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Recipe Roundup

Published: Feb 28, 2020

The Mediterranean diet — a plant-based diet that prioritizes whole grains, vegetables, fruits, legumes, and unsaturated fats — was recently named the best diet for healthy eating for the third year in a row. 

It’s a diet that focuses less on strict rules (no calorie-counting!) and more on broader guidelines that you can customize to your day-to-day habits. For some who adopt it, the Mediterranean diet is less about weight loss, and more about having a blueprint to help make healthy, sustainable food choices.

If you’re curious about trying it — or just looking for more balanced meals to work into your kitchen rotation — we’ve rounded up our most popular Mediterranean diet meal plans below. Each plan includes recipes, useful prep tips, and plenty of delicious inspiration. Try a week-long plan (or several!) or just mix and match recipes as you see fit.

1. A Week of Versatile Mediterranean Diet Dinners

This fall-inspired menu — which includes sweet potato quinoa bowls and Parmesan chicken with sautéed kale — easily carries over to winter. You can also quickly customize any of the recipes depending on what you’re craving or have on-hand.

Get the plan: A Week of Versatile Mediterranean Diet Dinners

2. A Starter-Friendly Week of Mediterranean Diet Dinners

If you’re just starting out on the Med diet, this meal plan is a great resource. It loops in an elevated (but still easy!) Greek salmon salad, a smart breakfast-for-dinner spinach frittata, and a sheet pan chicken souvlaki that leaves enough for leftovers.

Get the plan: A Starter-Friendly Week of Mediterranean Diet Dinners

3. A Week of Vegetarian Mediterranean Diet Dinners

Whether you’re fully vegetarian or just looking to experiment with more meat-free options, this menu allows you to do that — thanks to highlights like Yotam Ottolenghi’s chickpea sauté with Greek yogurt, and loaded sweet potatoes with black beans and avocado.

Get the plan: A Week of Vegetarian Mediterranean Diet Dinners

4. A Week of Slow Cooker Mediterranean Diet Dinners

Sometimes the best dinners are the ones that basically make themselves. These hands-off meals — like classic minestrone, and spinach and artichoke chicken — let the slow cooker do all the hard work.

Get the plan: A Week of Slow Cooker Mediterranean Diet Dinners

5. How to Prep a Week of Mediterranean Meals in 2 Hours

Looking for inspiration beyond dinner? This 5-day meal plan includes breakfast, lunch, and dinner options — along with a step-by-step prep guide that’ll set you up for the week ahead.

Get the plan: How to Prep a Week of Mediterranean Meals in 2 Hours

6. How to Prep a Week of Vegetarian Mediterranean Meals in 2 Hours

And last but not least: if you’re searching for meatless breakfast, lunch, and dinner ideas, this make-ahead Mediterranean menu is fully plant-based — and prep takes just a couple hours.

Get the plan: How to Prep a Week of Vegetarian Mediterranean Meals in 2 Hours

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