7 Day Mediterranean Diet Meal Plan for Beginners — Beyond the Brambleberry (2024)

Get started on the Mediterranean diet with this easy-to-follow 7-day meal plan. This meal plan is a sample of my complete 30-Day Mediterranean Meal Plan, which includes over 80 recipes for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks plus a complete 30-day meal plan to help you eat healthy.

In this blog post, I’m sharing a 7-day Mediterranean diet meal plan designed for beginners.

I’ll include:

• An overview of the Mediterranean diet

• How I improved my health by following the Mediterranean diet and how you can, too

• How to get started & be successful on the Mediterranean diet

• A complete 7-day meal plan including breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks

Get Your FREE ebook: Top 10 Must-Try Mediterranean Diet Recipes + A Free Shopping List

You may also like: The Ultimate Mediterranean Diet Shopping List for Beginners

What is the Mediterranean Diet?

The Mediterranean Diet is a diet that focuses on eating lots of healthy fats, whole grains, fruits and vegetables, nuts, seeds, and beans. It became popular in the 1950s when it was discovered that people living in the Mediterranean region had a drastically lower rate of heart disease. Many studies have been done on this diet since that time that has shown the Mediterranean diet provides many health benefits.

The Mediterranean Diet focuses on:

• healthy fats rich in Omega-3s

• eating fish at least twice a week

• preparing meals with lots of vegetables served with whole grains and high-quality protein

• enjoying lots of fresh fruit

Health benefits of the Mediterranean diet include:

• lowers the risk of developing high cholesterol, diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, and stroke

• supports longevity

• improves brain health and decreases the risk of developing dementia

In 2018, I was struggling to make healthy food choices and experienced constant joint pain, brain fog, blood sugar highs and lows, and extreme fatigue every day. These were symptoms that had become a part of my every day and was something that I thought I would always have to live with.

However, I knew there had to be a way for me to feel better, so I started doing research on evidence-based ways of eating that supported long-term health. As one of the healthiest diets in the world, the Mediterranean diet showed up repeatedly in my searches. In 2020, I decided to make the shift toward eating a more Mediterranean-based diet to support my health.

I started applying what I learned by following a Mediterranean-based diet and immediately saw great results!

After implementing a Mediterranean-based diet, I quickly noticed my energy levels drastically improve, I was sleeping SO much better each night, and my skin had become clear and glowing (yay for no more “adult acne!”) and I did all of this in a healthy, balanced way. I was so ecstatic about my results that I put together all my recipes that I had used and developed at this time and started sharing them with others with the hopes that they would feel just as amazing as I was feeling.

Eating a Mediterranean diet restored my physical and mental health.

My goal for you is to experience these same incredible benefits. My 30-Day Mediterranean Meal Plan is the exact plan I used to improve my health and eat intuitively.

Get the ebook here, or get the hard copy on Amazon!

How to Be Successful on the Mediterranean Diet

A few tips to be successful on the Mediterranean diet:

• Take it one day at a time - Transitioning to the Mediterranean diet can be a big change from what you have been eating each day. Rather than thinking about all you will have to change in the coming weeks, just think about today and how you can make healthy choices now.

• Don’t overthink it - Keep your meals simple and enjoy all the delicious flavors of the Mediterranean diet.

• Keep your meals balanced - Make sure you are “eating the rainbow” and eating various fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, lean proteins, and whole grains. For a complete shopping list for the Mediterranean diet, check out my post The Ultimate Mediterranean Diet Shopping List for Beginners, or scroll to the bottom of this page to instantly download a copy with recipes.

Recommended Mediterranean Diet Pantry Staples & Accessories

I always have these pantry staples and items on hand in my kitchen to ensure I have what I need to prepare healthy and delicious meals. I use them every single day and recommend giving them a try!

7-Day Mediterranean Diet Meal Plan for Beginners

Day 1

Breakfast:

Lunch: Grilled Chicken Salad

Dinner:

Snack:

Day 2

Breakfast: Classic Avocado Toast

Lunch: 4 oz. canned tuna (in water), drained, and a Mediterranean Quinoa Salad

Dinner: Spinach Artichoke Chicken Skillet

Snack: 1/4 cup spiced nuts and a piece of fruit

Day 3

Breakfast:

Lunch: Whole-grain or gluten free wrap with hummus, canned chickpeas (drained), fresh spinach, diced cucumber and tomatoes, red or green bell pepper strips, and diced avocado

Dinner: Comforting Chicken Soup

Snack: 1/2 cup whole, plain Greek yogurt with 1/2 cup fruit and a drizzle of honey

Day 4

Breakfast: Easy Muesli with Greek Yogurt and your choice of fresh fruit

Lunch:

Dinner: Jambalaya

Snack: Carrot and celery sticks dipped in hummus

Day 5

Breakfast: Traditional Middle Eastern Shakshuka

Lunch: ShavedBrussels Sprouts with Cranberries and Pecans (optional to add chicken or pork)

Dinner: One Pot Turkey Chili

Snack: Roasted chickpeas seasoned with garlic powder, salt, curry powder, and/or cayenne powder

Day 6

Breakfast: Whole grain or gluten free toast with hummus, sliced tomato and cucumber, sun-dried tomato, and crumbled feta cheese

Lunch:

Dinner:

Snack: Fresh veggies dipped in tzatziki sauce

Day 7

Breakfast: Simple Gluten Free Waffles with a drizzle of maple syrup or honey, fresh berries, slivered almonds, and a dollop of coconut cream (the thick part of canned coconut milk)

Lunch: Easy Roasted Ratatouille

Dinner: Perfectly Roasted Whole Chicken with Roasted Broccoli, Quinoa & Feta Cheese Crumbles

Snack: Fresh grapes with 1 oz. high-quality cheese and 1/4 cup walnuts

Other blog posts you might like:

How to Save Money on the Mediterranean Diet

10 Healthier Desserts That Are Perfect for the Mediterranean Diet

Start Eating Healthy with the Mediterranean Diet

If the Mediterranean diet is very different from how you have been eating, I HIGHLY recommend you follow a meal plan that has already been designed to help you be successful and quickly see results. The 30-Day Mediterranean Meal Plan I created includes everything you need to get started on the Mediterranean diet. It includes over 80 easy and delicious recipes for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks that you can simply follow along to and enjoy all the delicious flavors that come with the Mediterranean diet.

Once I learned how to eat a balanced Mediterranean diet, I quickly saw great results! By having an understanding of what my own body needed each day, I was able to set myself up for success and have maintained this healthy lifestyle for almost 2 years.

I want this for you too! If you are ready to fully benefit from the Mediterranean diet, I urge you to get started with my 30-day meal plan now while it’s the lowest price it will ever be! Click here to get started.

Choosing the right foods makes all the difference in how you feel. Even if you’re not yet ready to go all in, I have something that will help you make a step towards eating healthy and reaping the benefits of a healthy, balanced diet. Download my Top 10 Must-Try Mediterranean Diet Recipes ebook by using the form below to get instant access to this valuable resource.I have also included a Mediterranean Diet Shopping List to help you get started.

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