Living Conditions: Diet and Nutrition

The Greek diet, also known as the Mediterranean Diet, is an alternative way of eating that has been adopted in the United States. 

Greek food and beverages are famous all over the world for both quality and taste. Greek cuisine is often cited as an example of the healthy Mediterranean diet while sharing food and drinks with relatives and friends is one of the basic elements of the Greek culture. Greek cuisine incorporates fresh ingredients, among them garlic, onions, fennel, zucchini, grapes, apples, dates and figs, into a variety of local dishes some of which can be traced back to Ancient Greece.

Seasonings and herbs like dill, mint, oregano and lemon rinds also form an important part of the recipes while olive oil is added to almost every dish. Wheat, rice and meat, traditionally lamb, but also chicken, pork, beef and fish, form the staple diet.

The mezedes (single: mezes) are appetizers, served before or with the main dishes:

• Tzatziki (Greek yogurt with finely chopped cucumber, garlic and olive oil). 
• Dolmades or dolmadakia (grape leaves filled with rice, onions and sometimes ground beef, currants and pine kernel), 
• Kalamarakia (small pieces of fried squid with lemon juice), 
• Tiropitakia (small cheese pies, usually made of feta cheese) 
• Spanakopitakia (small spinach pies with crushed feta cheese)

The most famous salad:

• The Greek Salad, a mix of fresh tomatoes, olives, cucumber, onions, green pepper, feta cheese, olive oil and oregano; melitzanosalata - an eggplant puree with finely chopped garlic and olive oil; taramosalata - crushed fish eggs.

Greeks have a lot of excellent main dishes such as:

•  Moussaka, which has a base made of potatoes topped with eggplants, onions, ground beef and béchamel crème; 
• Pastitsio - spaghetti topped with ground beef, onions, tomato sauce and béchamel sauce; 
• Paidakia - grilled lamb's ribs served with lemon; kokoretsi - wrapped and roasted entrails of lamb, served with lemon.
• Keftedakia - fried meatballs of beef, garlic and bread. 

*Meat is often served with horta - boiled wild greens with olive oil, salt and lemon and briam - mix of roast potatoes, eggplants, onions, garlic, tomato sauce and olive oil.
Greece is also famous for its alcoholic drinks. Liquor includes ouzo and tsipouro with ouzo being the most famous Greek alcoholic beverage, considered the trade mark of the country.

In Greece, friends and families eat meals together in a social setting. They prepare fresh produce that they grow on their own land, collect milk and eggs from their own animals and may even have their own animals for slaughter. Food quality is fresh, and meals are prepared as a family. In the United States, meals are often consumed on the road or in front of the television. Having one meal per day as a family at the table is a bonding experience. It also allows you to eat slowly and enjoy your food.

Squid!

A Greek Frappe!  A very popular coffee drink made from instant coffee.  Served over ice with foam on top.  It is a staple in the summer months.