Are you looking to adopt a healthier eating pattern? Tired of diets that leave you feeling unsatisfied and deprived? Look no further than the Mediterranean diet!
The Mediterranean diet has long been regarded as one of the healthiest diets in the world. This diet is based on the traditional foods and cooking styles of countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea, such as Greece, Italy, and Spain also called ‘the blue zones’.
The typical Mediterranean diet emphasizes the consumption of fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, fish, and olive oil, while limiting the intake of processed foods, red meat, and dairy products.
This way of eating has been linked to numerous health benefits, including a reduced risk of heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. Furthermore, it is widely considered to be a sustainable and enjoyable way of eating.
However, starting a new diet can be daunting, especially when you're unsure of what to eat or how to prepare it. Plus, all the conflicting information out there, it can be challenging to know where to start
In this blog post, we will provide you with a free Mediterranean diet 7-day meal plan PDF. This meal plan takes the guesswork out of what to eat, providing you with a week's worth of delicious and nutritious recipes. From breakfast to dinner, and even snacks, this meal plan has you covered.
So, what are you waiting for? Let's dive in and discover the delicious world of the Mediterranean diet!
Get your free Mediterranean diet 7-day meal plan PDF here
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Brianna of bitsofbriblog give you an insight on how she puts together her meal plan for the Mediterranean Diet
Good Examples of Easy Mediterranean Breakfast Ideas
If you're on a calorie-restricted diet, you might find yourself in a rut when it comes to breakfast. However, that is not the case when you adopt the eating lifestyle of the Mediterranean.
The breakfast options in the Mediterranean diet includes a variety of healthy foods like fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and fish, all of which can be used to make a variety of delicious and filling breakfast options.
Fish
Although fish may not typically be the go-to food choice for breakfast, there's nothing quite like starting your day off with a nutritious and flavoursome dish composed of haddock, a perfectly poached egg, and a good handful of healthy spinach leaves.
Not only is this breakfast option delicious, but it's also a great source of protein, omega-3 heart healthy fats, and other essential vitamins and minerals. By opting for this nutritious meal, you'll be able to fuel your body for the day ahead while satisfying your taste buds at the same time.
Or how about some scrambled eggs topped with a 'fatty fish' like smoked salmon? This delightful treat for breakfast goes well with sweet cherry tomatoes. Alternately, you could add some tangy feta cheese into the scrambled eggs to give it a slightly different flavour.
Take a look at the delicious Smoked Salmon Breakfast Wrap recipe in our Mediterranean 7- Day meal plan pdf
Healthy Fats
The National Center for Biotechnology Information state that consuming healthy fats can help you feel fuller for longer, hence suppressing your appetite till your next meal. One source of such heart healthy monounsaturated fats is avocados.
Avocado toast is a quick and easy breakfast recipe:
Spread half of a ripe avocado on a toasted, wholegrain English muffin. The dish can be enhanced further by adding cooked spinach and topping it off with a poached egg, to create a satisfying morning meal.
Another option you could consider is substituting the avocado with fiber rich hummus instead. This would provide a different yet equally delicious meal to start your day.
Eggs
In a perfect world, when following the Mediterranean Diet, the total intake for eggs is just 4 per week!
It must be said, you can have a healthy breakfast by having an omelette with fresh vegetables. You could quickly pan-fry the vegetables in a couple of table spoons of extra virgin olive
Smoothies
Smoothies are a great option to consider if you're looking for something that's on the lighter side of things to eat for thing in the morning.
Apples, spinach, celery, cucumbers, ginger, and freshly squeezed orange juice are the foundation of a delicious smoothie that is an excellent place to begin.
Use an inch of ginger chopped or grated, a couple of cups baby spinach leaves, 1 apple, 1 celery leaf, 1/4 of a cucumber, change the quantities to suit your own taste.
Berries
Another satisfying and scrumptious meal you may like to try is Greek yogurt mixed with some juicy berries. Take it up a notch by adding a sprinkle of ground flaxseed. According to webmd.com, flaxseed have numerous health benefits including the reduced risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes.
A great alternative to flaxseed are walnut halves, sprinkle a handful onto your yogurt and berries for an even more delectable morning treat, walnuts are also a great source of omega-3-fatty acids.
Nut Butters
Indulge in the nutritious goodness of nut butters (almond, peanut, cashew etc) teeming with a wealth of healthy fats and protein that work wonders in keeping you full for longer.
Why not spread a generous scoop of hazelnut or almond butter onto a slice of hearty 100% whole-grain bread, topping it off with a few slices of luscious banana?
To satisfy any sweet cravings add a drizzle of Manuka honey and relish the wholesome goodness.
Good Examples of Easy Mediterranean Lunch Ideas
Salad, Sandwiches and Soups
Depending on your appetite, you can select green salads made with a variety of fresh vegetables, soups packed with nutritious ingredients like white beans, black beans and lentils, or fish served on a dark leafy green bed of spinach or any other leafy green vegetable.
Sandwiches
Consider whole grain bread sandwiches as another excellent option. You can fill them with chicken or other lean proteins, and complement them with plenty of salad, particularly tomatoes that are rich in vitamin C, potassium and antioxidants.
Salad
Fresh tuna combined with tender green beans, crisp salad leaves, and some kalamata olives creates a tantalizing Nicoise salad that is not to be missed.
Soups
A customary midday dish in the Mediterranean region is minestrone soup.
Minestrone soup is a typical dish that can be found on the table in Mediterranean countries. It is known for being a hearty option for lunch. And great for using up any left over vegetables.
INGREDIENTS: 🔹 1/4 extra virgin olive oil 🔹 1 small yellow onion, chopped 🔹 2 carrots, chopped 🔹 2 celery stalks, diced 🔹 4 garlic cloves, minced 🔹 1 zucchini or yellow squash, diced 🔹 1 cup green beans, fresh or frozen, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces, if needed 🔹 Salt and pepper 🔹 1 tsp paprika 🔹 1/2 tsp rosemary 🔹 1 15-oz can crushed tomatoes 🔹 6 cups broth (vegetable or chicken broth) 🔹 1-inch Parmesan cheese rind (optional) 🔹 1 bay leaf 🔹 2 to 3 springs fresh thyme 🔹 1 15-oz can kidney beans 🔹 Large handful chopped parsley 🔹 Handful fresh basil leaves 🔹 Grated Parmesan cheese, to serve (optional) 🔹 2 cups already cooked small pasta such as ditalini or elbow pasta courtesy of www.themediterraneandish.com
Tomatoes
Tomatoes are a common ingredient in Mediterranean meals, and they can be used to make a delicious soup that is perfect for lunch or for an appetiser before dinner.
This fantastic tomato soup recipe is courtesy of simplyrecipes.com.
INGREDIENTS:
METHOD:
Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat, in a heavy based pot.
Cook until the onions are softened and starting to colour.
Add the minced garlic and cook for another minute
Add the chicken stock bay leaves, oregano and chopped tomatoes. Bring the pot to a simmer, then reduce the heat and simmer for about 20 minutes.
While the tomato soup mix is simmering prepare the bread croutons:
Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a sauté pan. When the oil is hot add the cubed bread to the pan and toss it in the oil making sure the cubes are on a single layer. Fry until at least one of the sides of the bread cubes has browned, then remove them from the heat.
After the tomatoes have simmering for 20 minutes add the croutons and continue to cook for 5 minutes.
Remove the bay leaves and use a hand blender to roughly puree half of the soup (leaving some chunky bits).
Garnish with chopped fresh basil leaves and grated parmesan cheese to serve.
What Are The Best Snacks On The Mediterranean Diet
If your goal, or one of your goals, is to lose weight whilst adopting the Mediterranean style of eating, too many snacks or snacking too often could make that goal harder to achieve or take you longer to achieve it.
However, choosing the right snacks can keep you from reaching for the cookie jar.
Consider opting for healthier snack choices like hummus-dipped carrot sticks or nuts such as Brazil and walnuts.
However, keep in mind that nuts, though nutritious, contain a high calorie content; so limit yourself to no more than 4 or 5 a day.
There are lots of recipes online for granola bars that are made with whole grains, nuts and dried fruit.
I came across this fantastic recipe for a healthy granola bar on wellplated.com, and I wanted to share it with you.
Here's the link: https://www.wellplated.com/healthy-granola-bars
Goat cheese and apple slices are one of my go-to snacks when I need a quick bite to eat and keeps me well away from the cookie jar!
Maintain Energy Levels Between Meals
To keep your energy levels up between meals, try some fresh fruit. Bananas, apples, and pears are excellent choices because they are low in sugar. Avoid high quantities of dried fruit, as they may contain more sugar than you realise.
What To Eat For A Mediterranean Diet Dinner
For dinner, it is best to concentrate on eating one main course, such as fish or chicken, accompanied by a salad or vegetables.To make a good salad, you will need a full plate of tomatoes, cucumbers, red onions, and bell peppers, in addition to salad leaves.
If you're looking for a dish that's a little more substantial, try mixing in some sliced avocado, artichoke hearts, and black olives.
Because there are such a wide variety of vegetables available, you should never get bored eating them.
Your choice of meat can be served alongside vegetables that have been baked in the oven. Alternatively, you can steam the vegetables and then drizzle them with olive oil of the highest quality that you can afford
Examples Of Easy Mediterranean Diet Dinner Ideas
To Get The Recipes, Ingredients List, And Methods Download Our Free Mediterranean Diet 7-day Meal Plan PDF
Balsamic Chicken Tray Bake With Pomegranate And Feta Cheese
This is is a great meal idea for the middle of the week.
Sliced courgettes/zucchini, a cubed butternut squash and a handful of asparagus spears are baked in chicken stock and balsamic vinegar, with the chicken. Before serving, sprinkle with crumbled feta cheese and pomegranate seeds.
Chicken Cooked With Farro
Chicken cooked with farro is a popular dish in Greece. (Farro is a nutty wholegrain that is high in fibre and protein and is rich in minerals and vitamins.)
Flavour the chicken by seasoning it with paprika, garlic, and lemon, as well as herbs like oregano and dill. To achieve that authentic Mediterranean flavour, try adding pine nuts and sun-dried tomatoes to your dish.
This recipe from Half Backed Harvest is a perfect example an authentic greek chicken faro dish
The best One Skillet Greek Sun-Dried Tomato Chicken and Farro
Salmon Baked in Lemon Juice
In just 20 minutes, enjoy a fuss-free dinner of salmon baked-in lemon juice. It's easy to prepare and perfect for busy weeknights. To add crunch, sprinkle with pine nuts or sesame seeds.
As an alternative to pasta, serve it with spiralized courgette/zucchini, carrot, or sweet potatoes.
Try this baked lemon garlic salmon recipe from themediterraneandish.com
Pasta and Bolognaise Sauce
A great meal that's sure to please is the classic combination of pasta - or even spiralized fresh veggies - with a scrumptious bolognaise sauce, topped with grated parmesan cheese.
Fish Stew With Shellfish
Everyone enjoys a hearty stew when the weather is brisk outside. And there is nothing quite as satisfying as a fish stew flavoured with paprika that is loaded with shellfish, meaty white fish with, in a thick tomato sauce.
Recipe and full instructions are included in our Mediterranean Diet 7-day Meal Plan PDF
Grilled Eggplant and Goats Cheese
Don't forget that dinner doesn't have to consist of meat or fish. Put the spotlight on vegetables for a change.
Slices of grilled eggplant/aubergine served with goat cheese that has been seasoned with herbs and an abundance of roasted vegetables make for a delicious and satisfying evening meal.
thekitchn.com have a perfect recipe for this dish Grilled Eggplant Topped with Goat Cheese and Tomato
Stuffed Bell Peppers
Stuff bell peppers with quinoa, beans, butternut squash, and red onion seasoned with smoked paprika a pinch of chilli powder and cooked with a squeeze of 1 lime.
Accompany with some pesto or a fresh tomato salsa. As a side, you can offer brown rice or whole wheat pasta. Delicious!
bbcgoodfood.com have a mouth watering version of this dish with couscous. Mediterranean stuffed peppers
A General Guide To The Mediterranean diet 7-day meal plan pdf
As a very general guideline, base your meals on natural foods rather than pre-packaged food products, junk food take-aways, or microwave type meals.
Include plenty of vegetables and extra virgin olive oil, and you won't stray too far from the path that leads to a healthy lifestyle.
Because there are so many different ways to combine these ingredients, you could eat a new dish every day for a few weeks or even months. You are only limited by the depth of your imagination.
Nothing Ventured Nothing Gained!
Exploring new recipes and dishes should not be a daunting task.
Give foods you have never tried or even never heard of a chance to tantalize your taste buds, you will be pleasantly surprised! Only wishing you had started sooner.
Healthy Eating For Better Health
According to the WHO, Eating a wide and diverse range of fruits, vegetables, fish, cheese, legumes, and nuts is proven to be beneficial since it leads to the consumption of more nutrients.
This translates to better health, vitality, and increased vibrancy in your life.
Download our 7- day weekly meal plan, and get started on making your grocery list.