Making a Beautiful Meal

Something I consider and play with when I am preparing a meal is how to make it visually appealing. This is where the artist in me comes out as I think about the colors and shapes of the vegetables, herbs and other ingredients that will make up the “work of art.”  When you think about it, isn’t food more appetizing when it is beautiful and created with care?

These considerations don’t have to take long.  In fact, before you know it, you will simply be thinking about them while you’re making dinner.

These are some different aspects to think about:

Colors: Try to bring some variety to the dish so that it’s not all one color.  You can start learning a little bit about colors and how they work together simply by experimenting.

One dish I make is very beautiful simply because of the colors – pink/red salmon, green spinach, and orange peaches.  I would call this a very “complementary” colored meal.

Also, nutritionally speaking, it is better to have an array of colors on your plate.  This is because the differently colored foods tend to contain different vitamins and minerals your body needs.

Shapes and sizes: I also think about the shapes of the vegetables and how they will fit together.  Do I want shredded carrots or diagonally cut?  These are both beautiful but I think about which cut would work the best in the dish I am creating.

There are many different ways to cut vegetables and there are even tools you can buy that help you make very fancy looking cuts.  I am not suggesting that you turn into a gourmet cook overnight, but if you have a little extra time, adding some delicately cut vegetables to your salad may bring additional beauty to a meal.

Overall appearance: When you’re cooking, look at the dish as it comes together and see if it “needs” something to complete it.  Sometimes just a sprinkle of parsley or cilantro will do it.  Or maybe it just needs a nice side salad to complement it.

Have fun:  The most important part of making a beautiful meal is how much you actually enjoy yourself while you’re doing it.  In fact, if the above tips only confuse you, just stick with this one.

I feel that having fun is really the most important part of making a beautiful meal.  Because when you’re having fun, you will inevitably create a meal that is not only beautiful but also full of love!