Meal Plan at a Glance<\/p>\n
Breakfast\/ A.M. Snack
\nLunch\/ P.M. Snack
\nDinner\/ Evening Snack<\/p>\n
Mango-blueberry smoothie
\nMarinated chickpea salad\/ Yogurt & banana
\nHigh-protein black bean salad\/ Dates & nut butter<\/p>\n
Apple-pomegranate overnight oats\/ Avocado toast
\nHigh-protein black bean salad\/ Mixed nuts
\nPesto pasta with tomatoes\/ Chocolate-strawberry nice cream<\/p>\n
Apple-pomegranate overnight oats\/ Avocado toast
\nVegan grain bowl\/ Hummus & cucumbers
\nChicken & chickpea skillet\/ Chocolate-strawberry nice cream<\/p>\n
Apple-pomegranate overnight oats\/ Mixed nuts
\nVegan grain bowl\/ Dates & nut butter
\nPoblano chicken fajitas\/ Chocolate-strawberry nice cream<\/p>\n
Apple-pomegranate overnight oats\/ Yogurt & berries
\nVegan grain bowl\/ Hummus & cucumbers
\nSlow cooker white bean stew\/ Chocolate-strawberry nice cream<\/p>\n
Blueberry & peanut butter chia pudding\/ Mixed nuts
\nSlow cooker white bean stew
\nSalmon with orzo & broccoli\/ Yogurt & berries<\/p>\n
Blueberry & peanut butter chia pudding
\nWhite bean salad with feta\/ Hummus & cucumbers
\nHalibut with quinoa & Brussels sprouts\/ Dates & nut butter<\/p>\n
Day 1\u00a0 <\/p>\n
Mango-Blueberry Chia Seed Smoothie.<\/p>\n
Photographer: Brittney Cottrell, Food stylist: Marianne Williams, Prop stylist: Keoshia McGhee.<\/p>\n
Breakfast (387 Calories)\u00a0 <\/p>\n
Lunch (373 Calories)\u00a0 <\/p>\n
Afternoon Snack (238 Calories)\u00a0
\n 1 cup plain, non-fat Greek yogurt1 medium banana<\/p>\n
Dinner (595 Calories)\u00a0 <\/p>\n
Evening Snack (229 Calories)\u00a0
\n 2 pitted medjool dates1 tablespoon peanut butter<\/p>\n
Daily totals: 1,822 calories, 65 g fat, 75 g protein, 258 g carbohydrates, 51 g fiber, 1,535 mg sodium\n<\/p>\n
To make it 1,500 calories: Omit evening snack and pita from lunch.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n
To make it 2,000 calories: Add \u00bc cup unsalted mixed nuts for morning snack.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n
Day 2 <\/p>\n
High-Protein Black Bean Salad.<\/p>\n
Photographer: Brittney Cottrell, Food Stylist: Julia Levy, Prop Stylist: Abby Armstrong.<\/p>\n
Breakfast (343 Calories)\u00a0 <\/p>\n
Morning Snack (230 Calories) <\/p>\n
Lunch (595 Calories)\u00a0 <\/p>\n
Afternoon Snack (199 Calories)\u00a0
\n \u00bc cup unsalted mixed nuts<\/p>\n
Dinner (342 Calories)\u00a0 <\/p>\n
Evening Snack (128 Calories)\u00a0 <\/p>\n
Daily totals: 1,836 calories, 70 g fat, 68 g protein, 264 g carbohydrates, 60 g fiber, 1,786 mg sodium\n<\/p>\n
To make it 1,500 calories: Omit afternoon and evening snacks.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n
To make it 2,000 calories: Add 2 tablespoons of walnuts to breakfast and 1 medium banana to afternoon snack.\n<\/p>\n
Day 3 <\/p>\n
Cumin Chicken & Chickpea Stew.<\/p>\n
Photographer: Morgan Hunt Glaze, Prop Stylist: Phoebe Hausser, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling<\/p>\n
Breakfast (343 Calories)\u00a0 <\/p>\n
Morning Snack (230 Calories) <\/p>\n
Lunch (486 Calories)\u00a0 <\/p>\n
Afternoon Snack (164 Calories)\u00a0
\n \u00bc cup hummus1 cup sliced cucumbers<\/p>\n
Dinner (426 Calories)\u00a0 <\/p>\n
Evening Snack (128 Calories)\u00a0 <\/p>\n
Daily totals: 1,777 calories, 60 g fat, 84 g protein, 256 g carbohydrates, 55 g fiber, 2,048 mg sodium\n<\/p>\n
To make it 1,500 calories: Omit afternoon snack and banana from lunch.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n
To make it 2,000 calories: Add 2 tablespoons of walnuts to breakfast and 1 tablespoon peanut butter to lunch (with banana).\n<\/p>\n
Day 4 <\/p>\n
Apple-Pomegranate Overnight Oats.<\/p>\n
Breakfast (343 Calories)\u00a0 <\/p>\n
Morning Snack (199 Calories)
\n \u00bc cup unsalted mixed nuts<\/p>\n
Lunch (381 Calories)\u00a0 <\/p>\n
Afternoon Snack (229 Calories)\u00a0
\n 2 pitted medjool dates1 tablespoon peanut butter<\/p>\n
Dinner (500 Calories)\u00a0 <\/p>\n
Evening Snack (128 Calories)\u00a0 <\/p>\n
Daily totals: 1,780 calories, 79 g fat, 72 g protein, 222 g carbohydrates, 43 g fiber, 1,223 mg sodium\n<\/p>\n
To make it 1,500 calories: Omit morning snack and peanut butter from afternoon snack.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n
To make it 2,000 calories: Add 2 tablespoons of walnuts to breakfast and 1 medium banana to morning snack.\n<\/p>\n
Day 5 <\/p>\n
Chocolate Strawberry Nice Cream.<\/p>\n
Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling, Prop Stylist: Priscilla Montiel<\/p>\n
Breakfast (343 Calories)\u00a0 <\/p>\n
Morning Snack (186 Calories)
\n 1 cup plain, non-fat Greek yogurt1 cup strawberries<\/p>\n
Lunch (486 Calories)\u00a0 <\/p>\n
Afternoon Snack (164 Calories)\u00a0
\n \u00bc cup hummus1 cup sliced cucumbers<\/p>\n
Dinner (526 Calories)\u00a0 <\/p>\n
Evening Snack (128 Calories)\u00a0 <\/p>\n
Daily totals: 1,832 calories, 49 g fat, 98 g protein, 271 g carbohydrates, 55 g fiber, 1,713 mg sodium\n<\/p>\n
To make it 1,500 calories: Omit morning and afternoon snacks.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n
To make it 2,000 calories: Add 2 tablespoons of walnuts to breakfast and 1 tablespoon peanut butter to lunch (with banana).\n<\/p>\n
Day 6\u00a0 <\/p>\n
Salmon with Lemon-Herb Orzo & Broccoli.
\nJacob Fox<\/p>\n
Breakfast (478 Calories)\u00a0 <\/p>\n
Morning Snack (199 Calories)
\n \u00bc cup unsalted mixed nuts<\/p>\n
Lunch (526 Calories)\u00a0 <\/p>\n
Dinner (425 Calories)\u00a0 <\/p>\n
Evening Snack (186 Calories)\u00a0
\n 1 cup plain, non-fat Greek yogurt1 cup strawberries<\/p>\n
Daily totals: 1,813 calories, 70 g fat, 128 g protein, 179 g carbohydrates, 48 g fiber, 1,713 mg sodium\n<\/p>\n
To make it 1,500 calories: Omit evening snack and pita from lunch.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n
To make it 2,000 calories: Add 1 medium banana with 1 tablespoon peanut butter for afternoon snack.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n
Day 7\u00a0 <\/p>\n
No-Cook White Bean Salad with Feta & Lemon-Garlic Vinaigrette.<\/p>\n
Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer, Prop Stylist: Claire Spollen<\/p>\n
Breakfast (478 Calories)\u00a0 <\/p>\n
Morning Snack (105 Calories) <\/p>\n
Lunch (416 Calories)\u00a0 <\/p>\n
Afternoon Snack (164 Calories)
\n \u00bc cup hummus1 cup sliced cucumbers<\/p>\n
Dinner (406 Calories)\u00a0 <\/p>\n
Evening Snack (229 Calories)\u00a0
\n 2 pitted medjool dates1 tablespoon peanut butter<\/p>\n
Daily totals: 1,798 calories, 82 g fat, 83 g protein, 206 g carbohydrates, 48 g fiber, 1,439 mg sodium\n<\/p>\n
To make it 1,500 calories: Omit morning and afternoon snacks.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n
To make it 2,000 calories: Add \u00bc cup unsalted mixed nuts to morning snack.\n<\/p>\n
Frequently Asked Questions<\/p>\n
Is it OK to mix and match meals if there\u2019s one I don\u2019t like?\n<\/p>\n
Yes! This meal plan is meant to serve as inspiration. It doesn\u2019t 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\u2019re 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 recipes for healthy cholesterol<\/a>.<\/p>\n Can I eat the same breakfast or lunch every day?\n<\/p>\n Definitely, it\u2019s fine to eat the same breakfast or lunch every day. The breakfasts range from 343 to 478 calories while the lunches span 373 to 595 calories. These ranges are fairly close, though if you\u2019re closely monitoring your calories or other nutrients, like protein, you may want to adjust a snack or two.<\/p>\n Why is there not a 1,200 calorie modification?\n<\/p>\n 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\u2019s unsustainable for long-term health and well-being.<\/p>\n How the Mediterranean Diet Benefits Cholesterol\u00a0 <\/p>\n The Mediterranean diet centers around lean proteins like beans, nuts and fish that are low in saturated fat\u2014the kind of fat that can raise LDL cholesterol if consumed in excess. It\u2019s also rich in plant foods like fruits, veggies, legumes and whole grains that are naturally high in antioxidants and fiber\u2014nutrients that help prevent your digestive tract from absorbing cholesterol.\n<\/p>\n The best part is that the Mediterranean Diet is quite easy to follow since it isn\u2019t overly restrictive, making it one of the most popular and sustainable diets out there. Nothing is fully off limits on this diet, but saturated fats, added sugars and refined grains are consumed in moderation for further heart health benefits.\n<\/p>\n How We Create Meal Plans<\/p>\n Registered dietitians thoughtfully create EatingWell\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n