Is this the 50mm you're looking at:
Amazon.com: Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II Camera Lens:...
This is a great lens, so affordable. If you want to really control the aperture...a prime lens like the 50mm (vs a zoom) is a great way to control the background (ie, depth of field).
Are you shooting during the day mostly (for food shots, for example)? If yes, the 50mm is nice for letting in a good amount of light (bc of opening up the aperture). If you do need a flash, I'd recommend an external flash that you can bounce, rather than using the on-board flash.
I think DSLRs are fun...but yep, can be daunting. You can always build more and more on tech knowledge. I feel like I still only use about 20% of my camera's capabilities.
