Greek cuisine is one of the healthiest and most vibrant types of food on the planet. If you’ve heard about the Mediterranean diet, the hottest health trend of the new millennium, then you already know the basics of Greek food.

A perfect Greek salad, incorporating olives, green peppers and feta cheese, topped with a Greek flag, in Oia, Santorini

Olive oil, fresh fish, lots of veggies, whole grains, olives, dates, raisins, nuts and seeds are the base for all Greek food. Add to that delicious crumbly and briny feta cheese, wine and artisan bread, and you’re in for a feast!

Greek food is not a trend, though; people around the Mediterranean basin have eaten this way for centuries. And talking about centuries, Greece is the country with the most people over one hundred years old! It obviously has to do with their diet. Here’s what you need to know about Greek food.

Souvlaki – grilled meat, greek salad and tzatziki on wooden table
  • People will add olive oil to everything, from stews and broths to grilled food and salads.
  • Greeks rarely eat red meat, but they’ll roast the whole animal over an open flame when they do. Nothing is wasted.
  • The most popular condiment is the tzatziki sauce, made with yoghurt, cucumbers, olive oil, lemon juice, dill, garlic, salt and pepper.
  • People rarely eat processed food, ready meals, frozen food, sodas, fast food or any type of junk food.
  • Pita bread, a type of flatbread, is very accessible. They’ll serve it with most meals, and they also use it to wrap seasoned grilled meat to form a gyro.
  • The Greek salad is really prevalent in Greece. The combination of cucumbers, tomatoes, olives, feta cheese and olive oil are legendary. You’ll never find lettuce in a Greek salad.
  • An anise-scented liqueur called ouzo, tsipouro or raki is served after most meals, especially when eating with family and friends.
  • Greece produces lots of wine, but most of it is consumed within its borders. A unique wine style called Retsina is flavoured with pine resin, and although it’s an acquired taste, it’s exquisite once you get used to it!
  • Puff pastry treats abound. They’re made with the famous filo dough that becomes very flaky in the oven. Think of baklava.
  • They invented the frozen coffee or frappé in Greece!