The sages assert that a person should not enjoy the blessings of this world without blessing the Almighty.
A blessing, a gratitude to the Almighty, is recited upon receiving any pleasure: from food, drink, or a pleasant smell. This blessing is recited before eating and drinking, unlike the "Berachah Achronah" (translated as "the final blessing"), which is recited after eating and drinking.
Moreover, there are different blessings for different types of food. For example, before eating bread, one says, "Blessed are You, our G-d, Master of the Universe, Who brought forth bread from the earth." Before eating pastries made from the five grains (wheat, barley, spelt, oats, and rye), one says the blessing "…who created the various kinds of things." Before eating fruit, one says, "…who created the fruit of the tree." Before eating a vegetable or leafy green, one recites the prayer "…who created the fruit of the earth." Before eating other foods (meat, eggs, fish, etc.) or drinking any beverage except wine or grape juice, one recites the prayer "Blessed are You, our God Almighty, Master of the universe, by whose word all things came into being!"
It should be noted that the blessing before a meal does not depend on the quantity of the food: even just tasting it requires a blessing. However, the "berachah achrona," or blessings after eating or drinking, are strictly dependent on quantity.
There is also a group of blessings called "birkhot ha-reiya" (blessings on what one has seen).
These blessings express praise to the Creator at the moment when one sees that which most clearly testifies to the Creator's power, the creation of the world, and the presence of the Almighty in the world: blessings recited at the moment when one sees the sea or mountains preserved in their pristine form, sees lightning, or hears thunder.
A person recites a special blessing when they see the site of a miracle for the Jewish people, or a place where they were saved under unusual, miraculous circumstances.