Mediterranean Diet Meal Prep: A Dietitian's Guide to Ordering Maven

The Mediterranean Diet is lauded for its balanced approach to food and as a dietary approach to reduce chronic disease risk. For most people, Mediterranean diet meal prep means a Sunday afternoon of roasting vegetables, cooking a pot of grains and portioning everything into containers. A Maven Meals order can do a lot of that work for you. Review the tips below for placing your Maven Meals order in line with the health-supportive Mediterranean diet.

What is the Mediterranean diet?

The Mediterranean diet is inspired by the traditional eating patterns of countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea. This approach prioritizes vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes, nuts, olive oil, and a variety of protein sources.

1. Whole, minimally processed food only

Mediterranean eating means prioritizing meals made from high-quality, whole ingredients. Meal delivery from Maven Meals affirms this eating value because each meal is made by hand, with recognizable ingredients, in Maven's kitchen near Angle Lake in SeaTac. You can read the full ingredient list for any dish on the Ingredients & Allergens page.

The local vibe and small-to-medium size reach of Maven Meals means better quality and fewer corners cut when it comes to meal creation. Ordering from Maven Meals is like asking a chef to do your meal prep for the week. All convenience, and no sacrifice. If you tend to shop for frozen, convenient food, switching more meals and meal staples to Maven Meals will actually lower your intake of processed food, which is very in line with Mediterranean eating. Brava!

2. Choose plant-forward meals

One of the foundations of the Mediterranean diet is plant-forward eating. This means making vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and legumes the feature of your meals.

When browsing the Maven Meals menu, look for options featuring roasted vegetables, grain sides, green salads, or vegetable-based pasta dishes. The à la carte options allow you to combine several plant foods, such as quinoa with roasted vegetables and chickpeas, making delicious plant-forward meals. The vegetarian dishes are a good place to start.

You don't have to eliminate meat to eat plant-forward. Instead, aim to make plants the largest component of your plate and incorporate animal proteins in moderate portions.

3. Diversify your protein sources

The Mediterranean diet encourages variety when it comes to protein. Rather than relying on red meat every day, you are encouraged to incorporate a range of protein sources throughout the week.

Two particular proteins emphasized within the diet are fatty fish, such as salmon, because they provide anti-inflammatory omega-3 fatty acids, and plant-based proteins, including chickpeas and lentils, for the superior fiber content.

Here in the Pacific Northwest, salmon is an easy Mediterranean diet fish to love. Maven's Moroccan Ras El Hanout Salmon, rubbed with the spice blend Heidi brought home from a trip to Morocco, is a past favorite worth saving to your Favorites.

Each week, Maven Meals showcases a variety of Mediterranean diet protein options: fish, poultry, beans, lentils, eggs, and tofu. If you have never tried tofu, or a vegetarian staple like beans and lentils, the culinary expertise of Maven Meals is a great introduction to these new-to-you foods! Try selecting different protein sources within your order: 2 meat-based, 2 fish-based, and 2 vegetarian mains, for example. This variety can help you meet your nutritional needs while keeping meals interesting.

4. Order the rainbow

Eating a wide variety of plants is another important component of the Mediterranean diet. Different vegetables, fruits, legumes, nuts, and whole grains provide different vitamins, minerals, and beneficial plant compounds, and the deep and vibrant colors of plants denote high polyphenol, or antioxidant, capacity. It's the idea behind the advice to eat the rainbow.

As you fill your cart, glance through the photos and ensure a wide spectrum of color and not just beige. Compared to other meal delivery services, Maven Meals does not skimp on the colorful vegetables! A week with Sweet and Smoky Roasted Carrots, Garlicky Charred Broccoli and Herb Roasted Multi-Colored Potatoes covers a lot of the spectrum before you've even picked a main.

5. Enjoy time and meals with others

The Mediterranean eating pattern is more than a list of "eat more" and "eat less" foods; it is also a way of eating. Traditional communities of the Mediterranean share meals with others and celebrate with food. Shared, leisurely meals encourage connection, relaxation, and mindful eating, which is longevity-promoting.

The convenience provided by Maven Meals means more time can be spent with your family and friends at the end of the day. Order a variety of dishes to satisfy everyone's preferences, and enjoy the experience of a nourishing meal at home, sitting down with family and friends instead of eating on the go.

What does a Mediterranean week from Maven look like?

Here's what a cart for Mediterranean diet meal prep can look like, using dishes from past Maven menus: two poultry mains, two fish mains, two vegetarian mains and a few sides to round them out. The menu changes every week, so you'll find different dishes when you order, but the pattern holds. If one of these catches your eye, look it up on the Past Menus page and tap the heart, and Maven will let you know when it's back.

Protein	Main	Side to pair it with
Poultry	Chicken Marbella	Herb Roasted Multi-Colored Potatoes
Poultry	Grilled Chicken, Fennel and Artichoke Salad	None needed. It's a full meal on its own
Fish	Cod with Romesco Sauce	Garlicky Charred Broccoli
Fish	Sesame Crusted Yellowfin Tuna Salad	Sweet and Smoky Roasted Carrots
Vegetarian	Moroccan Chickpea Stew	Farro, Green Olive and Feta Salad
Vegetarian	New Mexican Black Lentil and Sweet Potato Salad	Turmeric and Cumin Roasted Cauliflower

For Mediterranean diet meal delivery, start with this week's menu, check each dish's ingredients and build your cart around the five tips above. Orders close Sunday night at midnight, there's no subscription, and the new menu goes up every Monday morning. Mediterranean diet meal prep doesn't have to mean a weekend in the kitchen.

Want help with a Mediterranean plan?

If you desire more personalized guidance with meal ordering and nutrition counseling to support your Mediterranean lifestyle, our consulting dietitian Liz Wyosnick is available at dietitian@mavenmeals.com.