Mediterranean diet meal prep on a budget: a 5-day plan

Why Mediterranean food is actually budget food

Look at Mediterranean recipe books and you see air-shipped branzino and expensive jars of pine nuts.

Real home cooks along the Mediterranean coast eat legumes four days a week. They buy store brand olive oil in bulk cans and cook seasonal greens that cost pennies per pound.

I build my weekly prep around dry brown lentils, cannellini beans, yellow onions, garlic bulbs, and store-bought frozen spinach.

These staples store in your pantry for months without spoiling. They provide plenty of filling fiber and clean fats without straining your grocery budget.

The 3-pillar Mediterranean plate

Every lunch and dinner bowl I prep follows this simple balance:

The $38 weekly supermarket receipt

I purchased all these items at my local Aldi supermarket for a single week of meal prep:

• 2 cans cannellini beans: $1.78
• 1 bag dry green lentils (1 lb): $1.49
• 2 lbs bone-in chicken thighs: $5.98
• 1 bottle extra virgin olive oil (16.9 oz): $6.49
• 2 bags frozen chopped spinach (12 oz each): $2.70
• 1 bag yellow onions (3 lb): $2.29
• 2 bulbs fresh garlic: $0.99
• 3 fresh lemons: $1.47
• 1 block Greek feta in brine (8 oz): $3.49
• 1 jar kalamata olives: $2.69
• 2 large zucchini: $1.89
• 1 bag whole carrots (2 lb): $1.69
• 1 can crushed tomatoes (28 oz): $1.79
• 1 bag pearl barley (1 lb): $1.89
• Fresh flat-leaf parsley: $0.89

Total Grocery Cost: $37.52. Even with salt, dried oregano, and pepper from my pantry, the cost remains well under thirty-eight dollars for ten substantial meals ($3.75 per portion).

The 5-day prep schedule and meal roster

Here is my exact meal distribution from Monday through Friday:

Greek braised white beans with tomatoes and dill

This dish is inspired by Greek fasolakia and gigantes plaki. It tastes better after sitting in your fridge for two days.

Warm three tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil in a Dutch oven or heavy pot over medium heat. Add one diced yellow onion and four minced garlic cloves.

Cook for five minutes until the onions turn soft and sweet. Add one tablespoon of dried oregano and a pinch of red pepper flakes.

Pour in your 28-ounce can of crushed tomatoes and half a cup of water. Bring to a gentle simmer for ten minutes.

Stir in two drained cans of cannellini beans and two bags of thawed frozen spinach with excess water squeezed out.

Cover and simmer on low heat for twenty minutes. Turn off the heat and stir in the juice of one lemon and a handful of fresh chopped dill.

Divide among four meal prep glass containers. Top each serving with a crumble of salty feta cheese.

Lemon oregano chicken and roasted vegetables

Chicken breasts dry out quickly during refrigerator storage. Bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs stay tender and juicy all week long.

Place four trimmed chicken thighs on a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Surround the chicken with diced zucchini and thick carrot coins.

Whisk four tablespoons of olive oil with the juice of two lemons, four minced garlic cloves, one tablespoon of dried oregano, and half a teaspoon of black pepper.

Pour this marinade over the chicken and vegetables. Toss the vegetables with your fingers so every piece is coated in lemon garlic oil.

Roast at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 35 minutes until the chicken skin turns golden brown and the carrots caramelize at the edges.

Let cool completely for twenty minutes on the counter before snapping on the container lids.

Maintaining flavor through Friday afternoon

Store your chicken portions on the coldest bottom shelf toward the rear of your refrigerator.

Keep your braised beans and barley in airtight glass containers. Glass prevents olive oil and tomato acid from reacting with plastic walls.

Dress your cold salads right before eating, or use the Mason jar layering method where dressings stay at the very bottom.

Add fresh herbs like parsley and dill right before serving. A quick sprinkle of green herbs revives pre-cooked food instantly.

Frequently asked questions