Guides
How to eat, shop and cook like the world’s longest-lived people, without fuss.
Half vegetables, a quarter beans or grains, a little fish, lots of olive oil.
Build most meals around vegetables, legumes and whole grains, cooked generously in extra-virgin olive oil. Add fish a couple of times a week, a little cheese or yoghurt, and keep red meat and sweets occasional.
Eat slowly, ideally with other people. The social table is part of the pattern in every long-lived region.
Harvest date, origin and a peppery finish.
Look for a harvest date within the last 12 to 18 months, a single named origin or estate, and dark glass or tins. Price per litre matters less than freshness.
A good oil smells green and grassy and leaves a peppery catch at the back of the throat, which comes from polyphenols. Use a robust oil for finishing and an everyday one for cooking.
The common thread of the Blue Zones.
Every Blue Zone eats beans, lentils or chickpeas most days. They are cheap, filling and keep for years in the pantry.
Cook a big pot on Sunday, or keep good tins and jars on hand. Season with olive oil, garlic, lemon and herbs, and add to soups, salads and toast.
Twenty things to always have in.
Extra-virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, tinned tomatoes, dried and tinned beans, lentils, chickpeas, whole grains such as farro and barley, oats, nuts and seeds, tinned sardines or mackerel.
Plus garlic, onions, lemons, dried oregano, cumin, smoked paprika, chilli flakes, sea salt and black pepper. With these you can always make dinner.
Stainless, cast iron and ceramic compared.
Stainless steel is versatile and lasts decades. Enamelled cast iron is ideal for slow braises and beans. Ceramic non-stick is easy for eggs and fish but wears faster.
Buy a few good pieces rather than a big set: a 26cm frying pan, a Dutch oven, a saucepan and a sheet pan cover most cooking.
Sardines, mackerel and anchovies.
Small oily fish are rich in omega-3 fats, low on the food chain and ready to eat. Look for fish packed in olive oil and responsibly caught.
Pile onto toast with lemon and parsley, toss through pasta with garlic and chilli, or add to a big green salad.
Not medical advice. We explain published research in plain English for general interest only. Studies have limits and results vary. Talk to your GP or a qualified health professional before changing your routine, especially if you are pregnant, take medication or have a health condition.
Want it done for you?
Our online services: tell us your household, budget and tastes, and Bizzoo Instant writes a weekly Mediterranean meal plan with recipes and a shopping list. Start free; upgrade for coaching.
Free
A$0
The Table newsletter, recipes and every guide.
Member
A$9/month
A weekly meal plan for your household.
Premium coaching
A$29/month
Your plan plus a real kitchen coach.
Pick a plan and we’ll email you when Bizzoo Instant opens. Founding members get first access and the best rates.
Planned launch prices in AUD. Nothing is charged today. Waitlist members get founding rates first.
Install CentenarianAdd it to your home screen for instant, offline access.