Book excerpt: With the overwhelming information out there on nutrition and what you "should" be eating, it's a wonder we're not giving up and eating pizza and hamburgers for dinner every night.The Meal Deal helps you get out of the diet trenches and take the reins by showing you how to simplify your food lifestyle based on your personal preferences and tastes. No more relying on other sources. You become your own meal-planning, healthier-eating guru.The Meal Deal will show you how to: Practice habit-based techniques aimed at helping you eat a little healthier inside and outside the home; Set up your home environment to stick to those healthier habits; Perform a kitchen makeover; Stock your pantry and fridge with essentials to help you make more nutritious meals; Find worthy recipes; Create your very own "cookbook" with you-tested recipes; Plan nutritious, balanced menus you actually look forward to each week; Set up a master grocery list so you can breeze through the store; Meal-prep efficiently; Precook foods for more nutritious options; Create simple, tasty backup meals.By developing some basic healthier eating principles and setting up your environment, you'll get a head start on taking control of your food life.