Rheumatoid arthritis plan, Mediterranean at heart.
The 2022 ACR guideline conditionally recommends a Mediterranean-style diet for rheumatoid arthritis. Here is a week at about 1,800 calories a day, with oily fish, olive oil and plants. Alma can fit it to your goal.
Built from ACR and AHA advice.
The rules
Three habits do most of the work
Fish at least twice a week
Salmon, sardines or mackerel, about 3.5 oz cooked.
Olive oil and plants
Vegetables, fruit, beans and whole grains at most meals.
Less processed food and sugar
The guideline defines the pattern with limits on both.
Sample week
Seven days of Mediterranean meals
About 1,710 to 1,830 calories a day. Scale portions to your needs. Find your number
Medicine is the main care for rheumatoid arthritis, and food supports it. The ACR conditionally recommends food over supplements, so check any supplement, including fish oil, with your rheumatologist.
Day 1Monday
BreakfastOatmeal with cherries and walnuts½ cup dry oats cooked with 1 cup 1% milk, ½ cup cherries, 1 tbsp walnuts
LunchLentil soup with rye bread2 cups lentil and vegetable soup, 1 slice rye bread, 1 tsp olive oil
SnackHummus with pita and carrots¼ cup hummus, 1 whole wheat pita, 1 cup carrot sticks
DinnerBaked sardines on whole grain toast1 tin sardines in olive oil, drained, 2 slices whole grain toast, 1 cup boiled new potatoes, tomato salad with 2 tsp olive oil
About 1,750 kcal82 g protein41 g fiber
Day 2Tuesday
- BreakfastGreek yogurt with cherries and oats1 cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt, ½ cup cherries, ½ cup dry oats, 1 tbsp ground flaxseed
- LunchQuinoa and chickpea salad with feta1 cup cooked quinoa, ¾ cup chickpeas, cucumber, 1 oz feta, 2 tsp olive oil, lemon
- SnackApple with almond butter1 apple, 1 tbsp almond butter
- DinnerGrilled mackerel with barley3.5 oz mackerel, 1 cup cooked barley, 1 cup green beans, lemon
About 1,710 kcal82 g protein37 g fiber
Day 3Wednesday
- BreakfastAvocado toast with tomato and egg2 slices whole grain toast, ½ avocado, 1 egg, sliced tomato
- LunchTuna, olive and chickpea salad1 can tuna, ¾ cup chickpeas, 5 olives, cucumber, 2 tsp olive oil, 1 whole wheat pita
- SnackWalnuts and a pear½ oz walnuts, 1 pear
- DinnerChicken with sweet potato and kale5 oz chicken breast, 1 medium sweet potato, 2 cups kale, 2 tsp olive oil, 1 cup cooked brown rice
About 1,820 kcal117 g protein42 g fiber
Day 4Thursday
- BreakfastYogurt with kiwi and pumpkin seeds1 cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt, 1 kiwi, 1 tbsp pumpkin seeds, 1 tsp honey, 1 slice whole grain toast with 1 tsp butter
- LunchRoasted vegetable and farro bowl1 cup cooked farro, 1 cup roasted peppers and zucchini, 1 oz feta, ½ cup chickpeas, 2 tsp olive oil
- SnackCottage cheese with peach½ cup low-fat cottage cheese, 1 peach, 4 whole grain crackers
- DinnerSalmon with brown rice and asparagus5 oz salmon, 1 cup cooked brown rice, 1 cup asparagus, 2 tsp olive oil
About 1,760 kcal108 g protein32 g fiber
Day 5Friday
- BreakfastMushroom and spinach omelet2 eggs, 1 cup mushrooms, 1 cup spinach, 1 tsp olive oil, 2 slices whole grain toast, 1 orange
- LunchSardine and tomato pasta1 tin sardines, 1 cup cooked pasta, ½ cup marinara, 2 tsp olive oil, 1 tbsp Parmesan
- SnackGreek yogurt with honey and walnuts¾ cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt, 1 tsp honey, 1 tbsp walnuts
- DinnerTurkey meatballs with spaghetti4 oz lean ground turkey, 1½ cups cooked spaghetti, ½ cup marinara, 1 tbsp Parmesan, 2 cups zucchini
About 1,830 kcal119 g protein25 g fiber
Day 6Saturday
- BreakfastOatmeal with blueberries and almond butter½ cup dry oats cooked with 1 cup 1% milk, ½ cup blueberries, 1 tbsp almond butter
- LunchChicken and barley salad4 oz chicken breast, 1 cup cooked barley, cucumber, tomatoes, 2 tsp olive oil, lemon
- SnackPear and almonds1 pear, ½ oz almonds
- DinnerBaked cod with lentils and greens5 oz cod, ¾ cup cooked lentils, 2 cups kale, 2 tsp olive oil, 1 cup cooked brown rice
About 1,750 kcal115 g protein43 g fiber
Day 7Sunday
- BreakfastQuinoa porridge with berries1 cup cooked quinoa, 1 cup 1% milk, ½ cup mixed berries, ½ oz almonds
- LunchLentil and roasted vegetable salad¾ cup cooked lentils, roasted zucchini and peppers, 1 oz feta, 2 tsp olive oil, 1 slice rye bread
- SnackBanana with walnuts1 banana, ½ oz walnuts, 1 cup grapes
- DinnerTrout with new potatoes and peas5 oz trout, 1 cup boiled potatoes, 1 cup peas, 2 tsp olive oil, lemon
About 1,800 kcal94 g protein40 g fiber
Shopping list
What to buy
Most days
Now and then
Chicken, turkey and eggs fill in the rest of the week in moderate portions.
Make it yours
This week is a sample. Alma builds yours.
- Meals fit to your goal and the foods you like
- Log a meal by photo, voice or text in about 10 seconds
- Every meal gets an Alma Score from 0 to 100
Questions
What people ask
What is the best diet for rheumatoid arthritis?
There is no single best diet. The 2022 ACR guideline conditionally recommends a Mediterranean-style diet over no defined diet, and conditionally recommends against other named diets. The pattern means vegetables, fruit, whole grains, nuts, seeds and olive oil, with moderate fish and low-fat dairy, and less added sugar, sodium and highly processed food.
Does diet replace medicine for rheumatoid arthritis?
No. The ACR guideline points to disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs as the core of care, and its diet advice sits alongside that. This plan is built to go with your medicines, not instead of them. Talk with your rheumatologist before you change anything big.
How much oily fish should I eat?
The American Heart Association suggests two servings of fish a week, ideally fatty fish, at about 3.5 oz cooked each. Sardines, mackerel, salmon and trout all count. This week has oily fish on five days, which is more than the minimum.
Should I take fish oil for RA?
Ask your rheumatologist before you start. The ACR guideline conditionally recommends following established dietary advice without adding supplements, citing mixed evidence, possible medicine interactions, side effects and cost. The panel did note fish oil may serve heart health, so it is a question for your care team. Food sources of omega-3 fats are the simpler place to begin.
Do I need to cut dairy with rheumatoid arthritis?
The ACR guideline does not call for cutting dairy. Its Mediterranean pattern includes moderate amounts of low-fat dairy, and dairy adds calcium and protein. This week uses low-fat yogurt, milk and a little feta or cottage cheese on most days. If dairy upsets your stomach, talk with a dietitian about other calcium sources.
How many calories is this meal plan?
About 1,710 to 1,830 calories a day, with 82 to 119 grams of protein and 25 to 43 grams of fiber. Scale portions to your size and activity. The calorie calculator gives you a starting number.
How does Alma help with a rheumatoid arthritis diet?
Log a meal by photo, voice or text in about 10 seconds, and every meal gets an Alma Score from 0 to 100, built on Harvard’s Alternate Healthy Eating Index, which rewards the fish, beans, olive oil and whole grains this pattern leans on. Alma can build a plan around your goal and the foods you like.
Sources
Written by Alma from the sources below and reviewed October 28, 2026. Calories and protein are estimates. This is general information, not medical advice. If you manage a health condition or take medication, check changes with your clinician. Editorial standards
- 2022 ACR guideline for exercise, rehabilitation, diet and integrative interventions in RA (full text, PMC)
- American Heart Association: Fish and omega-3 fatty acids
- NIAMS: Rheumatoid arthritis
- American Heart Association: What is the Mediterranean diet?
- USDA FoodData Central, for calorie and protein estimates
Get a week built around you.
Tell Alma your goal and the foods you like. It plans the meals and scores each one.