How to Create the Perfect Meal

The Perfect Meal is a Symphony

When we make a meal, it’s not just about cooking—it’s composing a symphony. Every element plays its part. The ingredients, the ethics behind them, the mood in the kitchen, the way it’s shared. When everything is in harmony, a meal becomes more than food. It becomes nourishment on every level.

Like a symphony, a perfect meal has movements—each one essential, each one adding something unique to the whole. And it starts long before the first bite.

Movement I: Nutrition Starts with the Cart

Good food begins with making good choices at the grocery store. If your ingredients are whole, alive, and grown without toxins, the rest almost takes care of itself.

Nutrition isn’t just about macronutrients or superfoods—it’s about building meals that support energy, clarity, and balance.

I like to think of the day ahead and aim for a mix of:

• Whole-food carbs: sweet potatoes, gluten-free whole grains, legumes, white potatoes, squash, red peppers, fruits, tomatoes, onions
• Plant-based proteins: lentils, beans, quinoa, leafy greens, and small amounts nuts, seeds, or organic tofu
• Healthy fats in moderation: avocado, tahini, hemp seeds, flax seeds, chia seeds, olives (best eaten in the afternoon or evening to give your liver time to detox in the morning)
• Plenty of fiber: leafy greens, beans, cruciferous veggies, oatmeal and other gluten-free whole grains, cooled potatoes, sprouts, herbs
• Fresh herbs and spices: not just for flavor, but for healing

Shopping intentionally means avoiding overly packaged, processed, or chemically treated products. I ask: Is this going to make me feel light, clear, and well-fed—or dull, bloated, and depleted? The answer usually makes the decision for me.

Movement II: Animal Welfare Is a Core Note

No matter how colorful your plate is, it won’t feel perfect if it came at the cost of another being’s suffering. That’s why I choose to eat whole plant foods—plus it has been shown to be healthier!

Animals raised in industrial agriculture live short, painful lives—and I don’t want that energy in my food.

Beyond ethics, we truly don’t need animal products to thrive. Plants give us everything we need—protein, carbs, healthy fats, iron, calcium, flavor, even comfort. The only thing missing is vitamin B12, which I take as a supplement just about every day.

If you do eat animal products, at least choose sources where the animals were treated with care and respect and lived natural lives. But I believe the future of food is compassionate—and the more we shift toward that, the better for everyone.

Movement III: The Environmental Score

Every bite we take has a footprint. What we eat affects the land, the air, the water—even the climate. And while there’s no such thing as a zero-impact meal, there are big differences in how we choose to eat.

Eating organic plant foods isn’t just kind to animals—it’s so much better for the Earth. Plant foods require fewer resources (water, land, sewage treatment/disposal), create less waste and less deforestation, and support sustainable farming practices when done well.

Eating organic matters, too—not because it’s trendy, but because it’s a way of farming that improves the soil, avoids the most toxic chemicals, and protects farmworkers, pollinators and biodiversity. Local and seasonal choices reduce transportation emissions and support healthier ecosystems.

A perfect meal considers its source. It asks: How was this grown? Who was affected? What happens to the land after this harvest? When the answers align with your values, the food tastes better.

Movement IV: The Pleasure of Flavor

Let’s not forget—this is a symphony, not a lecture. The perfect meal should delight you.

I love bold spices, fresh herbs, crispy textures, creamy sauces, bright acids. I don’t have to eat bland food to be healthy or ethical. Real flavor comes from real ingredients, prepared with intention.

Fresh basil, roasted garlic, a squeeze of lemon, a dash of coconut aminos or non-GMO tamari, toasted seeds—these are the cymbals and flutes of the plate. They make eating joyful, sensual, satisfying.

Food made with care and creativity is a form of celebration. It doesn’t have to be complicated—just chosen with awareness. When a meal sings in your mouth, it wakes up your whole system.

Looking for healthy and delicious whole plant food recipes? I have a Facebook group for that!

Movement V: Sharing the Meal

And finally, what’s a perfect meal if it isn’t shared?

You don’t need a dinner party to make food feel communal. Sharing can be as simple as dropping off soup to a friend, making a beautiful plate for your partner, or cooking something just for yourself with real presence—and don’t forget to offer some to your faery allies and/or ancestors.

When food is shared—physically or energetically—it becomes part of something bigger. Meals have always brought people together. They’re where stories are told, ideas are born, and healing begins.

A perfect meal feeds more than your appetite. It feeds connection.

So yes, the perfect meal is a symphony.
Not flawless. Not fancy. But full. Balanced. Tuned to your values. Nourishing to your body and the Earth. Kind to the animals. Joyful to your senses. And shared, whenever possible.

You don’t need perfection. You need presence, purpose, and a bit of creative intention. The rest follows naturally. It’s the New Earth way to nourish yourself and your loved ones!