Our Greek & Mediterranean 7-Day Meal Plan brings together the best of The Greek Foodie, fresh ingredients, simple prep, and that unmistakable Greek warmth that makes every meal feel special. Eating well all week doesn’t have to mean spending hours in the kitchen.
Each day features balanced, flavor-packed meals inspired by the Greek and Mediterranean table: from wholesome salads and comforting stews to roasted vegetables, flaky phyllo pies, and lemony grilled fish. With a little weekend prep, you’ll have nourishing, make-ahead meals ready to enjoy all week long, whether you follow the plan closely or use it as inspiration for your own table. Let’s cook the Mediterranean way, relaxed, generous, and full of heart.
What Greeks eat & the Greek diet
- Greek food is simple, seasonal, and always centered on sharing. Bread is served with nearly every meal. It’s the true companion to olives, cheese, and every last drop of sauce. Olive oil is a daily essential, not a luxury. Vegetables, legumes, and grains form the foundation of the Greek table, while fish and seafood appear frequently, especially in coastal and island cooking.
- Greeks eat meat sparingly and often prefer white meat like chicken or pork. Meals are usually home-cooked and enjoyed with family. Even quick breakfasts or light dinners carry the same spirit, humble ingredients, big flavor, and time spent together.
While modern Greek households may eat more meat and fewer lentils than in the past, the essence of the Mediterranean diet remains:
- Fresh, local produce — tomatoes, peppers, greens, citrus.
- Legumes & grains — lentils, chickpeas, orzo, rice.
- Seafood & white meat — grilled, baked, or gently stewed.
- Olive oil — pure and abundant.
- Cheese & yogurt — from sheep or goat milk, often feta.
- Bread — always fresh, always present.
It’s not about restriction, but rhythm. Food as pleasure, nourishment, and connection.
How to use this plan
1. Weekend Prep
Set aside a couple of hours on Sunday to:
- Bake a tray (or two) of your favorite phyllo pies. choose from our Easy Greek Cheese Pie (Tiropita), Spanakopita, or Cretan Bougatsa if you want something really special. They keep beautifully for weekday breakfasts or light lunches.
- Roast a briam-vegetable dish (eggplant, peppers, zucchini, onions).
- Cook a batch of Greek Rice Pilaf or Orzo Salad with Spinach & Feta.
- Make a simple lemon-olive oil dressing.
- Boil eggs and wash greens for quick salads.
- Prepare one main (chicken, lentils, or Greek burgersh) for flexible meals.
2. Daily Flow
Use this plan as a flexible guide. Feel free to swap, repeat, or double recipes for leftovers. Greek cooking thrives on spontaneity — and bread makes every meal complete.
3. Storage Tips
- Phyllo pies: Reheat in the oven until crisp.
- Stews & soups: Warm gently on the stove; refresh with olive oil and lemon.
- Salads: Add dressing just before serving.
- Grain bowls: Loosen with broth or lemon juice when reheating.
The Greek Pantry & Smart Shopping Guide
Everyday Essentials
Smart Shopping Tips
- Choose Greek feta in brine over pre-crumbled versions for the best flavor.
- Look for olive oil labeled “cold-pressed” or “first pressing.”
- Always have lemons. They brighten any dish.
- Stock canned fish in olive oil for quick lunches and salads.
- Keep rusks or crusty bread handy, it’s essential for the Greek table.
Your 7-Day Greek & Mediterranean Meal Plan
Each day includes a tip, small, actionable advice that brings The Greek Foodie rhythm to your week.
Day 1 — Start Fresh
BREAKFAST: Greek Yogurt with Honey, Walnuts & Seasonal Fruit
Creamy Greek yogurt drizzled with golden honey and topped with toasted walnuts and fresh fruit. Bright, nourishing, and effortless.
Tips: Add granola or pistachios for crunch.
Leftovers & Storage: Store yogurt and fruit separately; keeps 3–4 days in the fridge.
LUNCH: Mediterranean Chickpea Salad
Warm chickpeas tossed with roasted peppers, cherry tomatoes, parsley, and olives in lemony olive oil.
Tips: Make the dressing ahead and store it in a jar.
Leftovers & Storage: Keeps 3 days refrigerated; best at room temp.
DINNER: Greek Burgers with Lemon Potatoes and Tabouli Salad
Juicy Greek-style burgers seasoned with herbs and spices, paired with roasted lemon potatoes and a bright tabouli salad.
Tips: Make a double batch of burgers and freeze extras.
Leftovers & Storage: Burgers keep 3 days refrigerated; reheat gently.
Day 2 — A Taste of the Islands
BREAKFAST: Spinach Pie-Spanakopita (from Sunday prep)
Flaky, golden phyllo filled with spinach and feta or warm, melty cheese, the perfect grab-and-go breakfast.
Tips: Bake both on Sunday for an easy week.
Leftovers & Storage: Keeps 4 days; reheat in the oven to crisp.
LUNCH: Orzo with Spinach & Feta
Silky orzo tossed with spinach, creamy feta, and lemon zest, comforting and fresh.
Tips: Add extra olive oil before serving to refresh.
Leftovers & Storage: Keeps 3–4 days; serve slightly warm.
DINNER: Sardines on Toast with Ladolemono (Lemon–Olive Oil Sauce)
Fresh or canned sardines served on sourdough with zesty ladolemono and a handful of greens. Simple, protein-rich, and deeply Mediterranean.
Tips: Keep canned tuna or sardines in olive oil for quick meals.
Leftovers & Storage: Fish keeps up to 2 days refrigerated.
Day 3 — Comfort & Color
BREAKFAST: Strapatsada (Greek Eggs with Tomatoes)
Eggs gently scrambled with ripe tomatoes, olive oil, and oregano, a Cretan favorite.
Tips: Serve with fresh bread or a slice of feta.
Leftovers & Storage: Best enjoyed fresh; keeps 1 day refrigerated.
LUNCH: Cherry Tomato Salad and Warm Crusty Bread
Sweet cherry tomatoes tossed with olive oil, sea salt, oregano, and a splash of vinegar, served with warm crusty bread to soak up the juices.
Tips: Add capers or olives for extra depth.
Leftovers & Storage: Keeps 1–2 days; tomatoes soften over time.
DINNER: Chicken Bolognese with Bucatini
A fragrant, comforting sauce made with ground chicken, San Marzano tomatoes, oregano, and warm spices served over bucatini.
Tips: Double the sauce and freeze half.
Leftovers & Storage: 3 days refrigerated or freeze up to 2 months.
Day 4 — Light & Vibrant
BREAKFAST: Kalitsounia (Cretan Hand Pies with Cheese & Herbs)
Delicate phyllo pastries filled with soft cheese and fresh herbs, a beautiful, gentle start to the day.
Tips: Make ahead and refrigerate for quick breakfasts.
Leftovers & Storage: Keeps 3–4 days; reheat in the oven.
LUNCH: Lentil Salad with Fresh Greens.
Hearty lentils mixed with herbs, leafy greens, olive oil, and lemon, satisfying and refreshing.
Tips: Add feta or roasted vegetables for texture and richness.
Leftovers & Storage: Up to 3 days; dress before serving.
DINNER: Roasted Fish with Capers & Lemon and Wild Greens with ladolemono.
Flaky white fish baked with olive oil and capers, served with boiled horta (wild greens) drizzled with ladolemono.
Tips: Finish the fish with a fresh drizzle of ladolemono before serving.
Leftovers & Storage: Greens keep 2 days; fish keeps 1–2 days.
Day 5 — Greek Comfort
BREAKFAST: Cheese Pie Tiropita (from Sunday prep)
Your Sunday phyllo bake makes mornings breezy, warm, flaky, and satisfying.
Tips: Reheat uncovered in the oven.
Leftovers & Storage: Keeps 3–4 days refrigerated.
LUNCH: Greek Tomato Rice
Tomato-simmered rice with olive oil and herbs, simple, comforting, and deeply Greek.
Tips: Add a spoonful of yogurt or grated kefalotyri on top.
Leftovers & Storage: Keeps 2–3 days.
DINNER: Greek Keftedes-Meatballs with Lemon Potatoes
Herb-packed keftedes served alongside roasted lemon potatoes, a cozy, family-style dinner.
Tips: Make extra meatballs and freeze them for later.
Leftovers & Storage: 3 days refrigerated; reheat in the oven.
Day 6 — Saturday Warmth
BREAKFAST: Shakshuka with Eggplant and Frappe Coffee
Eggs poached in rich tomato-eggplant sauce, topped with feta, served with an icy frappe for the full Greek weekend experience.
Tips: Serve with crusty bread.
Leftovers & Storage: Keeps 2 days refrigerated; reheat gently.
LUNCH: Greek Rice Pilaf with Roasted Vegetables
Fluffy, lemony rice tossed with caramelized vegetables, simple and satisfying.
Tips: A squeeze of lemon brightens everything.
Leftovers & Storage: Keeps 3–4 days refrigerated.
DINNER: Greek Souvlaki Gyros and Crispy Roasted Potatoes with Parmesan
Juicy marinated pork wrapped in warm pita with tzatziki, tomatoes, and onions, served with crispy Parmesan roasted potatoes.
Tips: Make extra souvlaki for lunch wraps tomorrow. Try our homemade pitas if you have time.
Leftovers & Storage: Keeps 3 days; reheat in a skillet.
Day 7 — Slow Sunday
BREAKFAST: Cretan Bougatsa or Shakshuka with greens
A sweet or savory choice. Flaky bougatsa with cheese and cinnamon or jammy eggs with greens.
Tips: Bougatsa keeps for a few days, so bake ahead.
Leftovers & Storage: Bougatsa keeps 3 days and can be frozen for up to 3 months; shakshuka 1–2 days.
LUNCH: Classic Greek Lemon Chicken & Potatoes
Golden roasted chicken with potatoes, oregano, and lemon juice, comforting and aromatic.
Tips: Use leftovers to make avgolemono soup later.
Leftovers & Storage: Up to 3 days refrigerated; reheat gently in the oven.
DINNER: Chicken Avgolemono Soup (Egg-Lemon)
A silky, comforting Greek classic made with broth, rice, lemon, and leftover chicken.
Tips: Whisk slowly to prevent curdling and keep it creamy.
Leftovers & Storage: Keeps 2 days refrigerated; reheat gently.
💡 PRO TIPS
- Double your favorite dinner to have leftovers for lunch.
- Keep fresh herbs in jars of water on the counter for easy access.
- Bread, olive oil, and lemon are your best last-minute meal savers.
- Always taste before seasoning — Greek food loves balance.
Storage & Prep Guide
| Dish | Keeps For | Store In |
|---|---|---|
| Cheese Pie (Tiropita) / Spinach pie (Spanakopita) | 4 days | Fridge, airtight |
| Roasted Vegetables | 5 days | Fridge, sealed container |
| Chicken Stew / Bolognese | 3 days | Fridge, reheat gently |
| Pilaf / Orzo Salad | 4 days | Fridge, toss before serving |
| Bougatsa / Kalitsounia | 3 days | Room temp or fridge |
| Canned Fish | 6 months+ | Pantry, unopened |
| Souvlaki / Gyro Meat | 3 days | Fridge, reheat in skillet |
The Greek Way Of Eating
Greek food is generous, unfussy, and full of life. It’s about sitting together, eating slowly, and celebrating what’s fresh and seasonal. Whether you’re enjoying a simple tomato salad or a Sunday gyro, the essence is the same — good olive oil, crusty bread, and someone to share it with.
Easy Mediterranean Recipes
