7-Day Mediterranean Diet Meal Plan for a Healthy Gut, Created by a Dietitian

Reviewed by Dietitian Maria Laura Haddad-Garcia

About This Plan

• This seven-day plan is set at 1,500 calories, with modifications for 2,000 calories.

• Each day provides at least 63 grams of protein and 24 grams of fiber to support satiety.

• This plan prioritizes anti-inflammatory, fiber-rich and probiotic foods to support a healthy gut.

Over the past eight years, U.S. News & World Report has ranked the Mediterranean diet as the best overall dietary pattern for health. The tenets of the Mediterranean diet are simple: eat more fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, fatty fish and whole grains while eating less saturated fat and added sugar. Research shows that following this diet reduces the risk of metabolic syndrome, obesity, type 2 diabetes, certain types of cancer and neurodegenerative diseases.

It just so happens that many of the foods on the Mediterranean diet also support gut health, such as fruits, vegetables and whole grains. In this meal plan, we added in those foods, plus fermented foods high in probiotics to give you the best of both worlds. Let’s dig in.

Day 1

Breakfast (249 calories)

Morning Snack (211 calories)

• ¾ cup blueberries

• 3 tablespoons unsalted roasted cashews

Lunch (439 calories)

Afternoon Snack (163 calories)

• 2 tablespoons hummus

• 1 cup sliced cucumbers

• 2 tablespoons walnut halves

Dinner (429 calories)

Meal-Prep Tip: Save a serving of the Charred Shrimp, Pesto & Quinoa Bowls for lunch tomorrow.

Daily Totals: 1,491 calories, 67 g protein, 168 g carbohydrates, 29 g fiber, 70 g fat, 1,397 mg sodium

To make it 2,000 calories: Add 2 hard-boiled eggs to breakfast, increase to 1 cup blueberries and ⅓ cup cashews at A.M. snack, increase to ¼ cup hummus and ¼ cup walnuts at P.M. snack and add 2 servings Creamy Dill Yogurt Sauce to dinner.

Day 2

Breakfast (254 calories)

Morning Snack (208 calories)

Lunch (429 calories)

Afternoon Snack (101 calories)

• 1 medium pear

Dinner (504 calories)

Daily Totals: 1,496 calories, 81 g protein, 177 g carbohydrates, 27 g fiber, 58 g fat, 1,533 mg sodium

To make it 2,000 calories: Add 2 hard-boiled eggs to breakfast, add ¼ cup slivered almonds to A.M. snack and add 2 ounces low-fat Cheddar cheese to P.M. snack.

Day 3

Breakfast (373 calories)

Morning Snack (173 calories)

• 1 cup raspberries

• 1 ounce low-fat Cheddar cheese

• 3 tablespoons shelled pistachios

Lunch (353 calories)

Afternoon Snack (200 calories)

• 1 cup edamame in pods

Dinner (408 calories)

Daily Totals: 1,506 calories, 84 g protein, 164 g carbohydrates, 41 g fiber, 64 g fat, 1,916 mg sodium

To make it 2,000 calories: Add 2 scrambled eggs to breakfast, increase to 1½ cups raspberries at A.M. snack, add 2 servings Creamy Dill Yogurt Sauce to lunch, increase to 2 cups edamame at P.M. snack and increase to 2 slices baguette at dinner.

Day 4

Breakfast (291 calories)

Morning Snack (176 calories)

• 1 medium apple

• 2 tablespoons walnut halves

Lunch (430 calories)

Afternoon Snack (193 calories)

Dinner (411 calories)

Meal-Prep Tip: Save a serving of the Lentil Salad with Feta, Tomatoes, Cucumbers & Olives for lunch tomorrow.

Daily Totals: 1,501 calories, 80 g protein, 162 g carbohydrates, 26 g fiber, 63 g fat, 1,394 mg sodium

To make it 2,000 calories: Add 2 tablespoons peanut butter to breakfast, increase to ¼ cup walnuts at A.M. snack, add 1 ounce dark chocolate to P.M. snack and increase to 4 ounces chicken at dinner.

Day 5

Breakfast (291 calories)

Morning Snack (210 calories)

• 1 medium banana

• 1 tablespoon peanut butter

Lunch (368 calories)

Afternoon Snack (206 calories)

• ¼ cup unsalted roasted almonds

Dinner (414 calories)

Daily Totals: 1,489 calories, 86 g protein, 147 g carbohydrates, 24 g fiber, 67 g fat, 1,580 mg sodium

To make it 2,000 calories: Add 2 tablespoons peanut butter to breakfast, add ½ whole-wheat pita to lunch, increase to 5 tablespoons almonds at P.M. snack and add 1 ounce dark chocolate to dinner.

Day 6

Breakfast (311 calories)

Morning Snack (301 calories)

• 1 large pear

• 22 unsalted roasted almonds

Lunch (333 calories)

Afternoon Snack (220 calories)

Dinner (330 calories)

Daily Totals: 1,494 calories, 63 g protein, 168 g carbohydrates, 24 g fiber, 68 g fat, 2,384 mg sodium

To make it 2,000 calories: Increase to 1 whole English muffin at breakfast, add ½ cup kimchi and 2 tablespoons chopped peanuts to lunch, increase to 2 servings chickpeas at P.M. snack and increase to 1 whole pita at dinner.

Day 7

Breakfast (296 calories)

Morning Snack (121 calories)

• ¾ cup low-fat plain kefir

• 1 teaspoon chia seeds

• 1 teaspoon honey

Lunch (488 calories)

1 serving Crispy Smoked Tofu & Coleslaw Wraps

Afternoon Snack (220 calories)

Dinner (383 calories)

Daily Totals: 1,508 calories, 77 g protein, 141 g carbohydrates, 25 g fiber,  66 g fat, 2,473 mg sodium

To make it 2,000 calories: Add 1 large banana to breakfast, increase to 1 cup kefir, 2 teaspoons chia seeds and 2 teaspoons honey at A.M. snack, increase to 2 servings chickpeas at P.M. snack and add 1 hard-boiled egg to dinner.

Prep-Ahead Tips

Frequently asked Questions

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 anti-inflammatory Mediterranean meal recipes.

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 249 to 373 calories while the lunches span 333 to 488 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.

Why is there not a modification for 1,200 calories?

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.

Health Benefits of a Gut-Friendly Mediterranean Diet

The Mediterranean style of eating is marked by a diet that is high in fruits, vegetables, beans, lean proteins, nuts, seeds, with low to moderate intakes of dairy. It is typically low in saturated fat and added sugars and higher in fiber, antioxidants and omega-3 fatty acids. Years of research has concluded that following a Mediterranean-style eating pattern reduces the risk of obesity, heart disease, cancer, cognitive decline, metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes.

Having a healthy gut microbiome also has many of these same benefits. Data has shown that in addition to helping with constipation and digestion, good gut bacteria may help improve mood, sleep and heart health. Probiotics—fermented dairy, kimchi, sauerkraut—are foods that contain healthy gut bacteria, while prebiotics—onions, garlic, banana, lentils—are foods that feed good gut bacteria. Furthermore, both a healthy microbiome and the Mediterranean diet are associated with helping maintain a healthy weight.

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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