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# A Complete Mediterranean Diet Food List and 14-Day Meal Plan

Jessica Migala

Moira Lawler

By

Kelly Kennedy, RDN, LDN

Medically Reviewed

by

Updated on June 6, 2022

Mediterranean Diet

Fresh veggies and fruits, nuts, seeds, beans, and fish are staples in the Mediterranean diet.Alex Raths/iStock

There are few diets as universally recommended by experts as the Mediterranean diet. That’s because it’s not really a diet at all — it’s a lifestyle, says Elena Paravantes-Hargitt, a registered dietitian-nutritionist who specializes in the Mediterranean diet and is the founder of Olive Tomato. Paravantes-Hargitt lives in Greece. “It is based on the way people in certain parts of the Mediterranean were living and eating, so it is quite sustainable and realistic,” she says.

#### Next up video playing in 10 seconds

## Seared Salmon With Rosé and Herb Pan Sauce

Use rosé to make a simple pan sauce for seared wild salmon, and then enjoy a glass or two! The salmon cooks quickly, leaving lots of time for rosé all day.

contains  Fin fish, Dairy

4.4 out of 293 reviews

#### SERVES

##### 2

#### CALORIES PER SERVING

##### 527

#### AUTHOR

- Print
- Download
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#### PREP TIME

19 min

#### COOK TIME

35 min

#### TOTAL TIME

56 min

### Ingredients

1½ cups rice, for serving

1 bunch trimmed asparagus, for serving

1 tbsp olive oil

2 6-oz portions skin-on wild salmon (center cut)

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

1 lemon, halved

2 tbsp unsalted butter, divided

1 shallot, minced

1 tbsp fresh tarragon, chopped

1 tbsp fresh dill, chopped

1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

1 tbsp capers, rinsed

⅔ cup Bonterra rosé

### Directions

1
Cook the rice: Cook rice to desired doneness according to package instructions. Keep warm until ready to serve.

2
Roast the asparagus: Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

3
Arrange asparagus on a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Roast until lightly caramelized and crisp-tender, about 18 to 20 minutes. Keep warm until ready to serve.

4
Prepare the salmon: Meanwhile, season salmon on both sides with salt and pepper and let sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes.

5
In a coated cast-iron skillet or heavy-bottomed frying pan, add the olive oil and heat over medium high heat until shimmering. Add salmon (skin side up) and halved lemon and cook for about 4 minutes, or until salmon is golden brown and can easily move around the pan. Remove lemon from the pan and set aside on a plate. Flip salmon and cook skin side down for another 3 minutes, then add to the plate with the lemon and tent loosely with foil.

6
Drain olive oil from the skillet and add 1 tbsp of butter. Once melted, add shallot and cook for about 2 minutes or until they start to soften. Deglaze the pan with the rosé, scraping up brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Bring wine to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until the liquid has reduced by half. Season with salt and pepper, then remove from heat.

7
Add the capers, herbs, and remaining 1 tbsp of butter and mount the sauce by slowly swirling the butter around in the pan.

8
Serve the salmon on top of prepared rice with roasted asparagus and a spoonful of the rosé pan sauce.

### Nutrition Facts

#### Amount per serving

#### calories

527

#### total fat

31g

#### saturated fat

10g

#### protein

40g

#### carbohydrates

9g

#### fiber

0.9g

#### sugar

5.2g

#### added sugar

0g

#### sodium

486mg

#### TAGS:

Fin fish, Dairy, Mediterranean, Gluten-free, Low-Carbohydrate, High-Protein, Anti-Inflammatory, Dinner

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## What Is the Mediterranean Diet Exactly?

The Mediterranean diet is a mostly plant-based diet. Paravantes-Hargitt says, “It’s essentially a peasant diet. People would eat whatever they had growing in their gardens, along with some dairy and olive oil.”

For a handy visual look at the Mediterranean diet of today, Paravantes-Hargitt recommends checking out Oldways, an organization, along with the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and the World Health Organization, that created the Mediterranean diet pyramid 25 years ago.
[1]
Atop exercise stand the core foods: whole grains, fruits, vegetables, beans, herbs, spices, nuts, and olive oil. The groups recommend eating fish and seafood twice a week and moderate amounts of dairy, eggs, and poultry. Red meat and sweets are consumed just sometimes.

## What Are the Benefits and Risks of the Mediterranean Diet?

If you’re on the fence about eating more Mediterranean, consider all the research that backs it up. A study and meta-analysis found that every point increase in Mediterranean diet score — meaning how well one follows the eating style on a scale of 1 to 9 — was associated with a 5 percent lower risk of death from any cause.
[2]

It’s also tough to look past these numbers when it comes to your ticker. In a study of nearly 26,000 women, those with the highest adherence to the Mediterranean diet were up to 28 percent less likely to develop heart disease.
[3]
The diet may be particularly protective because it can reduce inflammation. Plus, the antioxidant compound called hydroxytyrosol, found in foods that are hallmarks of the diet (fruits, nuts, extra-virgin olive oil), has been shown to repair heart-harming free radical damage, the authors say.

While living longer and taking care of your heart are important to you, there’s no denying that you may be interested in the Mediterranean diet for its weight loss potential. Although not a main goal of this eating approach, it may help stabilize your weight — without making you feel deprived. A study by researchers at Harvard University and Emory University followed a group of overweight or obese adults on the Mediterranean diet and a control group eating a standard American diet supplemented with fish oil, walnuts, and grape juice — foods that supply key nutrients in the Mediterranean diet — for eight weeks.
[4]
A standard American diet is rich in foods that are high in saturated fat, added sugar, and salt. Compared with the control group, Mediterranean diet followers lost more weight, reduced their blood levels of inflammatory markers, and lowered their total cholesterol and LDL (“bad”) cholesterol. The bonus: It wasn’t supposed to be a weight loss study to begin with (that was just a nice bonus) so both groups ate a similar number of calories.

As for risks, dietitians often recommend a Mediterranean-style diet to those managing chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes. While this diet is considered heart-healthy, the American Heart Association does point out that it contains more fat than is typically recommended (though it’s still low in unhealthy saturated fat).
[5]
The main takeaway: This is one of the healthiest ways you can eat, but like everything else, if you’re changing your diet or using a diet in your treatment plan for a disease, always talk to your doctor first.

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## 5 Tips for Creating Your Mediterranean Diet Plan

The good news is that because this is a style of eating versus a set of rigid rules, you can fully customize this approach to suit your likes and dislikes. There’s no following this to a T or falling off the wagon and feeling like a failure. “Even within the Mediterranean diet there are what we call ‘special occasion days’ where you may eat more or eat foods that perhaps are not very healthy, but that is actually part of the lifestyle,” Paravantes-Hargitt says. “Food is to be enjoyed, and the Mediterranean diet promotes a healthy relationship with food. ‘Cheating’ is part of the Mediterranean diet. You just continue the next day as if nothing happened.”

Still, here are five important tips to get you started:

1. Eat more legumes. Not only are they a staple that you’re probably not eating enough of anyway but they’re budget-friendly and offer a host of nutritional benefits, says Paravantes-Hargitt, such as being high in fiber and protein, low in fat, and a source of B vitamins, iron, and antioxidants. These include lentils, dried peas, beans, and chickpeas (like hummus).
2. Don’t overdo alcohol. One common misunderstanding is that those following the Mediterranean diet drink a lot of red wine. “The wine consumed within the Mediterranean diet is done in moderation and is always consumed with food,” Paravantes-Hargitt says. “Usually a small amount of wine, about 3 to 4 ounces, would be consumed with the meal.”
3. Make meat a side. Traditionally, people ate meat only for special occasions, such as a Sunday supper, and even then in small amounts, says Paravantes-Hargitt. Try to incorporate more vegetarian-based mains, such as those centered around beans, tofu, or seitan, into your day. “A good place to start is going vegetarian one day a week,” she says. When you do eat meat, focus on choices like skinless chicken and save red meat for once a week or twice a month.
4. Eat fewer sweets. Just like meat, make desserts a special occasion dish. That doesn’t mean sugar is out — have a bit in your coffee if you’d like, for instance, “but on a daily basis, there isn’t much sugar eaten,” says Paravantes-Hargitt.
5. Cook with olive oil. Make extra-virgin olive oil the oil you cook with. While overdoing it with this oil can lead to weight gain (it’s a fat after all, so the calories can add up quickly), it’s rich in heart-healthy polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fat, so you can feel good about keeping a bottle handy in the kitchen. You can also use it in cold applications to make salad dressing or to drizzle on cooked veggies or side dishes.

## How to Cook It: Eggplant

Everyday Health staff nutritionist, Kelly Kennedy, RDN, shows a simple way to roast eggplant.

How to Cook It: Eggplant

#### Next up video playing in 10 seconds

## A Complete Mediterranean Diet Food List

Here’s what to eat and skip when you’re making your meals more Mediterranean:

### Protein

Liberally

- Beans
- Lentils
- Chickpeas
- Tofu
- Tempeh
- Seitan

Occasionally

- Chicken
- Fish
- Seafood
- Eggs

Rarely or Never

- Red meat (beef and pork)
- Cured meats (bacon, sausage, and salami)
- Processed meat products (chicken nuggets)

### Oil and Fat

Liberally

- Extra-virgin olive oil
- Avocados and avocado oil
- Olives

Occasionally

- Canola oil

Rarely or Never

- Trans fats
- Margarine
- Butter

### Fruits and Veggies

Liberally

- Nonstarchy veggies, (zucchini, eggplant, bell peppers, artichokes, and dark greens)
- Starchy veggies (sweet potatoes, potatoes, and root vegetables)
- All fruits (peaches, cherries, apricots, strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, and blackberries)

Occasionally

- There are no off-limits fruits or vegetables.

Rarely or Never

- No fruits or veggies are off-limits.

### Nuts and Seeds

Liberally

- While they can be part of every day, eat them in moderation.

Occasionally

- Almonds
- Pistachios
- Hazelnuts
- Walnuts
- Cashews (and all other unsweetened nuts)

Rarely or Never

- Sweetened trail mixes
- Sweetened nut butters
- Sugar-coated nuts

### Grains

Liberally

- Whole-grain bread (look for whole-wheat flour as the first ingredient)
- Whole grains (farro, bulgur wheat, barley, and quinoa)
- Oatmeal (steel-cut or old-fashioned)

Occasionally

- Pasta (choose whole-wheat pasta whenever possible)
- Couscous
- Whole-grain crackers
- Polenta
- All-bran cereals

Rarely or Never

- Frozen waffles and pancakes
- Sugar-sweetened cereals
- Crackers and other snack foods

### Dairy

Liberally

- These are consumed in moderation.

Occasionally

- Plain Greek yogurt
- Plain ricotta and cottage cheese
- Milk
- Brie, feta, or goat cheese (plus other cheeses that you enjoy)

Rarely or Never

- Ice cream
- Sweetened yogurt
- Processed cheese (like American)

### Sweeteners

Liberally

- These are consumed in moderation.

Occasionally

- Honey
- A small amount of added sugar (in coffee or tea, for example)

Rarely or Never

- White sugar

### Condiments and Sauces

Liberally

- Tomato sauce (no sugar added)
- Pesto
- Balsamic vinegar

Occasionally

- Aioli
- Tahini
- Tzatziki

Rarely or Never

- Barbecue sauce
- Ketchup
- Teriyaki sauce

### Drinks

Liberally

- Water
- Coffee
- Tea

Occasionally

- Red wine or other alcohol

Rarely or Never

- Soda
- Fruit juice
- Bottled sweetened coffee

### Herbs and Spices

Liberally

- All dried herbs and spices
- All fresh herbs
- Garlic

Occasionally

- Salting food to taste

Rarely or Never

- There’s no reason to restrict these in your foods.

## Your 14-Day Mediterranean Diet Eating Plan

Want to start eating like a Greek? Here are some ideas about where to start when planning your menu. Note that we don’t give portion sizes. This is one diet in which calorie counting is not expected. What your body needs will be different from the next person.

Also, with Paravantes-Hargitt’s help, we’ll show you how to move toward a more Mediterranean-style of eating — rather than doing a total overhaul — that will fit with your lifestyle.

### Day 1

Breakfast Coffee or tea with a bowl of oatmeal topped with berries

Snack Handful of almonds or walnuts

Lunch Half of a turkey sandwich made with whole-grain bread and a cup of lentil soup

Snack Sliced carrots, bell peppers, and cucumbers dipped in hummus

Dinner Veggie and white bean stew

### Day 2

Breakfast Coffee or tea with plain Greek yogurt topped with a drizzle of honey and walnuts

Snack Roasted chickpeas

Lunch Leftover veggie and bean stew from yesterday's dinner

Snack A peach (or apple, depending on the season)

Dinner Roasted chicken served with pita bread, tzatziki (a yogurt-based sauce), and a side salad

### Day 3

Breakfast Smoothie made with the milk of your choice, fruit, and nut butter

Snack ¼ avocado mashed with lemon juice and salt on top of whole-grain crackers

Lunch Three-bean soup topped with a dollop of pesto and served with a whole-grain roll

Snack Package of olives and fresh veggies

Dinner Salmon with farro and roasted zucchini and eggplant

### Day 4

Breakfast Coffee or tea and toasted whole-grain bread, sliced cheese, and strawberries

Snack Pistachios

Lunch Lentil-based salad with feta, roasted red peppers, sun-dried tomatoes, and olives

Snack Greek yogurt with fresh fruit

Dinner Grilled shrimp served with sautéed kale and polenta

### Day 5

Breakfast Coffee or tea and a breakfast bowl of leftover farro (from dinner on day 3) topped with a poached egg and a few slices of avocado

Snack Dried apricots and walnuts

Lunch Quinoa, bean, and veggie salad served with a slice of whole-grain bread

Snack Whole-grain crackers and black bean dip

Dinner Marinated, grilled chicken skewers served with bulgur wheat and a cucumber and red onion salad

### Day 6

Breakfast Coffee or tea and smoked salmon, capers, and tomato slices

Snack In-season fruit (such as a peach or two apricots in summer, or a pear in winter)

Lunch Mediterranean bean salad and whole-grain crackers

Snack Piece of cheese and olives

Dinner Moroccan lamb stew with couscous

### Day 7

Breakfast Coffee or tea and Greek yogurt with sunflower seeds and raspberries

Snack Sliced orange and pistachios

Lunch A piece of whole-grain bread with sliced tomatoes, cheese, and olives

Snack Packaged, flavored lupini beans

Dinner Red lentil and vegetable stew

### Day 8

Breakfast Coffee or tea and two eggs with sautéed greens (spinach or kale), plus an orange

Snack Roasted chickpeas

Lunch Leftover lamb stew from dinner on day 6

Snack Mixed nuts with a piece of dark chocolate

Dinner Baked white fish, roasted potatoes, and zucchini

### Day 9

Breakfast Smoothie made with the milk of your choice, frozen cherries, banana, and cocoa powder

Snack Mini peppers stuffed with hummus

Lunch Tuna salad made with olive oil, dried herbs, olives, and sun-dried tomatoes served on a bed of spinach with mixed veggies and whole-grain crackers

Snack Piece of cheese with a piece of fruit

Dinner Hearty Tuscan white bean soup with whole-grain bread

### Day 10

Breakfast Coffee or tea and a bowl of oatmeal topped with raisins and crushed walnuts, plus a drizzle of honey, if desired

Snack Greek yogurt and a piece of fruit

Lunch Leftover Tuscan white bean soup from dinner on day 9

Snack Hummus with sliced raw veggies like red peppers, celery, and cucumber

Dinner Garlic lemon chicken thighs served with asparagus and Israeli couscous

### Day 11

Breakfast Coffee or tea and a slice of veggie frittata with avocado

Snack Apple with nut butter

Lunch Prepared dolmas (look for these stuffed grape leaves in the prepared food section at some grocers) with hummus and pita

Snack Greek yogurt dip with sliced veggies

Dinner Seafood stew (shrimp and white fish in a tomato base)

### Day 12

Breakfast Coffee or tea and a small bowl of ricotta topped with fruit (berries, peaches, or fresh apricots) and a drizzle of honey

Snack Handful of lightly salted nuts (hazelnuts, pistachios, almonds, or a mix)

Lunch Greek pasta salad (whole-grain pasta with red onion, tomato, Kalamata olives, and feta) served on a bed of romaine

Snack Fruit salad

Dinner Leftover seafood stew from dinner on day 11

### Day 13

Breakfast Coffee or tea and oatmeal with nut butter and blueberries

Snack Container of Greek yogurt

Lunch Salmon salad sandwich with a cup of bean-based soup

Snack Smashed avocado on whole-grain crackers

Dinner Shakshuka (baked eggs in tomato sauce) topped with feta and served over polenta

### Day 14

Breakfast Coffee or tea and toasted whole-grain bread topped with ricotta and sliced fruit

Snack Dried cranberries and mixed nuts

Lunch Quinoa bowl with roasted sweet potatoes, goat cheese, and walnuts

Snack Olives and a few pita chips dipped in hummus

Dinner Artichoke and cannellini bean pasta with bread crumbs and Parmesan

Editorial Sources and Fact-Checking

Everyday Health follows strict sourcing guidelines to ensure the accuracy of its content, outlined in our editorial policy. We use only trustworthy sources, including peer-reviewed studies, board-certified medical experts, patients with lived experience, and information from top institutions.

#### Sources

1. Mediterranean Diet. Oldways.
2. Mediterranean Diet and Mortality in the Elderly: A Prospective Cohort Study and a Meta-Analysis. British Journal of Nutrition.
3. Assessment of Risk Factors and Biomarkers Associated With Risk of Cardiovascular Disease Among Women Consuming a Mediterranean Diet. JAMA Network Open.
4. Pilot Randomized, Controlled Trial of a Mediterranean Diet or Diet Supplemented With Fish Oil, Walnuts, and Grape Juice in Overweight or Obese U.S. Adults. BMC Nutrition.
5. What Is the Mediterranean Diet? American Heart Association.

#### Resources

- Mediterranean Diet. Oldways.
- Bonaccio M, Di Castelnuovo A, Costanzo S, et al. Mediterranean Diet and Mortality in the Elderly: A Prospective Cohort Study and a Meta-Analysis. British Journal of Nutrition. October 2018.
- Ahmad S, Moorthy MV, Demler OV, et al. Assessment of Risk Factors and Biomarkers Associated With Risk of Cardiovascular Disease Among Women Consuming a Mediterranean Diet. JAMA Network Open . December 2018.
- Jaacks LM, Sher S, De Staercke C, et al. Pilot Randomized, Controlled Trial of a Mediterranean Diet or Diet Supplemented with Fish Oil, Walnuts, and Grape Juice in Overweight or Obese U.S. Adults. BMC Nutrition. September 2018.
- What Is the Mediterranean Diet. American Heart Association. April 2018.

Show Less

Meet Our Experts

 

#### Kelly Kennedy, RDN, LDN

##### Medical Reviewer

Kelly Kennedy is a licensed dietitian-nutritionist with over 14 years of experience in digital media. She manages and oversees nutrition content, recipe development, meal planning, and diet and nutrition coaching at Everyday Health. She has developed and reviewed various meal plans, books, slideshows, and online tools, and has overseen the creation of more than 500 unique recipes. She received her bachelor's degree from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, and a master's degree from the State University of New York College at Oneonta.

Kennedy enjoys anything that takes her outside, from gardening and playing in the yard with her kids to hiking and even feeding her pet chickens.

 

#### Jessica Migala

##### Author

Jessica Migala is a freelance writer with over 15 years of experience, specializing in health, nutrition, fitness, and beauty. She has written extensively about vision care, diabetes, dermatology, gastrointestinal health, cardiovascular health, cancer, pregnancy, and gynecology. She was previously an assistant editor at Prevention where she wrote monthly science-based beauty news items and feature stories.

She has contributed to more than 40 print and digital publications, including Cosmopolitan, O:The Oprah Magazine, Real Simple, Woman’s Day, Women’s Health, Fitness, Family Circl e, Health, Prevention, Self, VICE, and more. Migala lives in the Chicago suburbs with her husband, two young boys, rescue beagle, and 15 fish. When not reporting, she likes running, bike rides, and a glass of wine (in moderation, of course).

 

#### Moira Lawler

##### Author

Moira Lawler is a journalist who has spent more than a decade covering a range of health and lifestyle topics, including women's health, nutrition, fitness, mental health, and travel. She received a bachelor's degree from Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism and lives in the Chicago suburbs with her husband, two young children, and a giant brown labradoodle.

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A Complete Mediterranean Diet Food List and 14-Day Meal Plan