As a homemaker, we know that planning a nutritious menu can be a hassle, which is why we are giving you tips on selecting fresh foods and planning the menu. Here you will learn how to plan, prepare and serve meals to your family. You will learn more about the basic food groups, how to choose and buy food wisely.

To start off, we'll begin by understanding the nutritional value of foods. You might feel you don't have to be reminded of which foods to avoid such as highly cholesterol foods, too much sugar nd salt. You've probably heard about the health hazards of taking too much of these. But the truth is, anything that is taken in excess is dangerous to your health, including Vitamin C.

The ideal is to maintain a balanced diet. For you to balance your diet, you need to take a moderate amount of everything, but there are certain foods that need to be emphasized in your diet.

There are elements or nutrients found in food which are used by our body. Carbohydrates found in starchy foods give us heat and energy. Fats found in oil, lard, butter, margarine and other fat foods also give us heat and energy. Proteins, which are found in meat, fish, milk, dried beans and other foods, build and repair tissues. Vitamins and minerals found in fruits and vegetables protect our body from illness. We can say a combination rd these vitamins and minerals help our body to function normally. Fibers found in fruits and vegetables help the body get rid of wastes. Water is also important for keeping our body cool. A great part of the muscles and the blood is water.