The modern world has begun adapting to and accepting meal kit delivery services, given that they adhere to the latest trends and innovation. Meal kit delivery services provide exclusive offerings for all types of diets such as keto, vegetarian, vegan, paleo, etc. Some exclusive kits cater to cooks who aspire to try out recipes by celebrity chefs and so on. Even big online retailers like Amazon are delving into the groceries range. However, there are some exclusive meal kit delivery services that have been rated highly by its consumers. Two of the best meal kit delivery service providers are:

Sun Basket
This meal kit delivery service focuses on health and sustainability. They offer exclusive kits for those looking to cook paleo, vegetarian, gluten-free, or even “lean and clean” kind of foods. Justine Kelly, a former Slanted Dorr chef, exclusively developed these meals. Their meal kits are designed to provide for families and have 18 recipes per week. The consumer can choose between a classic menu that can serve two to four people or pick a family menu that has four servings per meal. The minimum cost for weekly orders is about $72, and you get an average of two to four recipes per week. While they currently ship to most parts of the country, the only places they don’t deliver to are Alaska, Hawaii, Montana, and a few areas of New Mexico.

Home Chef
This meal kit delivery service sends about 11 new recipes by mail to its subscribers. Each meal kit costs around $9.95 per serving with a delivery fee of $10, and there is also a lunch option available at $7.99 per serving. They provide free delivery for orders above $40. Their exclusive line of fruits and smoothies are available as add-ons at a rate of around $4.95, and they also have special occasion meals during the holiday season. There are no minimum order costs, and you can get an average of two to four recipes per week. Their meal kit delivery services are available all around the country, except for a few places listed on their website.

Plated is another well-liked meal kit delivery service provider. Plated’s meals are apt for those with an adventurous palate. You can pick from around 20 recipes per week, some of which contain exotic items. Each kit can serve two to four people.

Everyone knows smoothies as a recipe that helps people lose weight. Across the country, nearly 40% of households prefer to have smoothies for breakfast. Besides the fact it is effortless to make one, a good, green smoothie recipe can help people with their weight loss regime. Smoothies are rich in protein and fiber. Unlike traditional breakfasts that we are so accustomed to, drinking a healthy smoothie for breakfast does not make us feel bloated. Besides, starting the day with a healthy meal gives us great motivation to be mindful of how we eat for the rest of the day. It also helps us maintain our fitness levels. Here are some smoothie recipes that one can make to aid them with weight loss:

Peach and cream oatmeal smoothie
Each serving of this smoothie has only 331 calories. This peach and cream oatmeal smoothie recipe will satiate your hunger and aid in weight loss. Here are the ingredients you will need:

• 1-1.5 cups peach slices
• 1 cup Greek yogurt, preferably unsweetened
• ¼ cup oatmeal
• ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1-1.25 cups almond milk

Method
Add of the ingredients in a blender and blend it until it’s smooth. You can add some ice chips if you wish.

Merry-berry banana breakfast smoothie
Bananas are rich in antioxidants, and this weight loss smoothie recipe is great as it boosts one’s metabolism. For this, you will need:

• 1 banana
• ½ cup strawberries
• ½ cup raspberries
• ½ cup blueberries
• 1 cored and sliced apple
• 1-1.25 cups almond milk

Method
Freeze the bananas, strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries for five hours or overnight. The next morning, slice the frozen bananas and add them to the blender along with all the other ingredients. Blend it and serve fresh.

Dream of orange smoothie
This smoothie’s calorie count is just 129. You would be hard pressed to find a better weight loss smoothie recipe. Additionally, this recipe is quite easy to make.

• 1 peeled orange
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon honey
• ¼ cup almond milk
• ¼ cup Greek yogurt
• ½ cup ice

Method
Toss all the ingredients into a blender and churn them until smooth. The ice helps to reduce the thickness of this smoothie.

Choc-work smoothie
This one tastes wonderful. If you are looking to treat yourself on your cheat day, then you can certainly enjoy this chocolate based smoothie. Surprisingly, the calorie count isn’t too alarming. One serving has only 151 calories.

• 1 banana
• 1 tablespoon chocolate syrup
• 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
• 1 tablespoon almond butter
• ½ cup ice

Method
Freeze the banana until it is firm. Toss all the ingredients into a blender. Make sure that you don’t add more than one tablespoon of chocolate syrup as it will increase the calorie count drastically. Serve your smoothie while it is cold.

Irrespective of whether you are trying to lose weight or are working hard to manage your health, just know that enjoying healthy low carb snacks is not a crime. In fact, most dieticians advice that many small meals are better for the body than gorging on three solid meals a day. Here is a list of tasty low carb snacks that you can choose to buy from the grocery store shelves or make at home and enjoy anytime.

• Pickled okra, Jalapeno, cucumbers or bell peppers
• Dry roasted nuts: chickpeas, cashew nuts, almonds, macadamia, peanuts, walnuts, pecan nuts, brazil nuts, pistachios
• Dry roasted seeds: flax seeds, chia seeds, pumpkin or sunflower seeds
• Dry roasted edamame beans
• Pimiento-stuffed olives
• Moon cheese
• Frozen berries: blueberries, strawberries, golden raspberry, black raspberry, dewberry, gooseberry, huckleberry, elderberry, lingonberry, cloudberry
• Hard-boiled eggs with crushed rock salt and a dash of freshly crushed black pepper
• Healthy guacamole or hummus dip with fresh crisp baby carrots
• Fresh green celery sticks with almond butter
• Fresh Kale, lettuce or cabbage leaves stuffed with Cheddar cheese and a sprinkle of sea salt
• Any raw or parboiled vegetable like tomato, broccoli, cucumber, cabbage, lettuce, cauliflower, zucchini, or bell pepper with a Greek yogurt dip or cream cheese
• Salad of cherry tomatoes with fresh mozzarella cheese cubes, basil leaves and a dash of olive oil with sea salt and black pepper
• Fresh avocado fruit
• Quest protein chips
• Baked kale chips, plain or seasoned with spices
• String cheese with mixed Italian seasoning
• Dark chocolate
• Homemade popcorn with a hint of garlic butter or grated cheddar cheese
• Grated coconut and dry jaggery powder mixed together with a hint of freshly powdered green cardamom powder
• Red or purple grapes with Ricotta cheese
• Crisp whole wheat bread sticks with guacamole
• Cottage cheese lightly roasted in melted butter with a hint of Indian chat masala
• Protein bars made with crushed mixed nuts and layered with dark chocolate
• Oven roasted zucchini chips
• Garlic butter roasted mushrooms
• Tomato, avocado, cucumber and bell peppers cut into fine bits and drizzled with olive oil and sea salt
• Toasted seaweed in a variety of flavors
• Oven roasted broccoli coated with fresh pesto sauce
• Green or red apple slices with slivered almonds

Make sure you have at least a few of these low card food on hand readily available whether at home or at work, so you can quickly satiate your hunger cravings and stay healthy at the same time.

Fingerhut is a popular mail order/online shopping retailer founded in 1948 in Minnesota. Selling a really large variety of products that ranges from budget-friendly apparel, shoes, and jewelry, household items, health and beauty products, home decor, furniture and patio accessories, sporting, fitness and outdoor equipments, assorted tools and home improvement kits, all baby and kids needs, toys and video games, electronics and office supplies, automotive parts and spares, gifts, crafts and holiday supplies, Fingerhut caters to almost all needs of the entire family. For those who are most comfortable shopping from the confines of their homes or office spaces via their computers, log on to their website www.fingerhut.com to get an idea about the company and all the products it deals with.

Some Fingerhut coupons are:

• Fingerhut
  On the website of Fingerhut there is a $25 off promotion on your first order of $100 or more when you use an approved Fingerhut Advantage Credit Account issued by WebBank to pay for your purchases. This is an exclusive new customer offer, and the promo code to be used is NC256. This Fingerhut coupon has a limited time offer, this ends soon, so check their website for more details.
• Giving Assistant 
  On another website, Giving Assistant you can find a huge array of Fingerhut promotional coupon codes. For example, some of the Fingerhut coupons we found are as follows, a save $50 on your purchase, get an extra 20% or 30% off on your purchase, get a 10% off on your purchase order or a $70 or $80 off on your order. Customers can also enjoy free shipping on their purchases and additionally receive free gifts on their orders.
• Join Honey
  On Join Honey, there are more Fingerhut Coupons, Promo Codes and Deals showered on customers. The Honey members-only promo code is linked to a coupon that provides a 20% discount for a limited time. Simply add Honey to your browser in order to try this. The first step is to install Honey, add a free Honey extension to your Chrome browser, shop online, Honey will automatically pop up at checkout and show you all available savings, and let you save money by clicking on “Save money” by applying the best deal to your cart.
• RetailMeNot
  On this website, there is a $50 off with a special code that lets you save $50 on your first order of $200+ with a newly approved Fingerhut Advantage Credit Account.

Patata, Aloo, Gamja, Krumpiri, Pomme de Terre, Kartoffel, and Tǔdòu; called by different names in various countries, the humble potato is a favorite among a majority of the world’s population. Here are the top ten potato recipes from around the world.

• Roast potatoes with lemons
  Put bite-sized potato chunks and your choice of vegetables like bell peppers, zucchinis, beans, carrots, and asparagus into a large bowl. Add some olive oil, salt, oregano, black pepper, and lemon juice over the slices, and toss it until the mixture coats the potatoes evenly. Bake for 45 minutes at 350 degree Celsius until they are golden brown.
• Rosemary roasted potatoes
  This potato recipe is a variation of the dish above. Just replace the oregano and lemon juice with some fresh rosemary. All the other steps for baking remain the same.
• Oven-roasted parmesan potatoes
  Take baby potatoes with their skins in a bowl, and add some grated parmesan cheese, minced garlic, chili flakes, salt, olive oil, and oregano. Roast the mixture in a preheated oven at 350 degree Celsius. This dish is sure to deliver an unparalleled taste which is why it a part of our list of top ten potato recipes.
• Mashed potatoes with yogurt and chives
  Cook potatoes with sea salt. Mash it once it is cool. Melt butter, stir in some chopped garlic, Greek yogurt, and crushed black pepper. Combine them well with the mashed potatoes. Garnish with chives, serve warm with freshly baked bread.
• Mediterranean mashed potatoes
  Instead of Greek yogurt in the recipe given above, use a medley of finely chopped basil, parsley, rosemary, tarragon, and substitute the butter with cold pressed olive oil for a Mediterranean flavor.
• Colcannon
  In this traditional potato recipe from Ireland, warm mashed potatoes are mixed with deftly chopped kale, cabbage, green onions, cream, and plenty of butter.
• Greek potato wedges
  Potatoes wedges seasoned with olive oil, salt, and garlic powder are baked in the oven at 350 degree Celsius for about 30 minutes. Combine black olives, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, feta cheese, Greek yogurt, lemon juice, parsley, dill, chilly flakes, and add this mix to the crispy golden potatoes.
• Parmesan potato chunks
  Preheat an oven to 400 degree Celsius. Add potato chunks, olive oil, garlic powder, mixed dry Italian herbs, salt, and crushed black pepper with grated Parmesan cheese and bake crisp for 30 minutes. Garnish with parsley.
• Garlicky parmesan broccoli potatoes
  Potato wedges are roasted in the oven with heaps of chopped garlic, oregano, parsley, thyme, cayenne pepper, and black pepper. Drizzle some lemon juice and Parmesan cheese on top and serve immediately.
• Belgian deep-fried potatoes
  Potato slices are soaked in cold water, patted dry, and double deep-fried. It is served with Andalouse sauce for a sinful snack. Many people have claimed that this their favorite dish from our list of the top ten potato recipes.

Great food photography is not the matter of an overnight struggle. It requires great storytelling through pictures, a unique perception and knowing how to get the right shots. Here are a few basic yet vital tips on food photography, which can help you get some captivating clicks.

Prepare your story beforehand
You would notice that amazing food photography is not only about the food. Whether the food is delicious or not isn’t going to decide the quality of your pictures. Food photography is more about the story that you are trying to tell through the photographs. So, create and build your story around food. Think of a unique idea that you are trying to portray through your photography; whether you want to evoke the urge to travel, nostalgia or hunger. Know the story before you begin to click and select the props, lighting, setting, etc. beforehand to avoid any last-minute hassles.

Use natural light and not flash
This is a basic photography technique. Beginners always end up forgetting this basic idea and end up using flash while photographing. You should note to turn off the flash of your camera. Even if you are using a smartphone for food photography, remember to ditch the flash. Flash allows extra edge to detailing while clicking the photo. So instead of flash, use natural light. Make sure the place has enough natural light or ensure to stand near the window during daytime. At nighttime, you can use the lights of the restaurant to click the picture. This will eventually create noise in the photographs but use of a professional camera lens would sort the noise issue as well.

Using a tripod can be helpful
If you are amazed by the photographs in the food magazines, then know that not all of them were clicked keeping the camera in hand. Use a tripod for taking pictures whenever possible. A tripod helps to keep the shot steady, assists with increased ISO settings, and also allows you to click vertical pictures. By using a tripod, you can also alter some of the elements on the plate, without keeping the camera down and moving from a suitable angle.

Experiment with the setting
You do not have to always choose a restaurant or bar counter to get the perfect food photograph. Some of the best examples of food photography are those with unique setting. Think of a place that will add loads of appeal to the picture. You can also experiment with outdoor setting and choose to go beyond the four walls.

From time to time we go back to our grandmother’s recipe book to make some classic dishes that we enjoyed as children. Today, modern food trends and the adaptation of fusion foods are on the rise. However, cooking old-fashioned recipes bring back a wave of nostalgia for those good old mornings where we could dig into a heavy breakfast without worrying about the hustle and bustle of our lives. Two such recipes that always strike a chord in our hearts are biscuits and gravy, and buttermilk waffles. Here are the old-fashioned recipes for these two dishes.

Biscuits and gravy
This is an old-fashioned recipe from down South. You will need to following ingredients to make this dish:

• 2 cups pancake and baking mix
• ⅔ cup buttermilk
• ½ stick or ¼ cup melted butter
• 2 tablespoons of regular butter
• 1 packet (16-ounce) of hot pork sausage
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1½ cups milk
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper

To start, preheat the oven to 425ºF. Add the pancake mix, buttermilk, and the melted butter to form a dough. Spoon it on to the baking sheet. Bake for about 14-16 minutes or till it turns golden brown. Your biscuits are ready. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, melt remaining butter; cook it for 1-2 minutes, or until it is brown. Add the sausage and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, until no pink portions remain. Stir it frequently to crumble the sausage. Next, add in the flour and mix well. Then, mix in the milk, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper. Cook for 2 to 4 minutes, or until gravy thickens, stirring constantly. Cut the biscuits in half and spoon the sausage mixture evenly on bottom halves before serving.

Buttermilk Waffles
This good old-fashioned recipe needs the following ingredients to work:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 2 cups buttermilk
• 4 tablespoons melted butter

Start by preheating the electric waffle iron and coat it with a layer of cooking spray. Mix in all the ingredients to prepare the batter. Pour this batter onto the prepared waffle iron. Close the lid and cook it for 60 to 90 seconds, or until it turns golden brown. Use a fork to remove the waffle on to a plate carefully. Repeat these steps with remaining batter, and serve it while the dish is hot.

A casserole is a meal cooked and served in the same pan. Simply put, it is a dish that took the name of the pan in which it was cooked. A metal casserole is usually used while cooking in an open stove pan or ceramic one is used if baked. There is greater awareness among people as to how food affects us physically and mentally. Eating whatever you find in the pantry or the fridge is no longer a healthy option. People are also learning about the significance of our first meal of the day. Casserole also gives you and your family a break from the monotony from eating the traditional toasts, cereal, eggs, or some protein with juice for breakfast. It is a one-pot meal that is a combination of a protein source (meat or veggies) with a broth, and it uses garnishes of sauces, herbs, and spices. A casserole is slow cooked, and this technique allows the dish to soak in all the flavors. While planning for a casserole breakfast, there are a few pointers that can help you.

• Whole grain: Make a gradual change to whole grain and whole grain flour instead of all-purpose flour.
• Superfoods: To boost your immune system, you can use superfoods like spinach, kale, and chia seeds.
• Vegetables: Fresh, locally-grown vegetables or green vegetables from your garden or supermarket can add volume and nutrition to your casserole.
• Meat: Instead of fatty protein or processed meat, you can add chicken, turkey or tuna to make a healthy casserole for breakfast.
• Carbohydrates: Reduce carbohydrates and add more fibrous food.
• Sugar: If you are making a sweet casserole for breakfast, you can replace sugar with honey or natural sweeteners. You can also try to use as many fruits and berries as possible.
• Time: If you don’t have enough time to make a casserole for breakfast in the morning, you can make it in the evening. Another alternative is to make large portions on the weekend to save time.
• Herbs and sauces: Flavor your casserole with fresh sauces, herbs, and spices. Store-bought sauces can be high on sugar and preservatives.
• Vegan casseroles: For a vegan diet, use almond or coconut milk instead of dairy products.

If you are looking for casserole dishes, Emile Henry, Pyrex®, Neoflam, Le Creuset, Lodge, Fiesta are some of the top brands in the country that you can choose from. Have fun cooking some healthy casseroles for breakfast.