Making a Bracha

Sometime in the last 4 years or so ago, I started saying a bracha with each meal.  I realize that to many, especially the non religious portion of our Jewish people, a bracha is an unnecessary silly "religious" ritual.
Not so.  I do believe that the call for Jewish men to say brachas is reported to be 100 brachas a day for all men.   I can not say I can approach this, (although if in a prayer service in a day 3 times a day, I may say many more than you might imagine).  That said,  a bracha is your way of Thanking Hashem for providing for you.   It does not mean that you didnt "pay" for your bread... but without God, there would be no such thing as bread.  We must keep in mind daily that we do not actually do the providing.  To think so is to believe that you are God yourself.  It is heresy. It is godlessness.   I very much believe that a simple bracha, said in a breath alone is the most perfect way to acnowledge our Creator and notice the quality of the creation.  Was it milk? meat? fruit? if so a fruit from the ground or a fruit from a tree.  Grapes from the vine. 
I will not list the brachas here as I am not here to teach prayer.  But if you have not made a bracha, its essential to learn about 5 basic brachas for meal time.  Baruch Ata Adonai Elohainu melech ha Olam, borei prei hagafen (grapes and wine), Baruch Ata Adonai Elohainu melech ha Olam, borei prei haetz (things that come off trees), Baruch Ata Adonai Elohainu melech ha Olam, borei prei haadama (fruits and vegetables grown from the ground),  Baruch Ata Adonai Elohainu melech ha Olam, Hamotza Lechem Min Haaretz. (Breads).  If you have to choose between brachas, the bracha over the bread takes priority.
One more very useful one: Baruch Ata Adonai Elohainu melech ha Olam, Shechol Niyeh Bidvarim.  This one Thanks our Creator for all that is created. Said when you are just eating cheese or maybe meat, fish. etc.
I must report that saying a bracha again is a way to thank our Creator for the provisions of staples to eat.  I do not believe that it makes the food "holy", but this it does, it confers a mystical status to the food and elevates the food in the eye of God.  It is not just 'food'. It is food.  I also say a particular addition to the bracha. I can assure you that this is my own addition, I seemed to pick it up on my own.  After a bracha, I say Shalom Aleichem.  Sound weird? Its not.  The food you eat has a mystical presence in the universe.  You are introducing that presence to your own mystical presence.  By saying shalom aleichem, I believe that I am welcoming the essence of the food to my own being.  That is just a nice way to say hello to the next materials that are going to compose your mind, body and being.   Thanks!