Healthy [+Free] 7 Day Meal Plan #9: Eating the Mediterranean Way

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Pizza … for breakfast? On a “healthy” & “balanced” meal plan?

Yes!

Eating healthy food should be exciting! And beautiful! Check out this week’s menu below to see all the gorgeous colors for yourself …

…look good enough to eat? I think so!

Why Meal Plan?

If you have never meal planned before, there’s no better time to start! It may seem daunting at first, but I promise, it is so worth it. By meal planning on a regular basis I’ve been able to …

  • decrease our family’s food waste
  • stick to a food budget of my choice
  • incorporate a large variety of flavors & cuisines
  • increase my cooking skills & confidence
  • create a balanced lifestyle

Meal Plans are rarely a ‘one size fits all’ kind of deal but a pre-set plan is a good starting point for you to jump from. Pay close attention to the serving sizes & cook times so you can adjust the meal plan to best fit your family’s needs & your weekly schedule. Always cross-reference a meal plan with your calendar to make sure it works well for whatever you have planned.

How To Choose Recipes

I use 2 main principles for creating meal plans: The Plate Method & The Mediterranean Diet. Let’s break them both down … first, the Plate method:

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The Plate Method is pictured above. You want to fill half your plate with non-starchy vegetables and fruit. One quarter of your plate is for carbs, in the form of grains or a starchy vegetable. The last quarter of your plate is for a lean protein. You can also include a thumb sized portion of healthy fat & a small amount of dairy to cover all the food groups.

Setting your meals up this way ensures you get plenty of fruit & veggies, without overdoing the carbs or protein. If this is a new way of eating for you, it may leave you feeling hungry between meals at first, but give your body time to adjust to the portions. If you are consistently hungry between meals, consider increasing your fat or protein portions to keep you feeling full longer. Try to refrain from snacking between meals.

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The Mediterranean Diet focuses on having fruits, vegetables, whole grains, olive oil, beans, nuts, herbs & spices everyday. Fish & seafood are eaten often, at least twice a week. Chicken, eggs, cheese & yogurt are eaten frequently in moderate portions. Red meats and sweet treats are rarely eaten.

I use this pyramid as a guide for the meal plans … it is a great visual reminder of how to balance our diets without depriving ourselves. I am a firm believer that you should never eliminate entire food groups from your diet, but instead you should find the healthy balance to incorporate ‘indulgences’ without sacrificing nutrition.

“Eating the Mediterranean Way” doesn’t mean you have to eat Greek or Mediterranean foods. It means paying attention to your portions & your overall habits. It means choosing more ‘whole’ & less ‘processed’ food. Making small sustainable changes is the best way to have healthier habits.

The Fine Print

My meal plans & grocery lists are designed to provide breakfast and lunch for one person only.  Dinners will feed a family of four unless otherwise noted. 

Always double check the grocery list against what you already have. You’ll notice most recipes tend to use the same spices & seasonings repeatedely, so you may have those on hand already.

Some recipes on the meal plan are from This & That, but not all. Since I am still building the recipe index on the site, I’m taking this opportunity to share some of my favorite food bloggers with you. The original recipes are all linked in the meal plan doc below, so you can save them to your favorite digital cookbook.

The Goods – with Final Tips

Okay, okay, enough fine print – onto the good stuff!

Click the buttons below to open the documents to save or print as needed. Please read the notes at the bottom of the meal plan before grocery shopping; the grocery list will make more sense this way.

The grocery list includes the day or meal the ingredient is for so that you can easily shop for a few days at a time or remove certain recipes you don’t like or need. If an item is used in multiple recipes, it is considered a ‘staple’ item & I will not include the day or meal. Spices & olive oil, for example, are usually ‘staple’ items.

If you try this meal plan or any recipes on it, please comment below & tell me all about it! If you have any questions or notice any mistakes, don’t hesitate to contact me however you prefer … message on Instagram or Facebook or comment below.

Stay safe & eat well! Happy cooking!

Open Grocery List

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