The purpose of the appetizer is to whet the appetite; if there is a long waiting period between when the guests arrive and when the meal is served for example, during a cocktail hour, these might also serve the purpose of sustaining guests during the long wait.  Appetizers may also be served at the table; for example, as a part of the sit-down meal; or they may be served before sitting at the table. Crudités, or raw vegetables, can be served as an appetizer.

Soup is a savoury liquid food that is made by combining ingredients, such as meat, vegetables and beans in stock or hot water, until the flavor is extracted, forming a broth. Traditionally, soups are classified into two broad groups: clear soups and thick soups. Soups can be used as a first or second course, or can be a full meal, such as a stew.

No matter how you slice it, soups can be a budget-friendly part of a healthy diet. 

Salad is a term applied broadly to many food preparations that are a mixture of chopped or sliced ingredients. A salad can be served cold or at room temperature, although it can also form the filling for a sandwich. Though it can be made with meat or eggs, it usually includes at least one raw vegetable or fruit, most often lettuce.  Most salads are great as meals to help you rid yourself of some of those Quit Pounds.

In Commonwealth English, an entre is a smaller course that precedes the main course. It is more substantial than appetizers, and is better thought of as a half-sized version of a main course.

In North American English, an entrée is the main course itself.

A side dish, sometimes referred to as a side order or simply a side, is a food item that accompanies the entrée or main course at a meal.

A typical meal with a meat-based main dish might include one vegetable side dish, sometimes in the form of a salad, and one starch side dish, such as bread, potatoes, rice, or pasta.

Dessert is a course that typically comes at the end of a dinner, usually consisting of sweet food but sometimes of a strongly flavored one, such as some cheeses.

Some cultures do not have a separate final sweet course but mix sweet and savory dishes throughout the meal as in Chinese cuisine.