Meal Plan At a Glance
DAYS
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
MEALS
Breakfast:
Black Bean & Pepper Jack Quiche
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Lunch:
Italian Wedding Soup
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Dinner:
Roasted Veggies & Greens over Lentils
Breakfast:
Lemon-Blueberry Smoothie
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Lunch:
Italian Wedding Soup & Apple
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Dinner:
Chicken-Stuffed Peppers
Breakfast:
Black Bean & Pepper Jack Quiche
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Lunch:
Chicken-Stuffed Peppers
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Dinner:
Pesto Salmon, Farro & Greens
Breakfast:
Black Bean & Pepper Jack Quiche
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Lunch:
Italian Wedding Soup
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Dinner:
Chicken & Broccoli Pasta
Breakfast:
Lemon-Blueberry Smoothie
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Lunch:
Coconut Chicken Mushroom Soup
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Dinner: Chickpea Soup, Chicken & Caesar
Breakfast:
Raspberry PB Overnight Oats
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Lunch:
Chickpea Soup with Chicken
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Dinner:
Crispy Salmon Rice Bowl
Breakfast:
Raspberry PB Overnight Oats
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Lunch:
Coconut Chicken Mushroom Soup
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Dinner:
Turkey Meatballs & Roasted Veggies
DAILY TOTALS
Calories: 1,792 Fat: 76g Protein: 91g Carbs: 18g Fiber: 44g Sodium: 1,879mg
Calories: 1,798 Fat: 70g Protein: 95g Carbs: 198g Fiber: 37g Sodium: 1,494mg
Calories: 1,820 Fat: 96g Protein: 117g Carbs: 135g Fiber: 34g Sodium: 1,059mg
Calories: 1,793 Fat: 84g Protein: 104g Carbs: 169g Fiber: 38g Sodium: 2,046mg
Calories: 1,790 Fat: 78g Protein: 108g Carbs: 188g Fiber: 46g Sodium: 1,948mg
Calories: 1,806 Fat: 88g Protein: 102g Carbs: 166g Fiber: 39g Sodium: 1,826mg
Calories: 1,814 Fat: 82g Protein: 118g Carbs: 165g Fiber: 40g Sodium: 1,744mg
Day 1
Daily totals: 1,792 calories, 76 g fat, 91 g protein, 188 g carbohydrates, 44 g fiber, 1,879 mg sodium
Breakfast (396 calories)
Black Bean & Pepper Jack Quiche
- Serve with: 1 cup raspberries
Lunch (415 calories)
Dinner (453 calories)
Roasted Root Veggies & Greens over Spiced Lentils
Snacks
Everything Bagel Cottage Cheese Snack Jar with Bell Peppers & Chickpeas
- 3.5 cups air-popped popcorn (108 calories)
To make it 1,500 calories: Omit raspberries from breakfast and omit rice cake snackwich from snack.
To make it 2,000 calories: Add 1 serving of:
Strawberry-Almond Butter Energy Cups
Day 2
Daily totals: 1,798 calories, 70 g fat, 95 g protein, 198 g carbohydrates, 37 g fiber, 1,494 mg sodium
Breakfast (358 calories)
Anti-Inflammatory Lemon-Blueberry Smoothie
Lunch (510 calories)
Dinner (447 calories)
Fajita-Inspired Chicken-Stuffed Peppers
Snacks
Hard-Boiled Egg & Almonds
- Serve with: 3.5 cups air-popped popcorn (289 calories)
To make it 1,500 calories: Omit the apple from lunch. Omit hard-boiled egg & almonds snack.
To make it 2,000 calories: Add 1 serving Strawberry-Almond Butter Energy Cups.
Day 3
Daily totals: 1,820 calories, 96 g fat, 117 g protein, 135 g carbohydrates, 34 g fiber, 1,059 mg sodium
Breakfast (332 calories)
Lunch (447 calories)
Dinner (606 calories)
- Serve with: ½ cup cooked farro
Snacks
- 1 cup raspberries + 1 cup low-fat plain Greek yogurt (229 calories)
- ¼ cup unsalted almonds (206 calories)
To make it 1,500 calories: Omit Greek yogurt from snack. Decrease the almond snack to 1 Tbsp.
To make it 2,000 calories: Add 1 serving:
Day 4
Daily totals: 1,793 calories, 84 g fat, 104 g protein, 169 g carbohydrates, 38 g fiber, 2,046 mg sodium
Breakfast (396 calories)
Lunch (415 calories)
Dinner (590 calories)
One-Pot Chicken & Broccoli Pasta
Snacks
High-Fiber Guacamole Snack Jar
To make it 1,500 calories: Have the raspberries from breakfast as a snack instead. Omit salad from dinner. Omit rice cake snackwich snack.
To make it 2,000 calories: Add 1 serving Chai Energy Balls.
Day 5
Daily totals: 1,790 calories, 78 g fat, 108 g protein, 188 g carbohydrates, 46 g fiber, 1,948 mg sodium
Breakfast (358 calories)
Lunch (224 calories)
Spicy Coconut, Chicken & Mushroom Soup
Dinner (719 calories)
Marry Me Chickpea Soup with Kale
Best Caesar Salad with Crispy Parmesan
Snacks
- 1 small apple + 3.5 cups air-popped popcorn + 2 Tbsp. unsalted almonds (289 calories)
- 1 cup in-pod edamame (200 calories)
To make it 1,500 calories: Omit almonds and edamame from snacks.
To make it 2,000 calories: Add 1 serving Strawberry-Almond Butter Energy Cups.
Day 6
Daily totals: 1,806 calories, 88 g fat, 102 g protein, 166 g carbohydrates, 39 g fiber, 1,826 mg sodium
Breakfast (448 calories)
High-Protein Raspberry & Peanut Butter Overnight Oats
Lunch (525 calories)
Dinner (526 calories)
Snacks
To make it 1,500 calories: Omit both snacks.
To make it 2,000 calories: Add 1 serving Chai Energy Balls.
Day 7
Daily totals: 1,814 calories, 82 g fat, 118 g protein, 165 g carbohydrates, 40 g fiber, 1,744 mg sodium
Breakfast (448 calories)
Lunch (224 calories)
Dinner (547 calories)
Sheet-Pan Turkey Meatballs with Zucchini & Potatoes
Snacks
- 1 cup in-pod edamame (200 calories)
- 1 small apple + 2 Tbsp. peanut butter + 3.5 cups air-popped popcorn (376 calories)
To make it 1,500 calories: Omit peanut butter and popcorn from snack.
To make it 2,000 calories: Add 1 serving Chai Energy Balls.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Is it OK to mix and match meals if there’s one I don’t like?
Yes! This meal plan is meant to serve as inspiration. It doesn’t need to be followed exactly to reap the benefits. When choosing recipes, we made sure to check the calories, fiber, protein and sodium to align with the parameters of this plan and be within our sodium limits. If you’re making a recipe swap, it may be helpful to choose a recipe with similar calories, fiber, protein and sodium levels. For more inspiration, check out these delicious weight loss and Mediterranean diet recipes.
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Can I eat the same breakfast or lunch every day?
Definitely, it’s fine to eat the same breakfast or lunch every day. The breakfasts range from 332 to 448 calories while the lunches span 224 to 510 calories. These ranges are fairly close, though if you’re closely monitoring your calories or other nutrients, like protein, you may want to adjust a snack or two.
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Why is there not a 1,200-calorie modification?
We no longer provide modifications for 1,200-calorie days in our meal plans. The 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans suggests that limiting calories to 1,200 per day is too low for most people to meet their nutritional needs, plus it’s unsustainable for long-term health and well-being.
Other Tips for Healthy Weight Loss
One of the reasons the Mediterranean diet is so effective for weight loss is that it prioritizes nourishment over restriction. In fact, research shows that overly cutting calories can backfire, leading to more hunger, stronger cravings and weight gain over time. Focusing on the quality of your calories, like fiber-rich vegetables, legumes, whole grains, healthy fats and lean proteins, naturally promotes fullness and satiety. Reframing weight loss as “What can I add?” rather than “What should I cut out?” can be surprisingly powerful, and in many cases, adding nutrient-dense foods helps support weight loss more effectively than removing foods altogether.
Stress and movement also play a big role in the weight-loss equation. Chronic stress is closely tied to weight gain, thanks to its effects on hormones, sleep and appetite. Finding ways to manage stress—whether that’s getting outside, spending time with friends, journaling or taking a few quiet minutes for yourself—matters more than most people realize. Exercise supports weight loss too, not just by burning calories, but by improving mood, reducing stress and helping maintain muscle. The Mediterranean-diet lifestyle focuses on regular, enjoyable movement you can stick with, reinforcing that consistency (not perfection) is what leads to lasting results.
How We Create Meal Plans
Registered dietitians thoughtfully create EatingWell’s meal plans to be easy-to-follow and delicious. Each meal plan meets specific parameters depending on the health condition and/or lifestyle goal it is targeting and is analyzed for accuracy using the nutrition database, ESHA Food Processor. As nutritional needs differ from person to person, we encourage you to use these plans as inspiration and adjust as you see fit.
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