Meal Plan for a Healthy Mediterranean Diet

In this article:

• A Mediterranean diet can help manage weight and improve heart health.
• A low-carb, high-fiber diet includes lean proteins, vegetables, healthy fats like olive oil, fruit, whole grains, legumes, and dairy products. It limits sugar-sweetened foods and beverages, fatty meats, and highly processed foods.
• This one-week meal plan includes healthy foods and delicious, easy-to-prepare dishes. 
• Be sure to ask your doctor before starting any new weight management diet or program.
• Lark can help manage weight and establish sustainable healthy habits within your lifestyle. 

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A Mediterranean diet is famous for being heart-healthy. It includes lean proteins and high-fiber foods like vegetables, whole grains, and fruits. It’s also known for being high in monounsaturated fats, which are high in foods like olive oil, avocado, and peanuts. 

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A Mediterranean diet can be filling and nutritious. It’s also easy to follow because it includes foods that are in most major supermarkets. You can modify a Mediterranean diet to meet your needs.

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Following is a one-week meal plan that includes a Mediterranean-style pattern of eating. You can read more information here about benefits of a Mediterranean diet and which foods to emphasize. Be sure to ask your doctor before starting this or any other extreme meal plan.

About This Mediterranean Diet Meal Plan

It’s a good idea to ask your doctor before using this or any other meal plan to make sure it is appropriate for you and your goals. Each day has 3 meals with approximately 350-450 calories in each, making a total of 1,100-1,200 calories per day. 

Here is the approximate macronutrient breakdown of the meal plan.

• 30-35% calories from fat
• 20-25% calories from protein
• 40-50% calories from carbohydrates

Here are some more tips for success.

• Drink plenty of water throughout the day. Aim for at least 64 ounces.
• Include some physical activity, as long as your healthcare provider supports it. A good goal for most people is at least 150 minutes per week.
• You can always use our Healthy Swap List if you want to substitute different foods. 

Snack Options

You can add snacks if you need them. These are a few portion-controlled, nutritious snack ideas.

• 1 cup raw vegetables with ¼ cup hummus, eggplant dip, pesto sauce, or guacamole
• 1 string cheese with a small apple
• ½ cup cottage cheese with 1 cup sliced cucumbers
• ½ cup mixed berries with 1 oz almonds
• 1 cup plain, non-fat Greek yogurt, 2 tablespoons of chia seeds
• 1 oz almonds, 1 cup carrot sticks
• 2 hard boiled eggs with ½ cup sliced radishes
• 2 stalks celery, 1 tablespoon of natural peanut butter
• Cauliflower rice topped with 1 oz cheddar cheese
• Baked kale chips with 1 oz parmesan cheese

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You can also use any of our other Healthy Snack Ideas.

One-Week Healthy Mediterranean Meal Plan for Weight Loss

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Day 1

Breakfast: 

Yogurt parfait with 1 cup of plain nonfat regular or Greek yogurt, ¾ cup of fresh or unsweetened frozen berries, and 1 ounce of chopped walnuts or peanuts

Lunch: 

Mediterranean chickpea salad with ½ cup chickpeas, 1 oz feta cheese, 1 tbsp olive oil, 1 cup mixed greens, ½ cup cherry tomatoes, cucumber slices (or try our Hearty and Delicious Mediterranean Salad)

Dinner: 

Grilled salmon (4 ounces) with ½ cup of cooked quinoa or brown rice, 1 cup of steamed vegetables like broccoli, and 2 tablespoons of tahini sauce or dressing made with olive oil and lemon juice or vinegar

Day 2

Breakfast: 

Scrambled eggs with 1 egg and 2 egg whites, spinach, tomatoes, and 1 oz of feta cheese (recipe here) served with 1 cup of fruit

Lunch: 

3 ounces of grilled or roasted skinless chicken with 1-2 cups of roasted vegetables and ½ cup of roasted sweet potato slices with 1 tablespoon of olive oil (for roasting)

Dinner: 

Shrimp stir fry with 4 ounces of shrimp and 1 cup of mixed vegetables (like broccoli, carrots, celery, onion, bok choy, snow peas, etc.) sauteed with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and served with ½ cup of cooked brown rice

Day 3

Breakfast: 

Oatmeal made with ½ cup of rolled or quick-cooking oats, ¾ cup of water, unsweetened almond milk, or skim milk

1 tablespoon of peanut butter

1 small banana, sliced

Lunch: 

Tuna salad served on mixed greens

½ whole-grain bagel

Dinner: 

3 ounces of skinless baked chicken

1 cup of steamed green beans

½ cup cooked butternut squash

½ cup of fruit with ½ ounce of walnuts

Day 4

Breakfast: 

Broccoli breakfast casserole with ½ small avocado

Lunch: 

Broccoli lentil stir fry with lemon herb dressing (served hot or cold)

1 cup of fresh fruit

1 ounce of nuts

Dinner: 

3 ounces lean ground turkey burger patty

Whole-grain bun (2 ounces)

1-2 cups of side salad with greens, tomatoes, cucumbers, and 1 tablespoon of olive oil or 2 tablespoons of bottled or homemade Italian dressing 

Day 5

Breakfast: 

Poached egg on avocado toast with egg or egg whites, ½ small avocado, and 1 slice of whole-grain bread

1-2 cups of arugula or tomato slices

1 cup of fruit

Lunch: 

Mediterranean protein salad with chicken, vegetables, feta cheese, and olives

2 tablespoons of vinaigrette dressing

Dinner: 

Homemade pizza on whole-grain pita bread with marinara or pizza sauce, 2 ounces of fat–free shredded cheese, and chopped vegetables to taste

Side salad with 2 tablespoons of vidalia onion dressing or your choice of vinaigrette dressing

Day 6
Breakfast: 

½ cup of fat-free cottage cheese

1 cup cut melon or sliced strawberries 

2 tablespoons of sunflower seeds

1 tomato, sliced

Lunch: 

Mediterranean bowl with 3 ounces of chicken, 1-2 cups of chopped arugula or spinach leaves, ⅓ cup of cooked quinoa or whole-wheat pasta, chopped cucumber and tomato, and 2 tablespoons of store bought or homemade balsamic salad dressing.

Dinner: 

4 ounces of baked tilapia or cod

1-2 cups of cubed or sliced vegetables like zucchini, onions, cauliflower, or eggplant tossed with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and dried herbs like thyme and oregano and roasted

1 medium baked potato

Day 7

Breakfast:

1 slice of whole-grain toast with 1 tablespoon of almond butter or peanut butter

1 hard-boiled egg

1 banana

Lunch: 

Wrap with 2-3 falafel balls or a veggie burger patty on a whole-wheat wrap with chopped cucumber and tomatoes and Greek yogurt or ranch dressing

1 cup of fruit

Dinner: 

4 ounces of grilled shrimp and 1-2 cups of fresh spinach sauteed in 2 teaspoons of olive oil, with lemon

½ cup of whole-grain pasta

1 ounce of almonds

How Lark Can Help

A Mediterranean diet can help you get closer to your health and weight goals, and Lark can help. Lark can help you make positive choices and small changes on a daily basis. Your Lark coach is available 24/7 for encouragement, coaching, and tracking. Lark can help you make healthy choices and establish habits that fit into your lifestyle so you can lose weight and keep it off with or without GLP-1 medications. 

‍Click here to see if you may be eligible to join Lark today!