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The Mediterranean diet continuously ranks as one of the best diets for overall health among health professionals and experts. The (mostly) plant-based diet follows simple guideline of eating whole, fresh foods without any severe restrictions.

But when you’re trying to feed yourself (or your family) on a budget, it might seem difficult to maintain a healthy eating plan of fish, veggies, fruits and whole grains.

Good news: There are plenty of ways to maintain a Mediterranean diet plan without spending a fortune on groceries.

“A common misconception about the Mediterranean diet is that it’s expensive,” said Brynn McDowell, RD, author of The Mediterranean Diet Made Easy.

“However, if you think about the fact that this diet is based on the traditional style of eating for entire populations of people (young, old, rich, poor, families, etc.), you’ll see that instead of expensive ingredients, it’s actually based on seasonal, local food.”

Here’s advice on how to eat a Mediterranean diet on a budget:

Stick to seasonal produce

It’s a safe bet you’ll find better prices on strawberries or tomatoes in the summer than the middle of winter. Aim to plan your meals around whatever vegetables and fruits are in season. This way, you can rely on enjoying fresh, flavorful dishes without spending more money.

McDowell recommends buying local from your farmers market, when possible, to find great deals while also supporting local businesses.

Go for the legumes

A healthy Mediterranean diet doesn’t always have to revolve around expensive cuts of fish. Beans and legumes are “a cheap and cheerful protein that cost pennies in comparison to meat and fish,” said Melanie Lionello, nutritionist and author of Frugal Mediterranean Cooking. When possible, you can make batches of dried beans to get more bang for your buck.

Canned food is your friend

Canned or frozen vegetables and beans are excellent pantry staples for adding nutrients and fiber to quick weeknight meals. This is especially cost-effective when the vegetables you want aren’t in season.

For simple lunches or dinner, a major budget-friendly Mediterranean ingredient to add to the pantry is canned seafood such as tuna or salmon.

“Not only are they pretty inexpensive, but they’re a great way to get your recommended two servings of heart-healthy seafood each week,” McDowell said.

Plan ahead

Both McDowell and Lionello say one of your best bets to following a budget-friendly Mediterranean diet plan is planning your meals. This doesn’t have to be a full, written menu that’s set in stone. By creating a general meal plan, you can avoid impulse buys and also utilize weekly ads to figure out what ingredients are on sale to help build your weekly menu.

For example, McDowell said, if you need half a bag of spinach for a recipe, you can add a different recipe that uses the other half for another day that week so it doesn’t go to waste.

Utilize leftovers

When busy days are on the horizon, take advantage of days that you’re already cooking to make extra portions for easy lunches or just to prevent food waste.

And there’s no need to get tired from eating the same dish again the next day. Use leftover ingredients such as roasted chicken from dinner and bring them to life the next day as a salad or soup.

Better Homes and Gardens is a magazine and website devoted to ideas and improvement projects for your home and garden, plus recipes and entertaining ideas. Online at bhg.com.

© 2021 Eating Well, Inc. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.