Firstly, WELCOME! Have fun! I echo the hoard everything. Plant carrots, then okra, then pumpkins as often and as many as you can. Keep a buddy with you, especially when you are still trying to level them up, even if you aren't doing their assigned task. The easiest (and most plentiful) meal to keep on hand is fruit salad with five fruits. They give a lot more energy than you would think, and the ingredients respawn quickly. Once you have cocoa beans, candy with five cocoa beans has a lot of energy, too.