Mediterranean Diet Meal Plan: 7-Day Menu

A Mediterranean diet meal plan fills most of each meal with vegetables, fruit, whole grains and beans, uses olive oil as the main fat, serves fish two or more times a week, and keeps red meat and sweets occasional. The 7-day menu below gives a portion for every meal, shows how a day adds up against the federal Mediterranean-style serving targets, and comes with a shopping list and prep plan. Portions suit an average adult eating about 2,000 calories a day; scale them to your appetite and activity.

Key Takeaways

At 2,000 calories, the Healthy Mediterranean-Style Dietary Pattern in the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines calls for about 2½ cups of vegetables and 2½ cups of fruit a day, 6 ounce-equivalents of grains (half whole), 2 cups of dairy and about 15 ounces of seafood a week [1].
The 2025-2030 Dietary Guidelines at RealFood.gov use servings instead: 3 vegetables, 2 fruits, 2-4 whole grains, 3 dairy and 2½-3½ protein foods a day at 2,000 calories, and they name olive oil as the oil to prioritize when cooking [2][3].
This week has fish or seafood on four days (about 18 ounces), beans or lentils on most days, and no red meat.
Cooking grains, a pot of lentil soup and extra protein once lets the same food carry several meals.
Pregnant or breastfeeding? FDA advice is 8 to 12 ounces a week of lower-mercury fish, so drop one fish meal from this plan [5].

Leafy green salad with mandarin orange segments, cherry tomatoes and a small bowl of olive oil

How the Plan Is Built

There is no single official Mediterranean menu. This plan follows two published frameworks. The 2011 Mediterranean diet pyramid builds every main meal on 1-2 servings of grains (preferably whole grain), 2 or more servings of vegetables and 1-2 servings of fruit. It adds about 2 servings of dairy a day, olive oil as the main fat, a handful of nuts or olives as a snack, and fish two or more times a week. Poultry comes about twice a week, eggs two to four times, legumes more than twice, red meat less than twice and sweets only occasionally [4]. The U.S. version is the Healthy Mediterranean-Style Dietary Pattern in the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, which sets daily and weekly amounts by calorie level [1].

Leftovers are planned in, so a pot of lentil soup, a batch of grains and extra salmon or chicken each cover two or three meals. For background on the pattern itself, start with our guide to what the Mediterranean diet is.

Daily Serving Targets at 2,000 Calories

The table compares the two federal references and the aim used in this plan. The 2025-2030 edition does not set out a separate Mediterranean-style pattern; it gives one set of servings by calorie level [2][3]. The 2020-2025 Mediterranean-style table has more fish and fruit and less dairy, so this plan sits closer to it.

Food group	2020-2025 Mediterranean-style pattern [1]	2025-2030 servings [3]	One serving (2025-2030) [3]	This plan aims for
Vegetables	2½ cup-eq a day	3 a day	1 cup raw or cooked, or 2 cups leafy greens	3 servings a day
Fruit	2½ cup-eq a day	2 a day	1 cup raw	2-3 servings a day
Grains	6 oz-eq a day, 3 of them whole	2-4 whole-grain servings a day	½ cup cooked oats, rice or other grain; 1 slice bread; 1 tortilla	3-4 whole-grain servings a day
Dairy	2 cup-eq a day	3 a day	1 cup milk, ¾ cup yogurt or 1 oz cheese	2 servings a day
Protein foods	6½ oz-eq a day, including about 15 oz seafood and 5 oz-eq nuts, seeds or soy a week	2½-3½ a day	3 oz cooked fish or poultry, 1 egg, ½ cup beans or 1 oz nuts	About 3 servings a day; fish or seafood on 4 days
Oils and fats	27 g oil a day (about 2 tablespoons) [10]	4½ servings a day	1 teaspoon olive oil or butter	About 1½-2 tablespoons olive oil a day

7-Day Mediterranean Diet Meal Plan With Portions

Day	Breakfast	Lunch	Dinner	Snack
Monday	¾ cup plain Greek yogurt, 1 cup berries, 2 Tbsp chopped walnuts	Chickpea salad: ½ cup chickpeas, 1½ cups cucumber and tomato, 1 oz feta, 1 Tbsp olive oil and lemon; 1 slice whole grain bread	Sheet-pan salmon (4 oz) with 1½ cups zucchini and peppers roasted in 2 tsp olive oil; ½ cup cooked farro	1 cup sliced apple and a small handful of almonds
Tuesday	1 cup cooked oatmeal with ½ sliced banana and cinnamon; 1 cup milk	Leftover salmon (3 oz) and ½ cup farro over 2 cups greens with lemon and 1 tsp olive oil	Lentil and vegetable soup (about 2 cups) with 1 slice whole grain bread	Hummus (3 Tbsp) with 1 cup carrot and pepper sticks
Wednesday	1 slice whole grain toast with tomato and 1 tsp olive oil; 1 boiled egg; 1 orange	Leftover lentil soup (about 2 cups) and a side salad	Lemon-herb chicken (3-4 oz) with ½ cup bulgur, cucumber and ¼ cup yogurt sauce	¾ cup plain yogurt and a few olives
Thursday	¾ cup plain Greek yogurt with 1 sliced pear and 2 Tbsp pistachios	Chicken (3 oz), ½ cup bulgur and 1 cup vegetables (leftovers)	White bean, tomato and kale skillet (½ cup beans, 2 cups greens) over ½ cup whole wheat pasta	Hummus with 1 cup cucumber slices
Friday	Savory oats (1 cup cooked) with spinach and 1 egg cooked until firm	Sardine or light tuna wrap (3 oz fish) on 1 whole wheat tortilla with roasted red peppers and greens	Shrimp (4 oz) sauteed with garlic, cherry tomatoes and spinach over ½ cup brown rice	¾ cup plain yogurt with ½ cup berries
Saturday	Vegetable omelet (2 eggs, 1 cup peppers, onion and spinach) with 1 slice whole grain toast	Leftover chickpea salad with 1 oz feta and a handful of greens	Whole wheat flatbread with vegetables, 1 oz part-skim mozzarella and arugula	1 cup grapes and a small handful of walnuts
Sunday	1 cup cooked oatmeal with grated apple, walnuts and cinnamon; 1 cup milk	Lentil soup from the freezer with a side salad	Baked cod (4 oz) with ½ cup roasted potatoes and 1 cup green beans	Hummus with whole grain crackers

Fish or seafood appears on four days and adds up to about 18 ounces for the week, a little above the 15 ounces in the 2020-2025 Mediterranean-style table [1]. Beans or lentils show up on most days and poultry twice, close to the pyramid's guidance [4]. There is no red meat. If you eat it, swap a modest portion into one dinner a week; the pyramid keeps red meat under two servings a week [4].

How Monday adds up

Using the 2025-2030 serving sizes [3], Monday gives about 3 servings of vegetables (1½ cups at lunch and 1½ cups at dinner), 2 of fruit (berries and apple), 2 of whole grains (bread and farro), 2 of dairy (yogurt and feta) and about 3 of protein foods (salmon, chickpeas and nuts). The olive oil totals about 5 teaspoons, close to the 4½ fat servings listed for 2,000 calories. If you need more energy, add whole grains, fruit or yogurt before adding more oil or sweets.

Shopping List for the Week

Quantities assume one to two people; scale up for a family.

Produce

Leafy greens: 2 bags spinach or mixed greens, 1 bunch kale, 1 bag arugula
Cucumbers (3), cherry tomatoes (2 pints), bell peppers (4), zucchini (2)
Onions (3), garlic (1 head), carrots (1 bag), celery (1 bunch), green beans (1 pound), potatoes (1 pound)
Lemons (4), fresh parsley and dill
Fruit: berries, bananas, apples, pears, oranges, grapes

Protein

Salmon fillets (2), cod or other white fish (2 fillets), raw shrimp (½ pound)
Boneless chicken breast or thighs (1 pound)
Eggs (1 dozen)
Canned sardines or light tuna (1-2 cans)

Dairy

Plain Greek yogurt (large tub), milk, feta, part-skim mozzarella

Pantry

Extra virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar
Rolled oats, farro, bulgur, brown rice, whole wheat pasta, whole grain bread, whole wheat tortillas, whole grain crackers
Canned no-salt-added chickpeas (2), cannellini beans (1), diced tomatoes (2), dried lentils (1 pound)
Tahini, walnuts, almonds, pistachios, olives, jarred roasted red peppers
Dried oregano, cumin, cinnamon, red pepper flakes, black pepper, bay leaves, low-sodium broth

Americans average more than 3,300 mg of sodium a day, well above the federal limit of less than 2,300 mg, and most of it comes from processed and restaurant foods. Packaged soups and canned vegetables are common sources, so the CDC suggests no- or low-sodium versions [6]. The pyramid leans on herbs, spices, garlic and onion for flavor so less salt is needed [4].

Prep Tips

Cook grains once. On Sunday, cook a pot of farro and one of bulgur or brown rice for bowls, salads and sides all week.
Make one big soup. One pot of lentil soup covers Tuesday dinner, Wednesday lunch and a frozen portion for Sunday.
Prep a salad base. Chop cucumbers, tomatoes, peppers and onion and keep the dressing separate so they stay crisp.
Cook extra protein at dinner. An extra portion of salmon or chicken becomes the next day's lunch.
Cook to safe temperatures. Chicken to 165°F; fish to 145°F or until it is opaque and flakes with a fork; shrimp until pearly and opaque; eggs until the yolk and white are firm [8].
Chill leftovers quickly. Refrigerate cooked food within 2 hours (1 hour if it has been above 90°F), split hot food into shallow containers, keep the refrigerator at 40°F or below, and reheat leftovers to 165°F [7].

How to Adapt the Plan

Vegetarian: replace fish and chicken with beans, lentils, eggs, tofu or extra yogurt and cheese. Chickpea and lentil dishes already cover several meals.
Vegan: use legumes, tofu, tahini and nuts for protein and fortified plant milks or yogurts. The 2025-2030 guidelines advise vegans to watch nutrients such as vitamin B12, vitamin D, calcium, iron and iodine [2]; a registered dietitian can help.
Gluten-free: swap bulgur, farro, pasta and bread for brown rice, quinoa, potatoes and gluten-free oats or bread.
Lower cost: lean on dried lentils, canned beans, canned fish, frozen vegetables and seasonal fruit. Frozen, canned or dried produce with little or no added sugar is a good option [2].
Cutting back on sodium: the DASH approach is a close relative; see our guide to the DASH diet.

If weight is your main goal, read what trials measured in our article on the Mediterranean diet and weight. For step-by-step versions of the dishes above, see our Mediterranean diet recipes.

Safety and Interactions

Pregnancy and breastfeeding: FDA advice is 8 to 12 ounces a week of a variety of lower-mercury fish, about 2 to 3 four-ounce servings from its Best Choices list, which includes salmon, sardines, shrimp, cod and canned light tuna [5]. This plan has about 18 ounces, so drop one fish meal.
Warfarin (Coumadin): leafy greens such as spinach and kale are rich in vitamin K. If you take warfarin, keep your vitamin K intake about the same from day to day and talk to your doctor or pharmacist before a big change in greens [9].
Other medications and medical conditions: if you follow a prescribed diet (for example, limits on sodium, potassium, protein or fluids) or take medicines for blood sugar or blood pressure, review a major diet change with your doctor or a registered dietitian first.
Food allergies: this plan uses fish, shellfish, eggs, milk, wheat, tree nuts and sesame (tahini). Swap ingredients as needed.
Alcohol: wine is optional and not part of this plan. Federal guidelines advise not to start drinking for any reason and say pregnant women should not drink [1][2].
History of disordered eating: use the plan as a flexible pattern, not a set of rules, and work with a professional.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does a day on the Mediterranean diet look like?

A typical day might be Greek yogurt with berries and walnuts for breakfast, a chickpea salad with whole grain bread for lunch, salmon with roasted vegetables and farro for dinner, and fruit with a few nuts as a snack. Olive oil is the cooking and dressing fat, and water is the main drink [2][4].

How many servings of each food group should I eat a day?

At about 2,000 calories, the 2020-2025 Mediterranean-style pattern lists 2½ cups each of vegetables and fruit, 6 ounce-equivalents of grains (half whole) and 2 cups of dairy a day [1]. The 2025-2030 guidelines list 3 vegetable, 2 fruit, 2-4 whole-grain, 3 dairy and 2½-3½ protein servings [3]. Adjust for your calorie needs.

How many times a week should I eat fish on a Mediterranean meal plan?

The pyramid says two or more servings a week, and the 2020-2025 Mediterranean-style pattern lists about 15 ounces a week at 2,000 calories [1][4]. If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, follow FDA advice of 8 to 12 ounces of lower-mercury fish [5].

Can I eat red meat on a Mediterranean meal plan?

Yes, but rarely. The pyramid keeps red meat to fewer than two servings a week and processed meat to one or fewer [4]. Beans, fish, poultry and eggs fill the protein role on most days.

How much olive oil should I use per day?

The 2020-2025 Mediterranean-style pattern lists 27 grams of oil a day at 2,000 calories, about 2 tablespoons [1][10]. Each tablespoon has about 119 calories, so use it in place of butter rather than on top of it [10].

Sources

Disclosure: OPA Nutrition sells supplements, including products mentioned in this article. This content is for education only and is not medical advice. Statements about dietary supplements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Talk to your healthcare provider before using any supplement, especially if you take medication or have a medical condition.

Written and reviewed by Michael Gonzales, Founder, OPA Nutrition · Last reviewed: October 17, 2026 · How OPA researches and writes

Mediterranean Diet Meal Plan: 7-Day Menu and Shopping List

Key Takeaways

How the Plan Is Built

Daily Serving Targets at 2,000 Calories