Get Your Wholesome Arabic Meal Plan: 3-Day Plan With Measurements and a Shopping List for a Balanced Nutrition
Many meal plans are related to international cuisines and bland gym foods. However, when it comes to meal plans designed with middle eastern food, there are few options.
Middle Eastern dishes are delicious and, with a few minor tweaks and portion control, can provide balanced meals filled with protein, healthy fats, and complex carbs. Many healthy dishes can improve your well-being and body composition and support your weight loss efforts. Represent a very healthy diet.
That is my attempt to provide you with a healthy meal plan that Arab families within Dubai, the entire UAE, and the Middle East can benefit from!
Criteria for the meal plan design
Males - between 1700-2000 calories with a total daily protein of 120-160gm per day and a balanced ratio of carbs and fats
Females - between 1200-1500 calories with a total daily protein of 80-110gm per day and a balanced ratio of carbs and fats
This plan also includes a shopping list to sort your groceries quickly.
3-day meal plan with middle eastern food
Day 1
Breakfast
Arabic Omelette
Male: 2 large eggs, 50g diced tomatoes, 50g diced bell peppers, 30g feta cheese.
Female: 1 large egg, 30g diced tomatoes, 30g diced bell peppers, 20g feta cheese.
Snack
Mixed Nut and Dried Fruit Medley
Male: 30g mixed nuts (almonds, walnuts, pistachios) + 20g dried fruits (apricots, dates, raisins).
Female: 20g mixed nuts + 15g dried fruits.
Lunch
Fattoush Salad with Grilled Chicken Breast
Male: 150g grilled chicken breast.
Female: 100g grilled chicken breast.
Snack
Labneh Dip with Vegetable Sticks (carrot and cucumber sticks)
Male: 150g labneh (strained yogurt)
Female: 100g labneh (strained yogurt)
Dinner
Grilled Fish Fillet with Quinoa and Roasted Vegetables
Male: 150g grilled fish fillet, 1/2 cup cooked quinoa, mixed roasted vegetables.
Female: 100g grilled fish fillet, 1/3 cup cooked quinoa, mixed roasted vegetables.
Day 2
Breakfast
Arabic-style Shakshuka
Male: 2 large eggs, 200g canned diced tomatoes, 50g diced bell peppers, 50g diced onions, 10g olive oil.
Female: 1 large egg, 150g canned diced tomatoes, 30g diced bell peppers, 30g diced onions, 5g olive oil.
Snack:
Greek Yogurt Parfait
Male: 150g Greek yogurt, 50g mixed berries, 10g honey, 10g granola.
Female: 120g Greek yogurt, 40g mixed berries, 8g honey, 8g granola.
Lunch
Lentil Soup with Whole-Grain Bread Roll
Male: 100g lentils, mixed vegetables, 150g vegetable broth, 1 whole-grain bread roll.
Female: 80g lentils, mixed vegetables, 120g vegetable broth, 1/2 whole-grain bread roll.
Snack
Hummus with Whole-Grain Crackers
Males: 100g hummus, 100g whole-grain crackers
Females: 50g hummus, 60g whole-grain crackers
Dinner
Grilled Chicken Shawarma Wrap with Tabbouleh
Male: 150g grilled chicken breast, whole-wheat wrap, mixed vegetables, lemon juice, olive oil.
Female: 100g grilled chicken breast, whole-wheat wrap, mixed vegetables, lemon juice, olive oil.
Day 3
Breakfast
Middle Eastern-Style Breakfast Bowl
Male: 150g Greek yogurt, 40g granola, 30g mixed nuts, 50g mixed fruits.
Female: 100g Greek yogurt, 25g granola, 20g mixed nuts, 50g mixed fruits
Snack
Protein Smoothie
Male: 1 scoop of protein powder, 200ml almond milk, 1 small banana, 15g almond butter.
Female: 1 scoop of protein powder, 150ml almond milk, 1 small banana, 10g almond butter.
Lunch
Grilled Vegetable Quinoa Salad
Male: 1 cup cooked quinoa, mixed grilled vegetables, 50g feta cheese, lemon juice, olive oil.
Female: 3/4 cup cooked quinoa, mixed grilled vegetables, 40g feta cheese, lemon juice, olive oil.
Snack
Baked Falafel with Tahini Sauce
Male: 4 falafel patties, 50g tahini sauce.
Female: 3 falafel patties, 40g tahini sauce.
Dinner
Beef Kofta Skewers with Brown Rice and Grilled Vegetables
Male: 150g beef kofta skewers, 2/3 cup cooked brown rice, mixed grilled vegetables.
Female: 100g beef kofta skewers, 1/2 cup cooked brown rice, mixed grilled vegetables.
Important notes
This meal plan provides approximate measurements for males and females.
In terms of calories, it can deviate up to 10%.
This meal plan also ensures that a minimum of 20gm of protein is included in each main meal to ensure a good amount of high-quality protein.
This meal plan will likely put you in a caloric deficit. Still, to ensure that it does, you would have to do an assessment and get a meal plan specifically made to ensure that you are in a sufficient calorie deficit to enable you to lose weight.
Grocery list with all ingredients and approximate quantities from the meal plan
Grocery list with all ingredients and approximate quantities from the meal plan
Proteins
- Eggs (6 large)
- Chicken breasts (550g)
- Fish fillets (300g)
- Lentils (180g)
- Greek yogurt (570g)
- Mixed nuts (180g)
- Feta cheese (90g)
- Beef kofta (250g)
- Falafel mix or pre-made falafel (enough for 7 falafel patties)
Fresh Fruits and Vegetables
- Tomatoes (4 medium)
- Bell peppers (4 medium)
- Onions (2 small)
- Mixed berries (200g)
- Mixed fruits (190g)
- Lemons (2)
- Mixed salad greens (enough for 3 servings)
- Mixed roasted vegetables (such as zucchini, bell peppers, eggplant) (enough for 3 servings)
- Mixed grilled vegetables (such as zucchini, bell peppers, cherry tomatoes, and onions) (enough for 3 servings)
- Carrots (enough for snacking and dipping)
- Cucumber (enough for snacking and dipping)
- Fresh parsley (enough for 2 servings)
Grains and Legumes
- Quinoa (300g)
- Whole-grain bread rolls (3)
- Whole-wheat wraps (2)
- Brown rice (enough for 3 servings)
- Whole-grain crackers (enough for snacking and dipping)
Pantry Staples
- Canned diced tomatoes (350g)
- Tahini sauce (90g)
- Olive oil
- Lemon juice
- Honey
- Granola
Important note: this shopping list contains approximate values and is made in a way that can support your shopping by separating products to match the approximate structure of big commercial stores.
If you need help structuring a meal plan for weight management or a healthy diet plan with wholesome foods but want something specifically curated to fit your needs, book a FREE consultation with our team!
Also, if you have a dieting preference and want a plan catering to a gluten-free, vegan, vegetarian, or carnivore diet, book your FREE consultation and see how our experts can help you reach your objectives!
To learn more about the carnivore diet and to find a delicious recipe for a vegan superfood salad, read our blogs, and to find out more about our services, check out:
To learn more about all things training and nutrition, check out some of our science-based blogs:
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