How to Plan a Week on the MIND Diet

Feel overwhelmed by trying to “do the MIND diet right”? This guide gives you a simple weekly formula you can reuse over and over, without counting every bite. If you need a refresher on what actually counts, see What Counts on the MIND Diet.

The simple weekly MIND Diet formula

Instead of building 21 separate meals from scratch, think in patterns. Here is a realistic formula many people find doable:

  • 🥗 Leafy greens: at least once a day
  • 🥕 Other vegetables: most meals if you can
  • 🌾 Whole grains: ~3 times per day (breakfast, lunch, dinner)
  • 🫐 Berries: at least twice a week
  • 🥜 Nuts: most days of the week
  • 🐟 Fish/seafood: about once a week
  • 🍗 Poultry: about twice a week
  • 🫘 Beans or lentils: ~4 times per week
  • 🫒 Olive oil: your everyday cooking fat

You don’t have to be perfect. The goal is to tilt your week toward brain-healthy foods, not to earn a gold star.

Step 1: Set your dinner “formula”

Start with dinners. Once dinners are set, lunches and even some breakfasts become easier because you can reuse leftovers.

A sample dinner pattern

  • 1 night: seafood (ideally salmon)
  • 2 nights: poultry (chicken or turkey)
  • 3 nights: bean or lentil-based dinners
  • 1 night: flexible – leftovers, easy “breakfast for dinner,” or eating out

You can shift this to match your life. For example, if your family loves seafood, do 2 seafood nights and 2 poultry nights and reduce a bean night. The pattern is there to guide you, not to box you in.

Step 2: Choose 7 specific dinners

Now plug actual meals into the pattern. Keep it simple and repeat favorites. Here’s an example week:

Example Dinner Plan

  • Monday – Beans: Tofu Sloppy Joes with a side salad
  • Tuesday – Poultry: Brain Healthy Turkey Helper with steamed broccoli
  • Wednesday – Beans: Lentil & veggie skillet (any simple recipe you like)
  • Thursday – Seafood: Lemon Garlic Salmon with Kale and White Beans
  • Friday – Beans: Black bean tacos with shredded lettuce, salsa, and avocado
  • Saturday – Poultry: Turkey Smash Tacos with a big tray of roasted vegetables
  • Sunday – Flexible: Leftovers buffet or “breakfast for dinner” with eggs, sautéed greens, and whole grain toast

Mini checklist while you choose dinners

  • Do I have at least one salmon or other fish dinner?
  • Do I see beans or lentils at least 3–4 times?
  • Can I add leafy greens to at least half of these?
  • Is there at least one “really easy” night (slow cooker, sheet pan, or leftovers)?
  • Does this feel realistic for this week’s schedule—busy nights get the easiest meals.

If this part feels like a lot of decisions, that’s exactly what my MIND Diet Menu Planning Tool is designed to help with.

Step 3: Turn dinners into easy lunches

The easiest MIND-diet-friendly lunches are built from last night’s dinner. Instead of planning 7 different lunches, ask:

Simple lunch ideas from leftovers

  • Leftover grain + beans + veggies → warm grain bowl with olive oil and a squeeze of lemon
  • Leftover chicken or turkey → chopped over a big salad with olive-oil-based dressing
  • Leftover salmon → flaked over greens or tucked into a whole grain wrap with veggies

Step 4: Choose a breakfast “rotation”

You do not need 7 different breakfasts each week. Choose 2–3 options that check the MIND boxes: whole grains + nuts + fruit or berries + a bit of protein.

Example breakfast rotation

  • Oatmeal bowl: High-Protein Microwave Oatmeal with Banana and Peanut Butter
  • Yogurt bowl: plain Greek yogurt, berries, a spoonful of nut butter, and a sprinkle of oats or granola
  • Toast, egg & veggies: whole grain toast with mashed avocado, a poached egg, and a handful of cherry tomatoes or spinach on the side

Once your rotation is set, you just buy ingredients to repeat those breakfasts all week.

Step 5: Plan snacks and “emergency” meals

Snacks are where the MIND diet can quietly shine. A few small shifts make a big difference over time.

Snack ideas that fit the MIND pattern

  • A small handful of nuts + a piece of fruit
  • Whole grain crackers with hummus or bean dip
  • Plain yogurt with berries and a drizzle of honey
  • Veggie sticks with guacamole or white bean dip
  • Dates stuffed with nut butter (optionally dipped in dark chocolate)

I also recommend having pantry ingredients on hand for last-minute dinners, such as:

  • Canned beans + frozen vegetables + brown rice or quinoa
  • Whole grain pasta + jarred tomato sauce + frozen spinach
  • Quick omelet or veggie hash with eggs and greens

Step 6: Make a grocery list by MIND Diet “buckets”

Instead of writing a random list, group items by the MIND Diet categories. This helps you see at a glance if something is missing.

Core buckets

  • Leafy greens
  • Other vegetables
  • Whole grains
  • Beans, lentils, and soy
  • Fish and poultry
  • Nuts and nut butters
  • Fruit (especially berries)
  • Olive oil and other healthy fats

Quick self-check

  • Do I have at least one leafy green for the week?
  • Do I have beans or lentils for 3–4 meals?
  • Do I have at least one fish and one poultry option?
  • Do I have whole grains for breakfast, lunch, and dinner?
  • Are there nuts and berries in my cart?

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