7-Day High-Protein, Anti-Inflammatory, Mediterranean Diet Meal Plan, Created by a Dietitian
Emily Lachtrupp, M.S., RD
December 7, 2024 at 3:31 PM
Reviewed by Dietitian Jessica Ball, M.S., RD
In this seven-day high-protein, anti-inflammatory, Mediterranean diet meal plan, we map out a week of meals and snacks tailored to help reduce inflammation. To help reduce chronic inflammation, we include dark leafy greens, deeply pigmented vegetables and fruits, and a variety of healthy fats, including salmon, tuna, nuts and seeds. These nutrient-rich foods, in addition to the super-popular Mediterranean diet, can play a role in reducing markers of chronic inflammation, which supports better heart health, immune health, digestion and more. You'll also find a variety of protein-rich foods, including fish, poultry, nuts, seeds, dairy and legumes. With three different calorie levels, this delicious and nutritious meal plan can be adjusted to meet your needs. Let's get started!
Related: 30-Day Mediterranean Diet Meal Plan for Healthy Aging, Created by a Dietitian
Why This Meal Plan Is Great for You
We incorporate the principles of the Mediterranean diet by prioritizing a wide variety of vegetables, fruits, seafood, nuts, seeds and legumes while limiting refined grains and excess added sugars. Simply following the Mediterranean diet is linked to reduced levels of inflammation, but we also made sure to include foods that are particularly helpful at lowering inflammation, such as antioxidant-rich fruits and vegetables and healthy fats from foods like salmon, tuna, nuts and seeds.
To help promote satiety and support your health, each day provides an average of 111 grams of protein and 36 grams of fiber. As the foundation of our cells, protein plays a role in every single function of the body, with a particularly vital role in immune health, muscle development and bone density, to name a few. Fiber is an important nutrient that many of us don't get enough of, with just 5% of Americans reaching their daily fiber intake goal. Fiber has many health benefits -- it can help improve heart health, promote good digestion and diverse gut bacteria, reduce body weight and support better blood sugar levels. Each day provides an average of 36 grams of fiber, well above the Daily Value of 28 grams per day.
This 1,800-calorie meal plan has modifications for 1,500 and 2,000 calories to support those with different calorie needs. While we previously included meal plans and modifications for 1,200 calories, we no longer do. The 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans suggests that limiting your 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.
Related: What Happens to Your Body When You Don't Eat Enough Fiber
Day 1
Breakfast (361 calories)
1 cup low-fat plain strained Greek-style yogurt
¼ cup sliced almonds
½ cup cherries
1 serving No-Added-Sugar Chia Seed Jam
A.M. Snack (206 calories)
¼ cup unsalted dry-roasted almonds
Lunch (476 calories)
1 serving Chickpea Tuna Salad
1 large pear
P.M. Snack (170 calories)
1 serving Cottage Cheese-Berry Bowl
Dinner (488 calories)
1 serving Chicken Fajita Soup
1 serving Roasted Cabbage Salad with Lemon-Garlic Vinaigrette
Evening Snack (95 calories)
1 medium apple
Daily Totals: 1,796 calories, 85g fat, 102g protein, 171g carbohydrate, 43g fiber, 1,447mg sodium.
Make it 1,500 calories: Change A.M. snack to 1 plum and omit evening snack.
Make it 2,000 calories: Add 2 Tbsp. natural peanut butter to evening snack.
Day 2
Breakfast (488 calories)
1 serving Sun-Dried Tomato & Feta Egg Bites
1 serving Strawberry-Banana Green Smoothie
A.M. Snack (307 calories)
¼ cup unsalted dry-roasted shelled pistachios
1 large pear
Lunch (407 calories)
1 serving Crunchy Chopped Salad
3 oz. cooked chicken breast
1 medium banana
P.M. Snack (170 calories)
1 serving Cottage Cheese-Berry Bowl
Dinner (444 calories)
1 serving Pan-Seared Salmon
1 serving Antioxidant-Rich Beet & Grapefruit Salad
Daily Totals: 1,817 calories, 77g fat, 121g protein, 177g carbohydrate, 34g fiber, 1,573mg sodium.
Make it 1,500 calories: Omit Strawberry-Banana Green Smoothie at breakfast.
Make it 2,000 calories: Have 1 serving Cucumber-Dill Ricotta Snack Jar as an evening snack.
Day 3
Breakfast (361 calories)
1 cup low-fat plain strained Greek-style yogurt
¼ cup sliced almonds
½ cup cherries
1 serving No-Added-Sugar Chia Seed Jam
A.M. Snack (206 calories)
¼ cup unsalted dry-roasted almonds
Lunch (407 calories)
1 serving Crunchy Chopped Salad
3 oz. cooked chicken breast
1 medium banana
P.M. Snack (170 calories)
1 serving Cottage Cheese-Berry Bowl
Dinner (555 calories)
1 serving Easy Tofu Curry
Evening Snack (95 calories)
1 medium apple
Daily Totals: 1,795 calories, 83g fat, 107g protein, 177g carbohydrate, 36g fiber, 1,162mg sodium.
Make it 1,500 calories: Change A.M. snack to 1 plum and omit evening snack.
Make it 2,000 calories: Add 2 Tbsp. natural peanut butter to evening snack.
Day 4
Breakfast (488 calories)
1 serving Sun-Dried Tomato & Feta Egg Bites
1 serving Strawberry-Banana Green Smoothie
A.M. Snack (184 calories)
1 serving Cucumber-Dill Ricotta Snack Jar
Lunch (407 calories)
1 serving Crunchy Chopped Salad
3 oz. cooked chicken breast
1 medium banana
P.M. Snack (62 calories)
1 medium orange
Dinner (655 calories)
1 serving Pistachio-Crusted Halibut
1 serving Roasted Squash & Lentil Kale Salad
Daily Totals: 1,796 calories, 73g fat, 123g protein, 174g carbohydrate, 36g fiber, 1,761mg sodium.
Make it 1,500 calories: Omit Strawberry-Banana Green Smoothie at breakfast.
Make it 2,000 calories: Add ¼ cup unsalted dry-roasted almonds to P.M. snack.
Day 5
Breakfast (488 calories)
1 serving Sun-Dried Tomato & Feta Egg Bites
1 serving Strawberry-Banana Green Smoothie
A.M. Snack (184 calories)
1 serving Cucumber-Dill Ricotta Snack Jar
Lunch (397 calories)
1 serving Crunchy Chopped Salad
3 oz. cooked chicken breast
1 medium apple
P.M. Snack (191 calories)
¼ cup unsalted dry-roasted shelled pistachios
¼ cup blackberries
Dinner (559 calories)
1 serving Pesto Chicken Quinoa Bowls
1 serving Simple Spinach Salad
Meal-Prep Tip: Reserve two servings Pesto Chicken Quinoa Bowls to have for lunch on Days 6 and 7.
Daily Totals: 1,819 calories, 91g fat, 115g protein, 151g carbohydrate, 30g fiber, 2,099mg sodium.
Make it 1,500 calories: Omit Strawberry-Banana Green Smoothie at breakfast.
Make it 2,000 calories: Have 1 serving Cottage Cheese-Berry Bowl as an evening snack.
Day 6
Breakfast (361 calories)
1 cup low-fat plain strained Greek-style yogurt
¼ cup sliced almonds
½ cup cherries
1 serving No-Added-Sugar Chia Seed Jam
A.M. Snack (193 calories)
1 serving Apple with Cinnamon Almond Butter
Lunch (389 calories)
1 serving Pesto Chicken Quinoa Bowls
1 medium orange
P.M. Snack (170 calories)
1 serving Cottage Cheese-Berry Bowl
Dinner (464 calories)
1 serving Grilled Tequila-Lime Chicken Salad
Evening Snack (206 calories)
¼ cup unsalted dry-roasted almonds
Daily Totals: 1,783 calories, 96g fat, 112g protein, 133g carbohydrate, 34g fiber, 1,215mg sodium.
Make it 1,500 calories: Change P.M. snack to 1 cup blueberries and omit evening snack.
Make it 2,000 calories: Add 1 cup low-fat plain kefir to lunch and add 1 medium banana to evening snack.
Day 7
Breakfast (488 calories)
1 serving Sun-Dried Tomato & Feta Egg Bites
1 serving Strawberry-Banana Green Smoothie
A.M. Snack (193 calories)
1 serving Apple with Cinnamon Almond Butter
Lunch (389 calories)
1 serving Pesto Chicken Quinoa Bowls
1 medium orange
P.M. Snack (170 calories)
1 serving Cottage Cheese-Berry Bowl
Dinner (558 calories)
1 serving Shrimp Tacos with Avocado Crema
1 serving Easy Pineapple Coleslaw
Evening Snack (101 calories)
1 medium pear
Daily Totals: 1,811 calories, 81g fat, 100g protein, 192g carbohydrate, 39g fiber, 1,769mg sodium.
Make it 1,500 calories: Omit Strawberry-Banana Green Smoothie at breakfast.
Make it 2,000 calories: Add ¼ cup unsalted dry-roasted almonds to evening snack.
How to Meal-Prep Your Week of Meals
Make Sun-Dried Tomato & Feta Egg Bites to have for breakfast throughout the week.
Prepare Crunchy Chopped Salad to have for lunch on Days 2 through 5.
Frequently asked Questions
Is it OK to mix and match meals if there is one I do not like?
Definitely. Meal plans are meant to be enjoyed. If there's an option you don't like, feel free to repeat a different option in this plan or check out more of our high-protein Mediterranean diet dinner options for inspiration.
Can I eat the same breakfast or lunch every day?
Absolutely. If you prefer to eat the same breakfast or lunch every day, go for it! Each breakfast option is between 361 to 488 calories while lunches range from 389 to 476 calories. These ranges are fairly close, though you may want to adjust a snack or two if you're closely monitoring calories or other nutrients.
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.
What causes chronic inflammation?
There's no singular cause of chronic inflammation. An unbalanced diet, long-term stress, poor sleep, excess body fat and other lifestyle factors can play a role. External factors, like environmental irritants or allergens may also exacerbate chronic inflammation.
Foods to Focus On
Vegetables
Fruits
Whole grains
Fish and seafood
Nuts and seeds
Legumes
Meat
Poultry
Eggs
Unsweetened dairy
Olive oil
Avocado
Herbs and spices
Strategies to Follow an Anti-Inflammatory, Mediterranean Diet
Eat More Plants: Rich in fiber and nutrients, foods like fruits, vegetables, nuts, whole grains and legumes are the cornerstone of the Mediterranean diet.
Include Unsaturated Fats: Unsaturated fats include fatty fish, such as salmon and tuna, as well as avocado, olive oil, nuts and seeds. Unsaturated fats can help improve heart health and reduce inflammation.
Eat a Wide Variety of Protein: The Mediterranean diet encourages a wide array of protein, with an emphasis on seafood, poultry, eggs, dairy, nuts, seeds and legumes. Contrary to previous guidance, foods like red meat can be included in the Mediterranean diet, though the idea is to focus on a variety of protein sources rather than focusing too heavily on one option.
Choose Whole Grains: Whole grains include quinoa, brown rice, farro, bulgur, barley, sorghum and freekeh. Including more fiber-rich grains can help you reach your daily fiber goals and support your health.
Limit Added Sugars: Added sugars in excess can exacerbate inflammation. To cut back, take a look at the nutrition label to see where they may be making their way into your routine, and opt for water or other unsweetened beverages to reduce your total added sugar intake.
Related: I'm a Dietitian with Syrian Roots -- This Is the Mediterranean Diet That I Know and Love
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