When Jovienne Banks moved to a seaside town in southern Spain for a teaching job, she expected to fall in love with the view, maybe the language—but not the food. “I thought I knew the Mediterranean diet,” she laughs. “Olive oil, wine, maybe a salad here and there. But I was missing the real beauty of it.”
What surprised her most wasn’t just the flavors—it was how effortlessly fiber showed up in everyday eating. The locals snacked differently. Jovienne noticed people munching on roasted chickpeas instead of chips, or dipping raw veggies into hummus instead of cheese spreads. Even the sweet treats—figs, dates, dried apricots—were fiber-packed and deeply satisfying.
It didn’t take long before she began mimicking those habits. At first, just casually: packing a small container of olives and almonds to class, or slicing cucumbers to dip in baba ghanoush while grading papers. But slowly, the shift became a lifestyle.
Her digestion improved, yes. But even more than that, she felt consistently energized between meals. “I wasn’t reaching for coffee at 3 p.m. anymore,” she says. “These little snacks kept me full and focused.”
Today, even back home, Jovienne keeps that Mediterranean rhythm. Not because she has to—but because it just works. “Snacking doesn’t need to feel like a guilty habit,” she smiles. “It can be a celebration—of nourishment, flavor, and balance.”
