Recipes set the tone for healthy eating

Recipes are a set of instructions designed to help people learn how to put foods together into delicious dishes. Each recipe includes the recipe name; a detailed list of food ingredients and corresponding amounts; ordered instructions that are easy to follow and that result in a finished dish, such as an entrée, salad, soup, or dessert; and any additional notes, such as equipment or special techniques, that will help the cook succeed in producing something good to eat. Healthy recipes often include a nutritional analysis as well.

Because food is the starting point and the foundation for a healthy lifestyle, recipes made with real foods—not, as Michael Pollan says, “edible foodlike substances”—form the basis of healthy eating. With an emphasis on plant foods, healthy recipes offer the most nutrients and the best economic value for anyone desiring to improve their overall well being. No real foods are off-limits in a healthy eating plan; anything that is a true food (even butter) can be enjoyed in moderation as part of a healthy diet.