vegochef.com/guides/mediterranean-diet-meal-plan/7-day Mediterranean diet meal plan
By the Vegochef team · Editorial standards · Last checked · 9 min read
This plan turns the Mediterranean diet into a real week of food: vegetables at every meal, legumes every day, extra virgin olive oil as your main fat, and simple dishes from Greece, Italy and the Levant. All recipes are tested in the Vegochef app and written for one serving; double them for two.
The 7-day plan
Recipes link to the full method. "Leftovers" means you cooked a double portion the night before.
| Day | Breakfast | Lunch | Dinner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | Greek yogurt with walnuts, figs or berries and a drizzle of honey | Lentil salad | Caramelised onion butter beans with wholegrain bread and a green salad (cook double) |
| Tuesday | Avocado toast with sliced tomatoes | Leftover butter beans on toast | White shakshuka with crusty bread |
| Wednesday | Overnight oats with milk or soy milk, chia, grated apple and cinnamon | Greek-style potato salad with a can of chickpeas | Pesto orzo with spiced chickpeas (cook double) |
| Thursday | Poached eggs, avocado and feta toast | Leftover pesto orzo | Roasted eggplant and chickpea salad with bulgur (cook double) |
| Friday | Greek yogurt with oats, orange segments and almonds | Leftover eggplant and chickpea salad in wholegrain pitta with hummus | Creamy tomato rigatoni with burrata |
| Saturday | Toasted sourdough rubbed with tomato, olive oil and salt (pan con tomate), with a few olives | Charred pepper panzanella | Fried halloumi salad with lentils, cucumber and mint |
| Sunday | Overnight oats with walnuts and berries | Mediterranean potato salad | Creamy roasted garlic tomato soup with bread and white beans on the side |
Snacks (pick one or two a day): a piece of fruit, a small handful of almonds or walnuts, hummus with carrot and cucumber, olives, or yogurt with seeds.
A look at the week
Vegan swaps for every day
- Monday: soy yogurt with walnuts, fruit and maple syrup. The lentil salad and butter beans are already vegan.
- Tuesday: the avocado toast is vegan. For dinner, make the shakshuka base (butter beans, mushrooms, spinach) without eggs, crème fraîche and Parmesan, and top it with crispy tofu. See how to cook tofu.
- Wednesday: overnight oats with soy milk. The Greek-style potato salad is vegan. Use a vegan pesto in the orzo.
- Thursday: smashed white beans and avocado on toast with lemon and chilli. The eggplant and chickpea salad is vegan.
- Friday: soy yogurt bowl. For dinner, make our vegan sun-dried tomato pesto pasta salad and serve it warm.
- Saturday: pan con tomate is vegan. Make the panzanella without mozzarella and add chickpeas. Swap the halloumi for crispy tofu or roasted chickpeas.
- Sunday: oats with soy milk. Make the potato salad without mozzarella, with vegan pesto. For the soup, blend in white beans instead of cream cheese.
Grocery list for the week
For one person. Double for two. Check the fridge and cupboard first.
Vegetables and fruit
- Tomatoes, cherry tomatoes and grape tomatoes
- Cucumber, red onions, yellow onions, garlic
- Red peppers (3), eggplant (1), mushrooms
- Small potatoes, spinach, rocket
- Avocados (3), lemons (3)
- Fresh basil, parsley, mint and dill
- Fruit: figs or berries, oranges, apples
Beans, grains and bread
- Canned lentils (2), chickpeas (3), butter beans (2), white beans (1)
- Orzo, rigatoni or wholewheat pasta, bulgur, oats
- Sourdough or wholegrain bread, wholegrain pitta, focaccia
Dairy and eggs (vegetarian)
- Greek yogurt, eggs (2), feta, halloumi, mozzarella, burrata
- Parmesan or a vegetarian hard cheese, crème fraîche, cream cheese
- Oat cream (for the butter beans), milk or soy milk
Pantry
- Extra virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar
- Pesto, sun-dried tomatoes, pine nuts, olives, hummus or tahini
- Walnuts, almonds, chia seeds, honey or maple syrup
- Canned tomatoes, tomato paste, vegetable broth
- Oregano, cumin, paprika, chilli flakes, Italian seasoning
Vegan swaps
- Soy yogurt and soy milk, firm tofu, vegan pesto, nutritional yeast, cashews
Our vegetarian grocery list has a full staples checklist with tick boxes.
Prep plan: one hour on Sunday
- Roast a tray of vegetables: eggplant and peppers in olive oil (for Thursday's salad and Saturday's panzanella).
- Cook the bulgur for Thursday and Friday.
- Make a jar of dressing: olive oil, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, garlic and oregano.
- Prepare two jars of overnight oats for Wednesday and Sunday's breakfasts.
- Wash the herbs and salad leaves, wrap in a damp towel and keep in the fridge.
Cooked food keeps 3–4 days in the fridge, so the plan uses leftovers within a day or two.
Make the plan fit you
- More or fewer calories: adjust bread, olive oil and nuts. Find your target with the calorie (TDEE) calculator, or the calorie deficit calculator to lose weight.
- More protein: add a can of beans or lentils to lunches, Greek or soy yogurt to breakfasts, and tofu to dinners. See high-protein meals.
- On a budget: use dried lentils and chickpeas, frozen spinach, seasonal vegetables and store-brand olive oil.
- No time on weekdays: cook Monday's butter beans and Wednesday's orzo on Sunday, too.
Why this is a Mediterranean plan
Every day has vegetables and fruit, a legume, whole grains and extra virgin olive oil, with yogurt, cheese and eggs in moderate amounts. That matches the Mediterranean diet pyramid, in a vegetarian version. Traditionally, meat was eaten only rarely, on special occasions, so leaving it out stays true to how the diet was eaten.
Frequently asked questions
Is this Mediterranean meal plan vegetarian?
Yes, every meal is vegetarian, and each one has a vegan swap. Traditionally the Mediterranean diet was mostly plant-based, with meat kept for special occasions.
How many calories is this meal plan?
It depends on your portions; each recipe is written for one serving, so you can scale it. Use the calorie (TDEE) calculator to find your target, and add or remove snacks and bread to match it.
Do I need to eat fish on the Mediterranean diet?
No. This plan gets plant omega-3 (ALA) from walnuts and chia seeds; add a spoon of ground flaxseed for more. If you're vegan, consider an algae oil supplement for EPA and DHA.
Can I repeat the plan every week?
Yes. Swap a few meals each week to keep it interesting, and use what's in season.
Can I make this plan for two people?
Yes. Double every recipe and the grocery list. In the Vegochef app you can change the servings and the grocery list adds up the amounts for you.
Recipes to try
Related guides
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Sources
- Willett WC et al. Mediterranean diet pyramid: a cultural model for healthy eating. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 1995.
- Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2020–2025: healthy Mediterranean-style and vegetarian eating patterns (dietaryguidelines.gov)
- USDA food safety guidance: storing cooked food (foodsafety.gov)
From vegochef.com: meal planner and nutrition tracker for vegans, vegetarians and pescatarians. Free for 7 days on the App Store.