with family and friends, and sharing delicious food. It's also a time to indulge, with gifts, decorations, quality time with loved ones, or maybe a nice bottle of wine. Cooking and enjoying the pleasures of the table with family and friends is an important part of the Mediterranean diet, and contributes hugely to good health. All too often we get caught up in the busyness of our daily routines, but the holiday season presents us with an opportunity to take a breath and treat ourselves to these little indulgences, Mediterranean-style.

Edible Gifts

Gifting food is popular during the holiday season in the Mediterranean, whether it's a bottle of homemade wine or some store-bought baklava. A little effort goes a long way for thoughtful homemade gifts. Canned homemade sauce, jam, and pickled vegetables are easy to transport and are usually made in large batches, perfect for sharing among several recipients. Try making homemade Italian biscotti or Middle Eastern date cookies for a sweet surprise. Alternatively, stop at a specialty foods store or the international section of your grocery store to pick up a nice bottle of vinegar or extra virgin olive oil, some quality cheese, or a jar of Spanish olives. 

Quality Time 

For many people, spending an uninterrupted day with friends and family is rare, and usually happens on holidays. In the spirit of celebrating your shared time together, put together a mezze or tapas meal. Small plate sharing meals reduce the stress of holiday get-togethers because many dishes, like hummus or cheese plates, can be made a day or two before. Ask guests to bring a plate to contribute to the spread so that everyone can spend less time cooking and more time enjoying each others' company.

Cooking together is another satisfying way to spend quality time with loved ones. Many Mediterranean foods, like gnocchi and stuffed grape leaves, traditionally take a group effort to make from scratch. Working alone to make these time-intensive foods from scratch can be tedious, but with a group of friends, it's a chance to catch up and enjoy a delicious, rewarding meal at the end.

Splurging on Flavor

Fruits, vegetables, grains, beans, legumes, nuts and seeds make up the base of the Mediterranean diet pyramid, and sometimes they need a little help from other ingredients to be prepared in delicious ways. In the spirit of the holidays, treat yourself to a pricier bottle of extra virgin olive oil or a special Mediterranean spice like saffron to flavor your meals. Try a new type of Mediterranean cheese, like ricotta or halloumi. If you usually stick to shrimp, pick up some salmon or scallops the next time you're at the fish counter. Splurge on a bottle of walnut oil for your salads. These flavoring agents will spruce up your cooking routine and make you savor your Mediterranean meals even more.

For more ideas to enjoy this holiday season, take a look at Oldways' Mediterranean Holiday Menus and the Oldways Nutrition Exchange (ONE) Healthy Holidays toolkit.