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AGRICULTURE HANDBOOK NO. 443

How to Buy

FOOD

LESSON AIDS

FOR TEACHERS

AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
CONTENTS

page

USING THESE LESSON AIDS 1

How to Get Materials 1

Basic Materials 2

Supplementary Materials 4

Lesson Aid Contents 4

Lesson Aid Objectives 5

Suggestions for Lesson Preparation 5

Background for the Instructor 6

LESSON AID I—MEAT 8

Objectives 8

Materials to Use 8

Suggestions for Teaching 9

Glossary 9

Baa-affled About Lamb? 11

Befuddled About Beef Roasts? 13

Bone Up on Steak 15

Cold Facts About Freezing Meat 17

Cost of Protein Foods 19,52

LESSON AID II—DAIRY PRODUCTS 20

Objectives 20

Materials to Use 20

Suggestions for Teaching 20

Glossary 20

Do You Know Your Dairy Products? 23

Check Up On Your Cheeses 25

LESSON AID III—EGGS 27

Objectives 27

Materials to Use 27

Suggestions for Teaching 27

Glossary 27

What Do You Know About Eggs? 29

Cost of Eggs Per Pound 30

page

LESSON AID IV—POULTRY 31

Objectives 31

Materials to Use 31

Suggestions for Teaching 31

Glossary 31

Poultry Problem-Solving 33

Comparative Costs of Chicken Parts 34

Comparative Costs of Turkey Parts 35

LESSON AID V—FRESH FRUITS AND

VEGETABLES 36

Objectives 36

Materials to Use 36

Suggestions for Teaching 36

Glossary 36

Does Produce Buying Stump You? 38

Posers on Potatoes 39

Fruit and Vegetable Availability 40

LESSON AID VI—CANNED AND FROZEN

FRUITS AND VEGETABLES 42

Objectives 42

Materials to Use 42

Suggestions for Teaching . 42

Glossary 42

Get Your Fruit Facts Straight 44

How's Your Vegetable Quotient? 46

LESSON AID VII—MORE FOR YOUR MONEY. . 48

Objectives 48

Materials to Use 48

Suggestions for Teaching 48

Glossary 49

Crossword Puzzle 50

REVISED AUGUST 1975

For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C. 20402 - Price $1 30

Stocii Number 001-000-03456-1 Catalog Number Al.76:443/2
HOW TO BUY FOOD

LESSON AIDS

FOR TEACHERS

USING THESE LESSON AIDS

These lesson aids can be used within home economics or consumer education courses or in a separate course. They are suitable for both high school

and adult education courses.

The aids are intended to be used with the basic

materials listed below, as a base for an instruction

series. The supplementary materials listed after the

basic materials are of a general nature and can be

used at the instructor's discretion. In addition, each

lesson aid has a list of supplementary materials that

deal with that specific topic.

Some pages in each lesson aid are designed

for reproduction by offset, or other copying equipment, so that the teacher may use them for handouts to the students.

How to Get Materials

Publications

Unless otherwise mentioned, single copies of all

publications listed in this booklet are available free

from the Office of Communication, U.S. Department

of Agriculture, Washington, D.C. 20250. USDA does

not sell publications.

Any publications indicated for sale only may be

purchased from the Government Printing Office,

Washington, D.C. 20402, at the price listed.

Prices are given for all publications, including

those available free, because multiple copies must

be purchased from GPO. Discounts of 25 percent

are given for orders of 100 or more of any one publication.

Always include publication name and number,

and your zip code, when ordering.

Films

Most films may be borrowed from State film libraries (see list on pages 1-2). If the library does

not have the film you want to borrow, write to Information Division, Agricultural Marketing Service,

USDA, Washington, D.C. 20250, for a copy. Films

may be purchased from the Motion Picture Division,

Office of Communication, USDA, Washington, D.C.

20250. When buying a film, allow at least one month

for delivery, and make checks payable to USDA

Office of Communication. Prices are listed with titles.

Slides/Filmstrips

Slide sets may be purchased from Photography

Division, Office of Communication, USDA, Washington, D.C. 20250, at prices listed with titles. Make

checks payable to USDA Office of Communication.

Allow one month for delivery.

If slide set is available as filmstrip also, filmstrip

may be bought from Photo Lab, Inc., 3825 Georgia

Ave., N.W., Washington, D.C. 20011, at price listed.

Allow two weeks for delivery.

If audio cassette is available, it may be purchased from USDA when buying slide sets or from

Photo Lab, Inc., when buying filmstrip.

STATE FILM LIBRARIES

ALA,—Cooperative Extension Film Library, Auburn

University, Auburn, AL 36830

ALASKA—Division of Libraries, Pouch G, Juneau,

AK 99801

ARIZ.—Bureau of Audio-Visual Services, University

of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721

ARK.—Coop. Exten. Film Library, Univ. of Arkansas,

P.O. Box 391, Little Rock, AR 72003

CALIF.—U.C. Agr. Exten., Visual Aids, 1422 South

10th St., Richmond, CA 94804

COLO.—Film Library, Office of Educational Media,

Colo. State Univ., Fort Collins, CO 80521

CONN.—Audiovisual Center, Univ. of Connecticut,

Storrs, CT 06268

DEL.—Coop. Exten. Film Library, Univ. of Delaware,

Agr. Hall, Newark, DE 19711

FLA.—Motion Picture Svc, Florida Coop. Exten.

Svc, Univ. of Florida, Editorial Department,

Gainesville, FL 32601

GA.—Film Library, Coop. Exten. Svc, Univ. of

Georgia, Athens, GA 30601

HAWAII—Film Library, Coop. Exten. Svc, College

of Tropical Agr., Univ. of Hawaii, 2500 Dole

Street, Rm. 108, Honolulu, HA 96822

1
IDAHO—Audio Visual Center, Univ. of Idaho, Moscow, ID 83843

ILL-—Visual Aids Svc, Univ. of Illinois, Div. of

Univ. Exten., 1325 South Oak, Champaign, IL

61820

IND.—Audio Visual Center, Purdue Univ., Stewart

Center, West Lafayette, IN 47907

IOWA—^^Media Resources Center, Iowa State Univ.,

Pearson Hall, Arnes, lA 50010

KANS.—-Coop. Exten. Svc, Film Library, Kansas

State Univ., Umberger Hall, Manhattan, KS

66502

KY.—Audio Visual Svc, Univ. of Kentucky, Scott

St. BIdg., Lexington, KY 40506

LA.—Coop. Exten. Svc, Film Library, Louisiana State

Univ., Knapp Hall, Univ. Station, Baton Rouge,

LA 70803

MAINE—Instructional Systems Center, Univ. of

Maine, Orono, ME 04473

MD.—Audiovisual Svc, Univ. of Maryland, Rm. 1,

Annapolis Hall, College Park, MD 20742

MASS.—Krasker Film Library, School of Education,

Boston Univ., 765 Commonwealth Ave., Boston,

MA 02215

MICH.—Instructional Media Center, Michigan State

Univ., East Lansing, Ml 48823

MINN.—Agr. Exten. Svc, Film Library, Univ. of

Minnesota, St. Paul, MN 55101

MISS.—Coop. Exten. Svc, Film Library, Miss. State

Univ., Mississippi State, MS 39762

MO.—Audio Visual & Comm. Svc, Univ. of Missouri,

203 Whitten Hall, Columbia, MO 65201

MONT.—Campus Film Library for Coop. Exten. Svc,

Montana State Univ., Bozeman, MT 59715

NEBR.—Univ. of Nebraska, Instructional Media Center, 901 N. 17th, Rm. 421, Lincoln, NB 68508

NEV.—Audio Visual Center, University of Nevada,

Reno, NV 89507

N.H.—Audio Visual Center, Univ. of New Hampshire,

Hewitt Hall, Durham, NH 03824

NJ.—Comm. Center College of Agr. and Environmental Science, Rutgers Univ., New Brunswick,

NJ 08903

N.M.—Coop. Exten. Svc, Film Library, New Mexico

State Univ., Drawer 3AI, Las Cruces, NM

88003

N.Y.—Cornell Univ. Film Library, 31 Roberts Hall,

Ithaca, NY 14850

N.C.—Dept. of Agr. Inf., North Carolina State Univ.,

P.O. Box 5037, Raleigh, NC 27607

N.D.—Coop. Exten. Svc, Film Library, North Dakota

State Univ., State Univ. Station, Fargo, ND

58102

OHIO—Exten. Svc. Film Library, Ohio State Univ.,

2120 Fyffe Rd., Columbus, OH 43210

OKLA.—Audio Visual Center, Oklahoma State Univ.,

Stillwater, OK 74074

OREG.—Audio Visual Instruction, DCE Building,

P.O. Box 1491, Portland, OR 97207

PA.—Agr. Exten. Svc, Pennsylvania State Univ.,

104 Agr. Adm. BIdg., Univ. Park, PA 16802

P.R.—Agr. Exten. Svc, Univ. of Puerto Rico, Mayaguez Campus, Rio Piedras, PR 00928

R.I.—Audio Visual Center, Univ. of Rhode Island,

Kingston, Rl 02881

.3.0.—Agr. Comm. Dept., Clemson Univ. Exten. Svc,

Rm. 92, Plant & Animal Sei. BIdg., Clemson,

SO 29631

S.D.—Coop. Exten. Svc, Film Library, South Dakota

State Univ., Brookings, SD 57006

TENN.—-Teaching Materials Center, Div. of Continuing Ed., Univ. of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN

• 37916

TEX.—Agr. Comm., Texas A&M Univ., Rm. 201, Svc.

BIdg., College Station, TX 77843

UTAH—Audio Visual Svcs., Utah State Univ., Logan,

UT 84321

VT.—The Audio Visual Center, Univ. of Vermont,

Ira Allen Chapel, Burlington, VT 05401

VA.—Media Svcs., Virginia Polytechnic Institute,

Patton Hall, Blacksburg, VA 24061

WASH.—Audio Visual Center, Washington State

Univ., Pullman, WA 99163

W.V.—Coop. Exten. Svc, West Virginia Univ., 215

Coliseum, Morgantown, WV 26506

Wise.—Univ. of Wisconsin—Exten. Bureau of Audio

Visual Instruction, P.O. Box 2093, Madison, Wl

53701

WYO.—Audio Visual Svc, The Univ. of Wyoming,

Laramie, WY 82070

Basic Materials

1. The "How to Buy Food" series. These pamphlets may be used by the instructor as the information base for the course. Each pamphlet provides

how-to-buy information for a particular type of food

—for example, beef steaks, poultry, fresh fruits,

etc These pamphlets provide in more detail the

information given in the other basic materials.

All but one of the pamphlets have been published

in Spanish as well as English. Spanish titles follow

English titles in parentheses.

How to Buy Beef Roasts (G-146) 250.

(Como Comprar los Asados de Carne de Vaca)

(G-146S) 30<^.

How to Buy Beef Steaks (G-145) 250.

(Como Comprar Bistecs) (G-145S) 35(¡^.

How to Buy Canned and Frozen Fruits (G-191)

500.

(Como Comprar la Fruta Enlatada y Congelada)

(G-191S) 50^.

How to Buy Canned and Frozen Vegetables

(G-167) 450.

(Como Comprar Hortalizas Enlatadas y Congeladas) (G-167S) 30i'.

How to Buy Cheese (G-193) 350.

(Como Comprar el Queso) (G-193S) 35<l'..
How to Buy Dairy Products (G-201) 250.

(Como Comprar Productos Lácteos) (G-201 S)

How to Buy Dry Beans, Peas, and Lentils (G-177)

250.

(Como Comprar Habas, Guisantes y Lentejas en

Seco) (G-177S) 25(t.

How to Buy Eggs (G-144) 250.

(Como Comprar los Huevos) (G-144S) 25(j^.

How to Buy Fresh Fruits (G-141) 300.

(Como Comprar Fruta Fresca) (G-141S) 30^.

How to Buy Fresh Vegetables (G-143) 350.

(Como Comprar Hortalizas Frescas) (G-143S)

35ç^.

How to Buy Lamb (G-195) 250.

(Como Comprar Cordero) (G-195S) 25^.

How to Buy Meat for Your Freezer (G-166) 350.

(Como Comprar Carne para Conservar en el Refrigerador) (G-166S) 35í^.

How to Buy Potatoes (G-198) 250.

How to Buy Poultry (G-157) 250.

(Como Comprar las Aves de Corral) (G-157S) 30^.

2. "How to Buy Food—Como Comprar los Comestibles—A Bilingual Teaching Aid." This booklet has

simple "How to Buy" information on 31 different

food products with Spanish and English texts on

facing pages. Each page is perforated and may be

removed and duplicated for distribution to class

members. (PA-976) 800.

3. A ''How to Buy Food" poster set. These ten 15-

by-20-inch two-color posters give simple shopping

tips for five major food categories: meat, dairy products, eggs, poultry, and fruits and vegetables.

A88.38:G75. $3.75.

4. Separate one-page flyers. Since publication of

the bilingual teaching aid, USDA's Agricultural Marketing Service has prepared separate one-page, reproducible "How To Buy" flyers on 15 additional

foods: Applesauce; Bacon; Canned Pears; Canned

Pineapple; Celery; Corn; Dry Beans, Peas, and Lentils; Frozen Strawberries; Mixed Nuts in the Shell;

Peaches; Pears; Rice; Sweetpotatoes; Tomato Catsup, Sauce, Puree, and Paste; and Tomatoes. Also

available are reproducible one-page flyers on How

to Cut Up A Chicken, How to Debone Chicken

Breasts, and How to Carve Roast Turkey. Single free
copies of any of these flyers or the complete set are

available from Information Division, AMS, USDA,

Washington, D.C. 20250. The individual flyers are

listed under the appropriate lesson aid as "separate

one-page flyers."

Supplementary Materials

1. other USDA publications about buying and

using food. The following list offers a choice to instructors who want to supplement the "How to Buy"

materials.

Family Fare—A Guide to Good Nutrition (G-1)

$1. This booklet provides information on meal management, including nutritional information, buying

tips, and recipes.

Family Food Buying: A Guide for Calculating

Amounts to Buy and Comparing Costs (HERR 37)

For sale only. 70c. This book can serve as a reference to help instructors teach students:

• how much food to buy to provide the number

of servings needed by their families, and

• to compare the costs of foods in different market forms (such as frozen, fresh, canned).

Food for Us All—The 1969 Yearbook of Agriculture. For sale only. $5.95. This book deals in large

part with how to buy food, and was written by USDA

commodity specialists. It also includes information

on nutrition, cooking, and recipes.

Keeping Food Safe to Eat (G-162) 300. This bulletin tells how to protect your family from illness

caused by harmful bacteria in food.

Meat & Poultry inspection: A Capsule Summary*

(MPI-4). This leaflet explains USDA's meat and

poultry inspection program.

Nutritive Value of Foods (G-72) 850. This booklet

contains tables listing vitamin, mineral, protein, and

calorie content of a wide variety of commonly used

foods.

Standards for Meat and Poultry Products—A Consumer Reference List.* This leaflet tells the minimum percentage of meat or poultry required for a

product to be labeled by a particular name. Many

popular products are listed.

USDA Grade Standards for Food—How They Are

Developed and Used (PA-1027) 300. This pamphlet provides the history and background of grade

standards.

Your Money's Worth in Foods (G-183) 500. This

book tells how to plan well-balanced meals that fit

your budget.

2. Consumer Information. This catalog is available free from the Consumer Information Center,

Pueblo, Colorado 81009. It offers Federal Government publications of consumer interest, including

many of the publications listed in this booklet.

3. Films.

* Available from Information Division, Animal and Plant Health

Inspection Service, USDA, Washington, D.C. 20250.

Janet and the Genie—A 28V2-minute, color,

sound film aimed at high school home economics

students and giving a rundown on grades for various

kinds of foods, as well as meat and poultry inspection. The film is entertaining, rather than documentary, in approach. Purchase price $150.

That The Best Will Be Ours—Color sound film on

meat and poultry inspection. Runs about 18 minutes. Examines the establishment and growth of

USDA's meat and poultry inspection program. Purchase price $125.

4. Crossword puzzle. The crossword puzzle at the

back of this booklet may be reproduced for class

use. It would be best used at the end of the course,

after students have become familiar with the words

in the glossaries in each lesson aid.

5. Other materials. Additional visuals and publications pertaining to particular foods are listed with

each lesson aid.

Lesson Aid Contents

Each of the first six lesson aids covers a major

food category: meat, dairy products, eggs, poultry,

and both fresh and processed fruits and vegetables.

The seventh aid, "More for Your Money," cuts

across food categories. Depending on the time being

allowed for each lesson and for the overall course,

the instructor may want to combine two lessons, or

use two or more instruction periods for one lesson.

An extra period might be used, for example, if a

movie is shown or a guest speaker is scheduled.

The "How to Buy" pamphlets and flyers from the

"How to Buy Food—Como Comprar los Comestibles" booklet may be followed for the basic lecture

in each lesson. Lectures are not detailed in the lesson aids, since these materials are intended for a

wide variety of audiences. Each instructor can best

judge how to present the materials to any particular

class.

Each lesson aid contains:

1. A list of "How to Buy" materials to use.

2. A list of additional materials the instructor may

choose from to supplement the lessons.

3. Suggestions for teaching.

4. A glossary of terms and symbols used in the

''How to Buy" materials for students to learn before

going on to the next lesson. This may be removed

and reproduced to distribute to students.

5. A quiz or quizzes. These quizzes are meant to

be an a\d to teaching, not a test of knowledge. They

are not designed to measure a student's knowledge

of the subject, but to stimulate interest. They can be

given before or after a lesson, or both, so students

can see how much they've learned. These also may

be reproduced for students.

6. Tables and charts. In some of the lesson aids,

tables and charts are included providing useful buying information. These may be reproduced, too.
Lesson Aid Objectives

From these lesson aids:

1. Students should learn how to buy food both for

quality and economy.

2. Students should learn how to use the U.S. Department of Agriculture quality grades when shopping for food. This does not mean buying only the

best. Grades identify a range of quality, so that the

shopper may select the quality suitable for the intended use. It should be emphasized that USDA

grades are not an indication of nutritional value.

Grades describe quality only.

Suggestions for Lesson Preparation

To assure adequate preparation, review these

points before each lesson:

1. Are enough copies available of the appropriate

pages of "How to Buy Food—Como Comprar los

Comestibles"? You may want to hand out flyers covering the subject for the next class so your students

can read them in advance.

2. Are all visual aids and demonstration materials

present?

3. If a guest speaker has been scheduled, have

the time, place, and topic of the lesson been

confirmed? (A phone call the day before might be a

good idea.)

If you would like to have a specialist speak, you

may be able to arrange it with a U.S. Department of

Agriculture inspector or grader. To find the one nearest you, look in the phone book under the U.S. Government heading. Then look under U.S. Department

of Agriculture, Agricultural Marketing Service, then

the appropriate Division (Livestock, Dairy, Poultry,

or Fruit and Vegetable). Or write, care of the Division: Agricultural Marketing Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, D.C. 20250.

4. If film or slides will be shown, is all the necessary equipment available—projector, screen, script?

(When ordering film, be sure to allow enough time

for delivery.)

5. Are the posters pertaining to the particular lesson displayed? They can be mounted on a bulletin

board or a flip chart, or you can make a tabletop exhibit. The following guide offers a handy way to

make a tabletop exhibit.

A. Obtain the ten "How to Buy" posters.

B. Cut illustration board into ten pieces, each 15 x

20 inches—the same size as the poster. (A 30''

X 40'' standard-size illustration board can be cut

to make four panels. Corrugated cardboard or

any other durable material will also work.)

C. Place one piece of illustration board on top of another, joining the two with a piece of tape at the

upper and lower corners on one side, as shown

tape, wrapped

around onto

bottom panel

W///////A/

2 boards.

(4-inch pieces of filament or plastic tape work

well. Masking tape can also be used). Repeat

the process to make 5 double panel units.

D. Open one unit of joined panels like a book. Place

the poster with the words "USDA Grades Help

You Choose.. . ." face up on the left panel and

the black poster "How to Buy.. . ." on the right

panel. An easy way to attach the posters to the

panels is to run a wing-fastener through a hole

at each of the four corners spreading the fastener on the back side, as shown. (The tape

hinges will be given extra strength if the fasteners are put directly through them.) Stagger the

fasteners somewhat, so the left and right panels

can be completely closed, like a book.

Now you're ready to set up your exhibit as in the

picture below. A 10-foot or two 5-foot tables

work well.

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Background for the Instructor

The following provides instructors with background information on USDA's grading services as a

whole.

The instructor may want to offer an orientation

lesson, using the information below along with publications and visuals offered under the "Supplementary Materials" listing at the beginning of this booklet.

The History of Grading

Quality measurement is a comparatively modern

development. Man has been measuring sizes and

distances—more or less accurately—since the

dawn of recorded history (in ancient Egypt, the

length of the Pharaoh's foot was an official measurement). But quality measurement did not appear until

a few hundred years ago.

Consumers in 13th century England probably got

the benefit of the first real quality standards when

the king decreed "assizes" for bread. These assizes

were enforced by local officials to make sure that

bakers gave full quality and weight in the loaves.

Under the assize, "simnel loaves" had to be made

from the finest white bread flour. "Treet bread" was

brown bread, probably fairly close to simnel loaf in

quality. There was also a "waste! loaf" far inferior to

the first two types. "Horse bread" was made from

beans, and seems to have been sold primarily to unwary travelers at the local inns. The prices of the

loaves were fixed, and the required weight of each

type was varied according to the price of the grain.

The standards weren't too exact, and local officials

served as "graders" when there was a dispute.

There were similar assizes for such products as

wines, candles, pepper, and many manufactured articles.

Here in America the earliest market standards

were those brought from England, during the colonial period. Most of the colonies had an assize of

bread, for instance.

But grading as we know it today is unique to the

20th century.

To fit into an age of mass production and mass

marketing, it has become necessary for farm products to be sorted into uniform groups after they are

produced. The sorting process is what we know now

as grading.

During the early 1800's there were no national official standards—and the watchword of the day was

"buyer beware." Individual firms and trade organizations adopted various systems of grading. But each

was different and none was understood throughout

the country.

Buyers and sellers were often miles apart, and

they needed some way to accurately describe the

quality of their goods before they would agree on the

price. Lending agencies needed to know the market

value of farm products that were offered as loan collateral.

To solve the problems, the first step toward establishing official national standards was taken in

1907, when Congress voted money to the U.S. Department of Agriculture to study U.S. standards for

farm products. The first official standards were issued in 1909, for cotton. However, there were still

no official graders to interpret the standards.

The grading service itself had to wait until World

War I. Then with the country facing an all-out drive

to produce more food and fiber, it became apparent

that the country needed an official inspection

agency that would handle disputes between buyers

and sellers.

When this agency was created, it was called the

Food Products Inspection Service, and its services

were available on request for a fee. Producers, shippers, and receivers soon began to appreciate the

practical value of an inspection service operated

under uniform procedure in the different markets.

Present USDA Grade Standards for Food

Today, Federal and State graders work in all 50

States under the coordination of USDA's Agricultural Marketing Service.

USDA provides food grading services—official

certification of the grade of products—for each

commodity group (meat, poultry, eggs, dairy products, and fresh and processed fruits and vegetables). Grading today is voluntary, except where required under local ordinances or industry programs,

and is provided, as it was under the Food Products

Inspection Service, for a fee. State departments of

agriculture cooperate in providing grading services.

Although grade standards for each commodity

group were developed independently of each other,

the purpose of the standards is basically the same:

to make buying and selling more efficient by providing a common language for trading and a means of

establishing prices.

The U.S. grade standards provide a way of classifying the entire range of quality of a product Because some products are naturally more variable

than others, it is necessary to have more grades for

some products than for others. For example, there

are eight grades for beef, but only three for chicken.

Although quality in general refers to the usefulness,

desirability, and value of a product—its marketability—the precise definition of quality depends on the

commodity. USDA's standards define the requirements of each grade of a product.

USDA grades are used most often at the wholesale level—but in many cases they carry through to

the consumer. Grades can be found most often on

beef, lamb, turkey, chicken, butter, and eggs. Some

canned and frozen fruits and vegetables also carry

the USDA grade shield.
Grade labeling is not required by law, even

though the product has been officially graded or inspected. However, for most commodities, if an

official grade name or grade shield has been used,

the product must have been officially graded or inspected. The only exception is for fresh fruits, vegetables, and a few other products, such as honey,

where the practice of grade labeling without official

inspection has existed through the years. Even with

these products, it is illegal to use an official grade

falsely.

The Difference Between Grading

and Meat and Poultry Inspection

The term "inspection" has, through long usage,

come to mean different things for different commodities. For fruits and vegetables, as well as for grain,

it means, essentially, inspection for grade.

Although most farm products are not required by

law to be graded, or, in the case of fruits, vegetables, and grain, to be "inspected for grade," USDA

administers an inspection program for meat and

poultry which is mandatory.

Federal inspection is required for meat and poultry sold across State lines and for meat and poultry

going into intrastate commerce in those States that

do not have a State inspection program equal to the

Federal program.

This inspection program is for wholesomeness

and proper labeling. To pass inspection, meat and

poultry products must be from healthy birds or animals which were handled or processed under strict

sanitary conditions. The products must not be adulterated, and must be truthfully packaged and labeled.

Remember: USDA meat and poultry inspection is

for wholesomeness; USDA grading, or "inspection

for grade," is for quality. Meat and poultry inspection is mandatory; grading, and inspection for grade,

is voluntary. All meat and poultry must be inspected

before being graded.

Other Federal Food Standards

In addition to USDA grade standards for quality,

other food standards are set by USDA and other Federal agencies. Some are voluntary; others are regulatory.

The U.S. Department of Commerce's National Marine and Fisheries Service has a voluntary program

which provides grade standards and grading services for fishery products similar to those provided by

USDA for other foods.

Regulatory standards are set by both USDA and

the Food and Drug Administration of the U.S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare. USDA

has established minimum meat content requirements for federally inspected meat and poultry products, and complete standards of identity for three

products: chopped ham, corned beef hash, and oleomargarine.

FDA also has standards of identity, which, like

USDA's, establish what a given food product is—for

example, what a food must be to be labeled "preserves." Both FDA and USDA standards of identity

provide for the use of optional ingredients in addition to the mandatory ingredients that make a product what it is.

Minimum standards of quality have been set by

FDA for a number of canned fruits and vegetables to

supplement standards of identity. These are regulatory minimum standards for such factors as tenderness, color, and freedom from defects. Foods not

meeting these standards must be distinctively labeled.

(When USDA grade standards are developed for a

product for which FDA has a standard of minimum

quality, the requirements for the lowest grade level

USDA sets are at least as high as the FDA minimum.

USDA grade standards for canned tomatoes, for example, are U.S. Grades A, B, and C. U.S. Grade C is

comparable to FDA's standard of minimum quality.)

Another regulatory type of FDA standard is the

standard of fill of container which tells a packer how

full a container must be to avoid deception.

Under the Public Health Service Act, FDA also develops sanitation standards, which are recommended for adoption by State and local governments, for prevention of foodborne diseases.

The most familiar and widely adopted standards

deal with production, processing, and distribution of

"Grade A" milk. In contrast to USDA quality grade

standards for food, the standard for Grade A milk is

largely a standard of wholesomeness. The Grade A

designation on fresh milk means that it has met

State or local requirements, which usually follow

provisions of FDA model ordinances.
Lesson Aid l~Meat

OBJECTIVES

From this lesson:

1. Students should learn what USDA grades mean

on beef and lamb, and how they can help the student get the right type of meat for a particular use.

2. Students should learn about cuts of beef,

lamb, and pork; how to cook them; which yield

more; which to use for different recipes and different

occasions; which to use for maximum flavor; and

which to use for maximum economy.

MATERIALS TO USE

Pamphlets

How to Buy Beef Roasts

How to Buy Beef Steaks

How to Buy Lamb

How to Buy Meat for Your Freezer

Flyers

(from PA-976—How to Buy Food)

How to Buy Beef

How to Buy Chuck Roasts and Steaks

How to Buy Ground Beef

How to Buy Ham

How to Buy Lamb

How to Buy Pork

How to Buy Porterhouse, T-Bone, and Club Steaks

How to Buy Rib Roasts

How to Buy Round Steaks and Roasts

How to Buy Rump and Sirloin Tip Roasts

How to Buy Sirloin Steaks

How to Cook Beef

(separate one-page flyers)

How to Buy Bacon

Quizzes

Baa-affled About Lamb? (p. 11)

Befuddled About Beef Roasts? (p

Bone Up on Steak (p. 15)

Cold Facts About Freezing Meat (p

Visual Aids

''A Mark of Quality"—This ISVa-minute color film

explains the meaning of grades of beef and how the

grading system works. Purchase price $75.

"How to Buy Beef"—(C-123) Available either as a

slide set ($13) or a filmstrip ($5.50), this set tells

how to buy beef by grade and cut. Audio cassette

available with both slides and filmstrip. $3.

Tables

The Cost of Protein Foods (p. 19 & p. 52)

Supplementary Material

Beef and Veal in Family Meals—A Guide for Consumers (G-118) 450. This pamphlet gives buying,

storing, and cooking tips for beef and veal. Recipes

are included.

Hamburger Questions and Answers.* This flyer answers questions on labeling and content of ground

beef and handling at home.

Lamb in Family Meals—A Guide for Consumers (G124) 300. This pamphlet gives buying, storing, and

cooking tips for lamb. Recipes are included.

Pork in Family Meals—^A Guide for Consumers (G160) 350. This pamphlet gives buying, storing, and

cooking tips for pork. Recipes are included.

Quick Tips on Meat & Poultry Care and Labels.*

This flyer tells how to keep meat and poultry products clean and safe and explains labeling requirements.

Quick Tips on Meat & Poultry Storage & Cookery.*

This flyer gives temperatures for cooking and storage and other tips on food safety.

Summertime Foods Questions and Answers.* This

flyer gives special information on keeping meat and

poultry safe for barbecues and picnics.

13)

17)

* Available from Information Division, APHIS, USDA, Washington,

D.C. 20250.

8
SUGGESTIONS FOR TEACHING

1. Bring, for example, two steaks that are the

same cut, one USDA Prime, the other USDA Choice

or Good, to illustrate the difference in grades. (Particularly point out degrees of marbling.) If the steaks

can be cooked, students can compare eating quality.

The wider the difference in grade, the more noticeable the difference will be.

2. Prompt students to use their knowledge of

meat grades and cuts when shopping. Organize a

visit to the supermarket to examine different cuts

and grades. You might arrange with the supermarket

to have the butcher give a cutting demonstration.

3. Two or more lesson periods could be devoted

to this topic, since it is so extensive and since meat

accounts for so much of the food dollar.

4. Reproduce the "Cost of Protein Foods" tables

(p. 19 and p. 52) to hand out to students. Discuss

which protein foods cost more or less, and which

provide the best buys in protein.

GLOSSARY

You may want to reproduce this glossary for your

students. It can serve as a useful reference both

during the lesson series and afterwards.

General terms

Braise—To cook meat in a small amount of liquid

at a low temperature, covered tightly, either on the

stove top or in the oven. Pot roasts and Swiss steak

are cooked by braising.

Broil—To cook meat in oven broiler, with oven

regulator set at broil, and with no added liquid.

Choice—This USDA quality

grade for beef and lamb, the

second highest, is the grade

most widely sold at retail

stores. Choice grade meats are

tender, juicy, and flavorful.

Commercial—This USDA quality grade Is the

highest grade of beef from mature animals. Beef of

this grade is not tender and is usually not sold in

retail stores.

Cull—The lowest quality grade for lamb—seldom

if ever sold as retail cuts.

Good—This USDA quality

grade of beef and lamb is not

as tender, juicy, and flavorful

as the higher grades (Prime

and Choice), but is a good buy

because it is lean but still fairly tender.

USDA

CHOICE

Inspection—All meat must be

inspected for wholesomeness.

It may bear a USDA inspection

stamp (like the one shown

here) or a State inspection

stamp. The mark is placed on

wholesale cuts, so you may not

see it in retail stores.

Marbling—Flecks of fat within the lean of a cut of

meat. Enhances juiciness and flavor.

Pan broil—To cook meat slowly in a lightly

greased frying pan or griddle, turning occasionally.

Meat is cooked uncovered without added liquid,

and fat is removed as it accumulates.

Panfry—To cook meat in preheated frying pan in

small amount of fat. Meat is cooked uncovered at

moderate temperature.

Prime—USDA's highest qual- ) U S D A

ity grade for beef and lamb. / DDjK/JC"

Meat in this grade is very tend- I r KlmL

er, juicy, and flavorful.

Quarter—Half of a side of beef—either fore or

hind quarter.

Retail cuts—These are the cuts of meat that you

find in retail stores, such as sirloin steaks, lamb

chops, spareribs, etc.

Roast—(also called dry roasting or oven roasting) To cook meat uncovered, without adding water,

in shallow baking pan in oven.

Side—Half a carcass, including fore and hind

quarters.

Standard—The fourth quality grade for beef—it

has a high proportion of lean meat and very little

fat. It's fairly tender, but usually mild in flavor.

This grade is in few retail stores.

Utility—A lower quality grade of beef or lamb—

seldom, if ever, sold as retail cuts.

Wholesale cuts—These cuts are usually bought

from locker and freezer provisioners and others who

sell meat wholesale. A beef short loin and a leg of

lamb are examples.

Yield grades—These USDA

grades measure the percentage

of lean meat a carcass contains.

They are designated Yield Grade

1 through Yield Grade 5. Yield

Grade 1 denotes the highest

yield.

Beef cuts

Bottom round—One of three cuts from beef

round steak. (The other two are top round and

eye-of-round.) It is not as tender as top round and

should be cooked with moist heat. May also be

called outside round.

Brisket—This is a less tender cut of beef which

must be pot roasted or stewed. It is often cured

and sold as corned beef.
Chuck arm—This cut of beef can be identified by

the round arm bone. It makes an excellent pot

roast and is also sold as steak in some stores; it's

a less tender cut, best braised or used as Swiss

steak. Also called arm roast or round bone chuck.

Chuck blade—A cut of beef which is sold either

as steak or as a roast. It's an economical cut with

several muscles of varying tenderness.

Club steak—This beef steak is cut from the short

loin, like the porterhouse and T-bone, but it has no

tenderloin portion. It's a small steak, good for individual servings. Rib steaks are often sold as club

steaks.

Eye-of-round—A cut from the beef round, not as

tender as top round. Sometimes sold as part of the

bottom round.

Flank steak—A boneless beef steak with very

little fat. Usually considered a less tender cut which

should be cooked with moist heat. However, it is

often used for "London broil," in which case it is

broiled and sliced very thin for serving.

Porterhouse—A steak from the short loin—contains loin and tenderloin sections. The tenderloin

section is larger than in a T-bone steak. Often higher

priced than other bone-in steaks.

Ribeye roast—The meaty, boneless heart of the

beef standing rib roast. It has an excellent flavor

and is superbly tender in the higher grades.

Ribeye steak—Steak cut from the same area as

the ribeye roast. Sometimes called Delmonico steak.

Rib roast—This beef roast is unexcelled for tenderness and flavor. It's easy to prepare, carve, and

serve. It is sold bone-in or boneless. Bone-in, it is

called a standing rib roast.

Rump roast—This is a very flavorful beef cut

from the wholesale round; less tender than the rib

roast. It contains considerable bone, but may be

bought boned and rolled.

Shanks—Beef shanks are generally sold cut-up

for stew meat or ground.

Shoulder roast—(or shoulder clod) This is a boneless meaty beef roast from the outside of the chuck.

It has a well-developed flavor and no bone.

Sirloin—A large beef steak, great broiled for

family or party fare. Or a large roast suitable for

dry roasting.

Sirloin tip—(or round tip) This is a boneless beef

roast or steak, cut from the wholesale round, less

tender than a regular sirloin.

T-bone—This beef steak is similar to the porterhouse steak except that it has a smaller amount

of tenderloin.

Tenderloin—(Filet mignon) This is the most tender

of all beef steaks. It has no bone and very little fat.

Top loin—This beef steak, sometimes called New

York strip or Kansas City steak, is sold with the

bone in or boneless. It is the same as the large

muscle in the porterhouse and T-bone steaks. When

cut from the front end of the loin, it is often called a

club steak.

Top round—One of three cuts from beef round

steak (the others are bottom round and eye-ofround). This is the tenderest of the three muscles.

Also called inside round.

Lamb cuts

Blade chops—(also arm shoulder chops) These

cuts from the lamb shoulder roast are good for

broiling, pan broiling, or panfrying.

Breast—The lamb breast, which contains the rib

bones and breast bone, is economical. Often this

cut is boned and rolled or boned for stuffing. A less

tender cut.

Crown roast—A circular lamb roast from the rib

(or rack) area formed to resemble a crown.

English chops—(double chops) A double loin

lamb chop.

Lamb cubes for kebabs—(shish kebabs) Cubes

of boneless lamb usually cut from the shoulder or

leg and skewered.

Leg of lamb, American-style—With this cut, the

shank bone is removed and the shank meat is folded

back into a pocket on the inside.

Leg of lamb, French-style—^This cut of lamb has

a small amount of meat trimmed from the end of

the shank, and the exposed bone can be decorated

after roasting.

Leg steak—Lean meaty slices of lamb cut from

the center area of the leg. Identifiable by the round

leg bone. Also called lamb cutlet.

Loin chop—A lamb chop identifiable by the Tbone.

Rib chops—Cut from the lamb rib, these chops

are delicious broiled, pan broiled, or panfried.

Riblets—Economy lamb cuts made from the

breast by cutting between the rib bones.

Rib roast—(or rack of lamb) Usually a restaurant item for two, cut from the rib.

Saratoga chops—Boneless lamb chops from the

inside shoulder muscles.

Shank half—The lower half of a leg of lamb. The

upper half Is called the sirloin half.

Shanks—An economical cut of lamb—the lower

part of the fore or hind leg—best prepared by simmering in liquid or braising.

Shoulder roast—The square cut lamb shoulder

roast (bone-in) is identified by the arm and blade

bones and is considered an economical cut of lamb.

The boned and rolled shoulder roast is convenient

to serve and is sold boned, rolled, and tied. Both

roasts are suitable for oven roasting or braising.

Sirloin chops—(or sirloin steaks) Cut from the

sirioin section of the lamb leg, these chops can be

broiled, pan broiled, or panfried.

Sirloin half—(or butt half) The upper half of a

leg of lamb. A delicious oven roast.

10
Baâ-âffled

About Umb?

International favorite, gourmet's delight, hearty

family meal—lamb is all of these and more! It can

suit your style—whether it be leg of lamb, shish kebabs, or lamb stew. Many homemakers pass lamb by

when planning meals. If you're one of them, now is

the time to take a good look at the possibilities for

lamb. Check up on your lamb knowledge; then head

for the supermarket. And get ready for compliments

from even your fussiest eaters.

MULTIPLE CHOICE

1. Lamb is from young animals, so it is

a. not very nutritious.

b. tender and delicately flavored.

c. not graded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

2. You can judge the quality of lamb by

a. pinching it.

b. the price per pound.

c. using the USDA quality grades.

d. none of the above.

3. Lamb is inspected by State or Federal inspectors

a. because inspection is required by law.

b. to make sure that it is clean, wholesome,

and truthfully labeled.

c. both of the above.

4. USDA Prime lamb is the highest quality but USDA

Choice is the grade most commonly found in the supermarket.

a. True.

b. False.

5. USDA Choice lamb is

a. the same quality as USDA Prime.

b. higher in quality than USDA Prime.

c. tender, juicy, and flavorful.

d. best when cooked in moist heat.

6. Most cuts of lamb (in both USDA Prime and

Choice grades) are tender.

a. True.

b. False.

7. The less tender lamb cuts—breast, riblets, neck,

and shanks—

a. are not flavorful.

b. can be braised slowly to make tender

dishes.

c. are low in quality.

d. are poor buys.

8. French-style leg of lamb

a. has the shank bone removed.

b. has a small amount of meat trimmed from

the shank bone.

c. is the same as American leg of lamb.

d. is not sold in the United States.

9. Lamb roasts (bone-in) usually should be cooked

a. 20 minutes per pound.

b. until the internal temperature is 250 degrees F.

c. at an oven temperature

grees F. until internal

175-180 degrees F.

d. two days before serving.

10. Shish kebabs are

a. cubes of boneless lamb.

b. usually cut from the shoulder or leg.

c. good skewered, marinated, then broiled.

d. all of the above.

of 300-325 detemperature is

11
ANSWERS

1. (b) Tender and delicately flavored. Available in

a large variety of cuts, lamb is naturally delicate,

tasty, and tender because it's from animals usually

less than one year old. Lamb is also quite nutritious.

A serving of lamb provides a high amount of protein

and significant quantities of vitamin B-1, vitamin

B-2, iron, and calcium. Lamb is graded for quality

by highly trained graders under USDA's Agricultural

Marketing Service grading program. Like other meat

grading, lamb grading is a voluntary service provided to meat packers and to others who request it

and pay for it.

2. (c) Using the USDA quality grades. Each lamb

grade is a measure of a distinct quality level. When

a lamb carcass is graded, a purple, shield-shaped

grade mark containing the letters USDA and the

grade name—such as Prime or Choice—is applied.

At least one grade mark should appear on most lamb

cuts that have been officially graded.

3. (c) Both of the above. All meat must be inspected for wholesomeness by State or Federal

inspectors. Learn to recognize both the inspection

mark—a circle—and the quality grade mark—a

shield. Remember, they mean different things. The

inspection mark tells you that the meat is clean and

wholesome. The grade mark tells you the quality

of the meat.

4. (a) True. USDA Prime is the highest of the five

lamb quality grades, followed by Choice, Good, Utility, and Cull. The two lower grades are seldom if

ever sold as retail cuts. USDA Choice is the grade

most widely sold at retail.

5. (c) Tender, juicy, and flavorful. Choice grade

lamb has slightly less marbling—flecks of fat in the

lean—than Prime, but still is very high quality. Like

Prime lamb, Choice lamb chops and roasts are very

tender, juicy, and flavorful and are suited to dryheat cooking.

6. (a) True. Most lamb cuts—including shoulder

cuts—are tender and can be oven roasted, broiled,

or pan-broiled. Lamb's tenderness is a big reason for

its popularity and versatility.

7. (b) Can be braised slowly to make tender

dishes. Even the breast, riblets, neck, or shank

make excellent—and tender—lamb dishes when

they are braised slowly. These cuts are not only very

tasty but are often very good buys.

8. (b) Has a small amount of meat trimmed from

the shank bone. French-style leg has a small amount

of meat trimmed from the shank, so the exposed

bone can be decorated after roasting. The American-style leg differs from the French-style in that the

shank bone has been removed and the shank meat

folded back into a pocket on the inside and fastened

with skewers.

9. (c) At an oven temperature of 300-325 degrees

F. until internal temperature is 175-180 degrees F.

10. (d) All of the above. Shish kebabs are cubes

of boneless lamb usually cut from the shoulder or

leg and skewered. A favorite way to prepare them is

to marinate the cubes for several hours; then put

them on skewers to charcoal broil or oven broi!.

SCORING

Give yourself five points for each right answer.

40-50 Excellent. Lamb is your style!

30-40 Good. But put the finishing touches on

your lamb knowledge. Read "How to Buy Lamb."

Below 30 Fair. You're baa-affled.

12
Befuddled About

Beef Roasts?

Whether you want a meat entree fit for a gourmet

or a hearty he-man meal, beef roasts can fill the bill.

These nutritious meats in all cuts and quality grades

provide good eating if properly prepared. Use dry

heat for the more tender cuts and the higher grades

and use moist heat for the less tender cuts and the

lower grades. You may already know that, but just

how much do you know about beef roasts? Try this

quiz and find out.

MULTIPLE CHOICE

1. Beef varies in quality more than other kinds of

meat (such as lamb or pork).

a. Yes.

b. No.

2. The USDA grade mark for meat is a

a. circle.

b. shield.

c. triangle.

3. The USDA beef grade most widely sold at retail is

a. USDA Prime.

b. USDA Choice.

c. USDA Good.

d. USDA Standard.

e. USDA Commercial.

4. "Marbling" in beef means

a. a wider, thicker fat band.

b. meat nearest the bone.

c. flecks of fat within the lean.

d. brighter red color.

e. none of the above.

5. The more tender cuts of beef are generally taken

from

a. the less-used muscles along the back of the

animal.

b. the rib section.

c. the loin section.

d. all of the above.

e. none of the above.

6. Names given beef cuts sometimes vary from store

to store and in different parts of the country.

a. Yes.

b. No.

7. USDA graders, highly trained in determining quality, grade

a. whole carcasses.

b. wholesale cuts.

c. retail cuts.

d. both a and b.

e. both b and c.

8. All meat is graded.

a. Yes.

b. No.

9. Most often cured and sold as corned beef is the

a. shoulder clod.

b. shoulder arm.

c. brisket.

d. sirloin tip.

e. heel of round.

10. You're planning an extra-special dinner. Which

roast would you choose to serve?

a. USDA Prime rump roast.

b. USDA Prime sirloin tip.

c. USDA Prime blade chuck.

d. USDA Prime rib roast.

11. Less tender cuts of beef are a waste of money.

a. Yes.

b. No.

12. "Prime Rib" listed on a restaurant menu is always USDA Prime in quality.

a. Yes.

b. No.

13
ANSWERS

1. (a) Yes. But you don't have to learn to judge

beef quality for yourself. USDA grades are a reliable

guide to meat quality—its tenderness, juiciness,

and flavor. The grades are based on nationally uniform Federal standards of quality and are applied by

USDA graders. Therefore, a USDA Choice rib roast,

for example, will provide the same good eating no

matter where or when you buy it.

2. (b) Shield. The shield-shaped grade mark containing the letters USDA and the name of the grade,

such as Prime, Choice, etc., can be found on most

cuts of graded meat. A round mark is used by USDA

to show that the meat has passed inspection for

wholesomeness. State-inspected meat may bear a

different inspection mark, depending on the State.

3. (b) USDA Choice. Each USDA beef grade is a

measure of a distinct level of quality. Choice grade

is produced in the greatest volume and many retailers have found that this level of quality pleases most

of their customers.

4. (c) Flecks of fat within the lean. Marbling enhances both flavor and juiciness. The degree of marbling is one of the quality factors considered by

USDA graders.

5. (d) All of the above. Cuts from the less-used

muscles along the back of the animal—the rib and

loin sections—will always be more tender than

those from the active muscles such as the shoulder

(chuck), flank, and round. The most tender cuts

make up only a small portion of the beef carcass—

and they are in greatest demand. Therefore, they

command a higher price than other cuts.

6. (a) Yes. The terms used do not always mean

the same thing. For example, a "cross cut rib roast"

may be cut from the blade portion of the chuck in

some parts of the country—in others it may be from

the shoulder arm portion of the chuck. It is not the

cut from the rib roast, as you might assume from the

name. Your best guide is standard terminology for

cuts, such as blade chuck, rib roast, rump roast, as

used by many stores, and as described in "How to

Buy Beef Roasts."

7. (d) Both a and b. When the carcass or wholesale cut is graded, a purple shield-shaped mark containing the letters USDA and the grade name is applied with a roller. Then when the carcass or wholesale cut is divided into retail cuts, one or more of

the grade marks will appear on most of these cuts.

8. (b) No. Meat grading is a voluntary service provided by AMS to meat packers and others who request it and pay a fee for the service. So not all

meat is graded although a large percentage of it is.

9. (c) Brisket. Definitely a less tender cut, brisket

should be cooked with moist heat in all grades.

10. (d) USDA Prime rib roast. Unexcelled for

tenderness and flavor, easy to prepare, carve, and

serve—the rib roast is the favorite for company fare.

11. (b) No. Less tender cuts are often a good buy.

Such cuts include shoulder arm chuck roasts, bottom round and eye-of-round roasts, and brisket.

Cook these with moist heat in any grade. The most

tender cuts are no more nutritious than less tender

cuts.

12. (b) No. Prime rib often is used to refer to the

primal cut, and it means it is taken from the rib section of the carcass. Thus the term "prime rib" is a

name frequently used to identify the roast and not

necessarily a reference to quality. Actually, "prime

rib roast" served in restaurants could be any,quality

grade. If you buy a rib roast marked USDA Prime,

you can be assured of the highest quality.

SCORING

Give yourself five points for each correct answer.

50-60 Excellent. You really know your beef

roasts.

40-50 Good. You know the beef you buy pretty

well, but you could still profit from "How to Buy

Beef Roasts."

Below 40 Fair. To balance your food-buying

budget better, you would find it valuable to study

"How to Buy Beef Roasts."

14
Bone Up on Stedk

Steak! Most people love it. But it takes some

know-how to come up with the broiied-to-perfection

cut of meat most of us envision when we hear the

word "steak."

There are many different types of steak, and a

wide range of quality. How much do you really know

about this ail-American favorite? Try this quiz and

find out.

MULTIPLE CHOICE

1. The USDA grade mark for meat is a

a. circle.

b. shield.

c. triangle.

2. The USDA grade mark on the steak you buy is assurance of

a. wholesomeness.

b. quality.

c. both.

d. neither.

3. USDA Prime T-bone steak compared to USDA

Good T-bone steak

a. is more tender, juicy, and flavorful.

b. has more protein.

c. can be broiled, whereas USDA Good T-bone

cannot be successfully broiled.

4 Porterhouse, T-bone, and top loin (club) steaks

are

a. all tender steaks.

b. all from the short loin.

c. all good for broiling in the USDA Prime,

Choice, and Good grades.

d. all of these.

e. none of these.

5. You want to serve your company the best. The

steak you would choose is

a. USDA Prime round.

b. USDA Prime sirloin.

c. USDA Prime porterhouse.

d. USDA Prime T-bone.

6. A flank steak, a rib steak, and a shoulder arm

steak differ in tenderness because

a. they are different grades.

b. they come from different parts of the

carcass.

c. they differ in protein content.

7. A "first-cut" chuck blade is less tender than

other chuck blade steaks.

a. True.

b. False.

8. For best eating, a chuck arm steak should be

broiled.

a. True.

b. False.

9. Round steak is often divided into three portions,

the top, bottom, and eye-of-round. The most tender

of these three portions is

a. top.

b. bottom.

c. eye.

10. "London Broil" on a restaurant menu usually

means a

a. chuck steak.

b. sirloin steak.

c. club steak.

d. flank steak.

11. Steaks sold under names such as Western, California, Cheyenne, petite, butter, finger, breakfast,

and his 'n' hers are usually

a. very tender.

b. loin steaks.

c. cut from the chuck.

12. You love medium rare steak and have decided to

broil one tonight. Being a last minute shopper, you

find only two steaks left in the case—one % of

an inch thick and the other IV4 inches thick. It is

best to choose

a. %inch.

b. IVA. inches.

15
ANSWERS

1. (b) Shield. The shield-shaped grade mark containing the letters "USDA" and the name of the

grade, such as Prime, Choice, etc., can be found on

most cuts of graded meat. A round mark is used by

USDA to show that meat has passed inspection for

wholesomeness.

2. (b) Quality, strictly speaking. But also count

yourself right if you answered (c) both, because beef

must first pass inspection for wholesomeness before

it can be USDA graded.

3. (a) USDA Prime is the ultimate in tenderness,

juiciness, and flavor, but grade makes little difference in protein content. Because a T-bone is a relatively tender cut, however, it may be broiled in

Choice and Good grades as well as Prime.

4. (d) All of these. Give yourself half credit if you

picked (a), (b), or (c). Porterhouse, T-bone, and club

steaks are all cut from the short loin, one of the

most tender portions of a beef carcass. They are excellent for broiling in any of the top three grades,

USDA Prime, Choice, or Good.

5. (c) USDA Prime porterhouse—often considered the best steak of all. The T-bone is very similar

but has less tenderloin. Sirloin is a more variable

steak, containing several muscles, and round steak

is less tender than the other steaks named.

6. (b) They come from different parts of the

carcass. As the names imply, the rib steak comes

from the rib, the same part of the carcass from

which rib roasts are cut, one of the most tender

portions; the flank steak is cut from the flank, one of

the least tender parts; and the shoulder arm steak

comes from the "arm" portion of the chuck, a definitely less-tender portion of the beef carcass. There

is very little difference in protein content of the lean

of any of the cuts of beef. Beef is graded in carcass

form; therefore, any cut from a USDA Choice beef

carcass, for example, will also carry the USDA

Choice grade, whether it is one of the most or the

least tender cuts from that carcass. But the higher

the grade of any particular cut, such as a rib steak,

the greater the degree of tenderness, juiciness, and

flavor it will tend to have in relation to the same cut

of lower grade. So you have to know the cut, as well

as the grade, to make sure you get the kind of steak

you want.

7. (b) False. The "first-cuf from the blade section

of the chuck is the one next to the rib roast—and it

contains a larger portion of that same rib-eye

muscle than other blade cuts. This round muscle,

adjacent to the rib bone, can be cut out and broiled

for a delicious "Delmonico" steak if the cut you buy

is graded USDA Prime, Choice, or Good.

8. (b) False. The chuck arm comes from one of

the less tender portions of the beef carcass, so even

in the higher grades this cut is better cooked with

moist heat—used as Swiss steak or braised.

9. (a) Top. This portion can be broiled successfully if it is USDA Prime or Choice. Bottom round is

better cooked with moist heat, regardless of grade.

Eye of round is also a less tender cut, but if sliced

thin, USDA Prime and Choice eye-of-round can be

pan-broiled.

10. (d) There's no guarantee, but in most cases

the term "London Broil" is used for flank steak. This

is definitely a less tender cut but it can be marinated to help tenderize and flavor it, then broiled

and sliced very thin on the diagonal, which also

helps to make it "eat better."

11. (c) These are usually names employed for

steaks cut from the chuck. But there is really no way

to tell. The best way to get the kind of steak you

want is to shop at a store that uses the standard terminology for its meat cuts, such as blade chuck,

arm chuck, etc.

12. (b) IV4 inches. For best results in broiling, a

steak should be at least an inch thick—especially if

you like your beef medium rare. With a thin steak, it

would be very difficult to avoid getting it well done.

SCORING

Give yourself five points for each correct answer.

50-60 Excellent. You must come from a family of

steak eaters. You really know the beef you buy.

40-50 Good. You know quite a bit about beef but

you still might profit from "How to Buy Beef

Steaks."

Below 40 Fair. Since buying meat eats up close to

a third of every food dollar, you would find it very

valuable to study "How to Buy Beef Steaks."

16
Cold Facts About

Freezing Meat

Question. Buying meat in quantity

a. is always a money-saver.

b. is never a money-saver.

c. can be a money-saver.

Answer, c. Whether or not you save money by buying

meat in quantity depends upon many factors. An important one is your basic knowledge about grades

and percentage yields of different cuts.

Did you check "c"? Good. This probably means

that you know how complicated meat buying can be.

However, you'll enjoy sharpening your knowledge

with this quiz.

Check "a" or "b'7 Then you'd really better take

this quiz—quick!

MULTIPLE CHOICE

1. To buy meat for the freezer means to buy

a. by the carcass only (whole carcass, side, or

quarter).

b. wholesale cuts only (loin, round, chuck,

etc.).

c. retail cuts only.

d. any of these.

2. You are thinking of buying a 300-pound side of

beef. From that side you can expect about

a. 150 pounds of usable meat cuts.

b. 300 pounds of usable meat cuts.

c. 225 pounds of usable meat cuts.

3. This stamp on the meat you're buying means that

it was Federally inspected for

a. fat content.

b. wholesomeness.

c. quality.

4. This shield-shaped USDA grade mark assures

a. quality. ÍUSDX?

b. wholesomeness. (ïïS^

5. The three USDA meat grades that are most often

found on retail cuts are

a. USDA Standard, Commercial, and Utility.

b. USDA Utility, Cutter, and Canner.

c. USDA Prime, Choice, and Good.

6. Terms such as "Fancy," "Supreme," "steak package," and "beef bundle" are examples of

a. usually good buys, high-quality meat available at bargain prices.

b. pseudo-grade names for meat and advertised "deals" that should signal the consumer to beware.

7. You have a large family and want the greatest

amount of usable meat for the least money. If you

were buying a quarter of beef, your best buy would

probably be

a. a forequarter.

b. a hindquarter.

8. The yield grade, which is different from the quality grade, measures

a. only the amount of fat on a carcass.

b. the amount of usable meat available from a

carcass.

c. the amount of bone in a carcass.

9. You can expect about a 72-percent yield of retail

cuts from a Yield Grade beef carcass.

a. 1

b. 3

c. 5

10. Grades for pork are primarily measures of yield,

rather than quality.

a. True.

b. False.

11. Since lamb is produced from animals,

most cuts can be cooked with

a. old—moist heat.

b. young—dry heat (oven roasted or broiled).

c. old—dry heat.

12. At 0° F., properly wrapped beef and lamb steaks

and roasts can be stored for with little or

no quality loss.

a. 1-3 months.

b. 3-4 months.

c. 4-8 months.

d. 8-12 months.

579-944 O - 75 17
ANSWERS

1. (d) Any of these. The choice is yours, based on

such factors as the amount of freezer space available and amount of money you wish to spend at one

time.

2. (c) 225 pounds. A 25-percent "cutting loss" is

about average. A good rule of thumb for carcass

beef is: 25 percent steaks, 25 percent roasts, 25

percent ground beef and stew meat, and 25 percent

fat and bone.

3. (b) Wholesomeness. The phrasing in this round

purple stamp means "Inspected and Passed." It is

assurance that the meat has been checked by USDA

inspectors and found to be safe for use as food.

4. (a) Quality, strictly speaking. But you're also

right if you checked (c) quality and wholesomeness,

because meat must first pass inspection for wholesomeness before it can be USDA graded.

5. (c) USDA Prime, Choice, and Good. These are

the top three USDA quality grades for beef. Choice

grade beef is produced in the greatest volume and is

most widely available. Good grade beef is also available in some areas. The lower grades—Standard,

Commercial, Utility, and Canner—are rarely, if ever,

sold at retail but are used for hamburger and processed products.

Prime and Choice grade meat is usually more

tender, juicy, and flavorful than that in lower grades.

When buying in quantity, consumers are well advised to buy only meat of the higher quality grades.

6. (b) Pseudo-grade names that should signal

the consumer to beware. Federally graded meat

carries the term "USDA" along with the actual

grade, such as "USDA Choice," within the shieldshaped grade mark that is stamped on the carcass.

The official USDA grade names, such as Prime,

Choice, and Good, are based on nationally available

standards of quality that are applied uniformly at all

times. This may or may not be the case with meat

labeled with other terms, such as "Fancy."

Also, beware of "deals" like a "steak package" because often the dealer alone knows which cuts are

included.

7. (a) A forequarter. The total yield of meat from a

forequarter is greater than that of the hindquarter

and it usually costs 15-20 cents less per pound.

Except for the delicious rib roast, though, the

forequarter contains mostly the less tender cuts

such as chuck roasts, short ribs, brisket and other

meat best suited for grinding and stewing.

Hindquarters produce most of the more tender

steaks and roasts.

According to the booklet, "How to Buy Meat for

Your Freezer," the forequarter from a 300-pound

side of beef yields about 118 pounds of usable cuts

(76%) and the hindquarter about 100 pounds

(70%).

8. (b) Yield grades are a measure of the amount

of usable meat in a carcass. A primary factor affecting the yield of meat is the amount of fat that is

trimmed off in making retail cuts. So yield grades

are not important to you if you buy only retail cuts

that have been trimmed of fat.

If you buy wholesale cuts, or quarters or sides,

though, the yield grade can be very important. For

example, a 300-pound side of Yield Grade 2 beef is

worth about $15.00 more—five cents per pound—

than a 300-pound Yield Grade 3 side.

There are five yield grades, with Yield Grade 1 indicating the highest yield and Yield Grade 5 the lowest.

9. (b) 3. The expected yield of retail cuts from a

Yield Grade 3 beef carcass is 70.5 to 75.1 percent.

10. (a) True. The USDA grades for pork carcasses

recognize only two quality levels—acceptable

(meaning good quality lean meat) and unacceptable.

The grades of acceptable pork range from U.S. No. 1

to U.S. No. 4 and reflect differences in the yield of

the four major lean cuts as a percentage of the

carcass weight.

There is very little Federal grading of pork^—and

no Federally graded pork is identified as such in retail stores.

11. (b) Lamb is produced from animals less than

a year old. Therefore, most cuts of USDA Prime or

Choice lamb are tender and can be oven roasted or

broiled.

12. (d) Beef and lamb roasts, steaks, and chops,

can be kept safely frozen for 8-12 months; fresh

pork for 4-8 months; ground beef and lamb for 3-4

months; and pork sausage for 1-3 months.

SCORING

Give yourself five points for each correct answer.

50-60 Excellent. You are an aware, skilled buyer

of quantity meat.

40-50 Good. YouVe quite adept at purchasing

meat but you might brush up on the fine points. Why

not let "How to Buy Meat for Your Freezer" help

you?

30-40 Fair. You need more study to get the most

in quality and economy for your money.

18
COST OF PROTEIN FOODS

Table 1. Cost of 3 ounces (an average serving) of cooked lean from meat, poultry, or fish at July 1974

prices.

Food

Retail

price per

pound ^

Part of pound

for 3 ounces

of cooked lean

Cost of

3 ounces

of cooked lean

Hamburger

Beef liver

Chicken, whole, ready-to-cook

Chicken breasts

$0.90

.91

.52

.75

.66

1.08

.90

.72

1.52

.95

1.50

1.13

1.70

1.74

1.52

1.54

1.75

3.45

2.26

2.06

.26

.27

.48

.35

.40

.29

.35

.46

.25

.45

.29

.50

.34

.34

.45

.45

.43

.25

.46

.52

$0.24

.24

.25

26

Turkey, ready-to-cook 26

Ocean perch, fillet, frozen

Ham, whole

Pork, picnic

Ham, canned

Chuck roast of beef, bone in

Haddock, fillet, frozen

Pork loin roast

Rump roast of beef, boned

Round beefsteak

.31

.31

.33

.38

.43

.43

.57

.58

59

Rib roast of beef fiR

Pork chops, center cut 69

Sirloin beefsteak

Veal cutlets

.75

86

Lamb chops, loin

Porterhouse beefsteak

1.04

1 07

1 Average retail prices in U.S. cities, Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor.

Table reprinted from: Family Economics Review, Fall 1974. Agricultural Research Service, USDA.

19
Lesson Aid II—

Dairy Products

OBJECTIVES

From this lesson:

1. Students should learn what USDA grades mean

on dairy products.

2. Students should learn about the variety of dairy

products available, all of which can help provide the

nutritional values of milk.

MATERIALS TO USE

Pamphlets

How to Buy Cheese

How to Buy Dairy Products

Flyers

(from PA-976—How to Buy Food)

How to Buy Cheese

How to Buy Dairy Products

Quizzes

Check Up on Your Cheeses (p. 25)

Do You Know Your Dairy Products (p. 23)

Visual Aids

"How to Buy Cheese"—Slide set. Available soon.

Supplementary Materials

Cheese in Family Meals—A Guide for Consumers

(G-112) 350. This pamphlet gives buying, storing,

and cooking tips for cheese. Recipes are included.

Milk in Family Meals—A Guide for Consumers

(G-127) 300. This pamphlet gives buying, storing,

and cooking tips for milk. Recipes are included.

SUGGESTIONS FOR TEACHING

1. Have a cheese tasting party. (Perhaps students

can each bring a sample of a different cheese.) This

will encourage wider use of cheese as a part of

meals.

2. Compare natural cheese, pasteurized process

cheese, pasteurized process cheese food, pasteurized process cheese spread, and coldpack cheese.

The best way would be to buy some of each. Compare taste, uses, prices, etc.

3. Visit the supermarket singly or as a group to

see the variety of dairy products available. (If students go separately, you may want to ask them to

make a list of every dairy product at the dairy

counter. They'll be surprised how long the list is.)

Have students look for the USDA grade shield on

butter—also check for it on Cheddar cheese.

4. You may want students to compare the cost of

getting the equivalent of a cup of milk using different dairy products. (See the "How to Buy Dairy Products" pamphlet for a milk equivalencies chart.)

GLOSSARY

You may want to reproduce this glossary for your

students. It can serve as a useful reference both

during the lesson series and afterwards.

Blue-vein mold ripened—^This type of natural

cheese is cured by the use of a characteristic mold

culture that grows throughout the interior of the

cheese to produce the familiar appearance and

characteristic flavor.

Butter—Butter is made by churning pasteurized

cream. It must have at least 80-percent milkfat,

according to Federal law.

Chocolate flavored milk—Made from pasteurized

whole milk with sugar and chocolate sirup or cocoa

added.

Coldpack—Also called Club cheese, this cheese

is a blend of the same or two or more varieties of

fresh and aged natural cheese. This type of cheese,

unlike process cheese, is mixed without heating.

Cottage cheese—A soft unripened natural cheese

that can be bought in cup-shaped containers. FDA

requires that it have no more than 80-percent moisture.

Dry whole milk—Pasteurized whole milk with the

water removed.

Evaporated milk—Made by heating homogenized

whole milk under a vacuum to remove half of its

water, then sealing it in cans and sterilizing it.

Firm ripened—This type of natural cheese ripens

20
with the aid of a bacterial culture, throughout the

entire cheese.

Frozen custard—Ice cream with egg yolks added.

Also may be called French ice cream.

Grade A milk—According to standards recommended to States in the Public Health Service

"Grade A Pasteurized Milk Ordinance," Grade A milk

must come from healthy cows, and be produced,

pasteurized, and handled under strict sanitary control enforced by State and local sanitation officials.

The Grade A rating denotes wholesomeness rather

than a level of quality.

Half-and-half—^A mixture of milk and cream

homogenized. Under Federal requirements, it must

have a minimum of 10.5 percent milkfat.

Homogenized milk—Milk that has been treated to

reduce the size of the milkfat globules. This keeps

the cream from separating.

Heavy whipping cream—Cream with at least 36-

percent milkfat.

Ice cream—Ice cream is made from cream, milk,

sugar, flavorings, and stabilizers. It must contain at

least 10-percent milkfat.

Ice milk—Ice milk is made from milk, stabilizers,

sugar, and flavorings. It contains between 2- and 7-

percent milkfat.

Instant nonfat dry milk—^A dairy product resulting

from the removal of nearly all the fat and water from

pasteurized fluid milk. It's made by a process that

produces larger flakes than regular nonfat dry milk,

which dissolve "instantly" in water.

Light cream—(Also coffee or table cream). This

cream must have at least 18-percent milkfat.

Light whipping cream—This cream must have at

least 30-percent milkfat under Federal standards of

identity.

Lowfat milk—Lowfat milk is partially skimmed

milk that has between .5- and 2-percent milkfat, depending on State regulations.

Mellow—Degree of curing (or ripening) for

cheese—usually Cheddar. Cured (held at a specific

temperature and humidity) longer than mild cheese,

but not as long as sharp. A moderately sharp flavor

results. Also called medium.

Mild—Degree of curing (or ripening) for cheese

—usually Cheddar. Cured (held at a specific temperature and humidity) for less time than other

curing categories. Short curing time develops mild

flavor.

Natural cheese—Cheese processed directly from

milk.

Pasteurized process cheese—This is a blend of

fresh and aged natural cheeses which have been

shredded, mixed with emulsifiers, and pasteurized,

after which no further ripening occurs. Pasteurized

process cheese food is the same, but with nonfat

dry milk or whey solids and water added. Pasteurized process cheese spread is the same as cheese

USD 4

QUALITY APPROVED \

/u.5.DEPT.OF AGRICULTURE ^ GRADING AND

I QUALITY CONTROL SERVICE

food but has higher moisture and lower milkfat

content.

"Quality Approved"—Refers

to a USDA "Quality Approved"

shield which may appear on

cottage cheese and process

cheese produced under a special USDA program. The shield

is assurance of good quality and

sanitary processing.

Semisoft ripened—Semisoft ripened cheeses

ripen from the interior as well as from the surface.

These cheeses contain higher moisture than the firm

ripened varieties.

Sharp—Degree of curing (or ripening) for cheese

—usuafly Cheddar. Cured (held at a specific temperature and humidity) longer than other curing categories. A sharp flavor results. Also called aged.

Sherbet—Made from milk, fruit or fruit juice,

stabilizers, and sugar.

Skim milk—(Also called nonfat milk) Has less

than .5-percent milkfat, the percentage allowed under Federal requirements.

Soft ripened—In soft ripened cheese, curing progresses from the outside or rind of the cheese

toward the center. These cheeses contain more

moisture than semisoft ripened varieties.

Sour cream—Sour cream is made by adding

lactic acid bacteria culture to light cream. It is

smooth and thick and contains at least 18-percent

milkfat.

Sour half-and-half—Sour half-and-half is the

same as half-and-half, except that a culture has

been added.

Sweetened condensed milk—Concentrated milk

with at least 40-percent sugar added to help preserve

it. This canned milk is prepared by removing about

half the water from whole milk. It has at least 8.5

percent milkfat.

Unripened—Soft unripened cheeses contain relatively high moisture and do not undergo any curing.

They are consumed fresh after manufacture. Firm

unripened cheeses also may be used soon after

manufacture, but, because they contain very low

moisture, may be kept for several weeks.

U.S. Extra Grade — This

USDA quality grade may be

used on instant nonfat dry milk

produced under USDA's continuous inspection program.

The grade rating assures a high

quality product that mixes instantly with water, and has a

sweet and pleasing flavor and

a uniform natural color.

USDA Grade AA—Highest

quality grade for both butter

and Cheddar cheese.

21
USDA Grade A — Second

highest quality grade for both

butter and Cheddar cheese.

USDA Grade B—Lower quality grade for butter. Grade B

butter is generally made from

sour cream and has a slightly

acid flavor.

Very hard ripened—^These natural cheeses are

cured with the aid of a bacterial culture and enzymes. The rate of curing is very slow because of

the very low moisture and high salt content.

Vitamin D milk—In Vitamin D milk, the vitamin

D content has been increased to at least 400 U.S.P.

units per quart. This is the minimum daily requirement for children, pregnant women, and nursing

mothers.

Water ice—Water ice is like sherbet except that it

contains no milk solids.

Yogurt—A custard-like product made by fermenting milk with a special culture. It is usually made

from homogenized, pasteurized whole milk, but may

be made from skim or partly skimmed milk.

22
Do Vou Knoiv

Your Dairy Products ?

The best hedge against under-nutrition is knowledge of food—in terms of nutrition, quantity, and

quality.

Take this quiz to see what you know about dairy

foods.

QUESTIONS

1. Match the dairy product with its description,

a. skim milk

lowfat milk

nonfat dry milk

evaporated milk

yogurt

b.

c.

d.

e.

1. and

2.

3.

4.

results from the removal of fat

water from pasteurized fluid milk,

milk with less than .5-percent milkfat.

milk with the addition of a special bacterial culture to make it custard-like,

a homogenized product containing

about half as much water as whole

milk.

5. has between .5 and 2 percent milkfat.

2. One way to judge the quality of Cheddar cheese is

to look for

a. good color.

b. the longest curing category.

c. the U.S. Grade AA shield.

3. The best butter is made from

a. selected sour cream.

b. sweet cream.

c. fresh milk.

4. The U.S. Extra Grade shield on packages of instant nonfat dry milk shows that

a. the milk is good quality.

b. the product is wholesome.

c. the product was manufactured under the

constant watch of a USDA dairy inspector.

d. all of these.

5. How much can a family of four using 21 quarts of

milk a week save by using nonfat dry milk rather

than whole milk delivered to the home?

a. more than $3.00 a week.

b. 50 cents a week.

c. $1.00 a week.

6. How long can you keep Cheddar cheese in good

condition in your refrigerator?

a. one week.

b. several weeks.

c. must be used immediately.

7. Process cheese is

a. a soft cheese made from goat's milk.

b. American-made Cheddar cheese.

c. a mixture of fresh and aged natural cheese,

pasteurized.

8. How many glasses of milk should adults drink

each day?

a. two or more.

b. less than two.

c. three or more.

d. four or more.

23
ANSWERS

l.a-2; b-5;C-l;d-4;e-3.

2. (c) the U.S. Grade AA shield. This is a mark of

the highest quality and is used on some Cheddar

cheese. Cheese that meets this grade has a fine,

highly pleasing flavor, a smooth compact texture,

uniform color, and attractive appearance. The curing

category refers to the time the Cheddar cheese is

aged and the resulting strength of flavor. U.S. Grade

AA cheese is available in the three curing categories

of mild, mellow, and sharp.

3. (b) sweet cream. U.S. Grade AA butter is made

from fresh sweet cream and has a delicate, sweet

flavor, with a fine aroma and a smooth creamy texture. The next highest grade for butter—U.S. Grade

A—is made from fresh cream, has a pleasing flavor

and is close to the top grade. U.S. Grade B butter is

generally made from selected sour cream and has a

slightly acid flavor.

4. (d) all of these. The U.S. Extra Grade shield

means instant nonfat dry milk must meet the U.S.

standards for that grade: it must have a sweet,

pleasing flavor, and a natural color; it must dissolve

instantly when mixed with water. To earn this shield,

the product must be made in a plant that operates

under continuous USDA inspection.

5. (a) more than $3.00 a week. The lower price

of nonfat dry milk is a result of lower shipping

and handling costs because fat and water are extracted in the dairy plant. People who want to keep

their weight down like nonfat dry milk because It

has half the calories of whole milk but most of the

nutrients.

6. (b) several weeks. Most hard cheeses can be

kept for several weeks in the coldest part of your refrigerator. Keep cheese in the original wrapper until

you are ready to use it. Wrap cut cheese in foil,

waxed paper, or plastic to prevent drying. Soft

cheeses can be kept in the refrigerator from three

to five days.

7. (c) a mixture of fresh and aged natural cheeses

pasteurized. Process cheese will melt easily when

heated.

8. (a) two or more. The USDA daily food guide

recommends the equivalent of two or more glasses

of milk daily.

SCORING

Give yourself five points for each correct answer.

35-40 Excellent. You really know your dairy products.

30-35 Good. You know your dairy products, but

you could stand a little refreshing.

Below 30 is Fair. Brush up on your dairy products.

They're one of your most important foods.

24
Check Up on

Your Cheeses

What do you know about cheese? If you want to

be an expert, this quiz will send you on your way.

Check up on your cheeses to learn how to buy them

and enjoy them.

QUESTIONS

1. Which group is all natural cheese?

a. Cottage, Parmesan, Cheddar

b. Limburger, cream, pasteurized process

c. all of the above are natural cheeses

2. Which of the following makes cheeses different?

a. the kind of milk used (skim milk, whole

milk, etc.).

b. the method used for curdling the milk.

c. the temperature during ripening.

d. all of these,

3. Cottage cheese is a(n) variety of

cheese.

a.

b.

c.

d.

unripened.

blue-vein mold ripened,

soft ripened,

very hard ripened.

4. Cheese should be stored

a. in the cupboard or some dry place until the

wrapping is opened.

b. frozen unless it will be used immediately.

c. in the refrigerator, wrapped to keep the surface from drying.

5. Cheeses are usually best served at room temperature.

a. True.

b. False.

6. Cheddar cheese is America's favorite natural

cheese. If you buy a brand of Cheddar cheese with

the USDA Grade AA shield, you know the cheese will

a. have a highly pleasing flavor.

b. be of uniform color.

c. have a smooth compact texture.

d. all of these.

7. Pasteurized process cheese food

a. is the same as pasteurized process cheese

spread.

b. melts faster than process cheese.

c. has more cheese flavor than pasteurized

process cheese.

25
ANSWERS

1. (a) Cottage, Parmesan, Cheddar. Natural

cheese is cheese manufactured directly from milk.

Natural cheeses include not only cottage, Parmesan,

and Cheddar, but Swiss, Blue, cream, Limburger,

and virtually hundreds of other varieties. Pasteurized process cheese is not natural cheese because it

is processed from other cheeses instead of directly

from milk. Pasteurized process cheese is a blend of

fresh and aged natural cheeses which are heated

and mixed. There is also pasteurized process cheese

food which contains additional ingredients, such as

nonfat dry milk. Pasteurized process cheese spread

is like cheese food, except that it has higher moisture and lower milkfat. Club cheese, or coldpack

cheese, is a blend of natural cheeses, like process

cheese, except that the cheese is blended without

heating. There is also coldpack cheese food which,

like pasteurized process cheese food, includes other

ingredients.

2. (d) all of these. The distinctive flavor and texture of different cheeses are due to all of these procedures and others as well. Others include the

amount of salt or other seasonings added, the length

of time of ripening, and the humidity during ripening. Some minor difference in any of these procedures can make for a completely different variety of

cheese.

3. (a) unripened. Natural cheeses are generally

classified according to the ripening time for each.

There are six general classifications. Unripened

types include both soft and firm unripened cheeses.

Soft unripened cheeses, such as cottage and cream

cheese, have a high moisture and undergo no ripening. They are consumed fresh soon after manufacture. Firm unripened cheeses such as Mozzarella

are not ripened but have very low moisture so they

may be stored longer. Soft ripened cheeses are

those such as Camembert. Curing progresses from

the outside, or rind, to the center. The distinctive

mold or bacteria culture on the surface of the

cheese helps give it its flavor. Semisoft ripened

cheeses like brick and Muenster ripen from the interior as well as the surface by using surface growth

and bacterial culture. They are also less moist than

soft ripened cheeses. Firm ripened cheeses like

Swiss and Cheddar are ripened throughout the entire cheese. Since the rate and degree of curing is

closely related to the moisture content of cheese,

these cheeses, being lower in moisture, usually require a longer curing time. Very hard ripened

cheeses are cured very slowly because of their very

low moisture and high salt content. Parmesan and

Romano are very hard ripened cheeses. Blue-vein

mold ripened cheeses like Blue or Roquefort are

cured by using a characteristic mold culture that

grows throughout the interior of the cheese to produce the familiar appearance and flavor.

4. (c) in the refrigerator. All cheeses should be refrigerated. Ripened cheese keeps well in the refrigerator for several weeks. Only soft unripened

cheeses must be used within a few days. The surfaces of cheese should be covered to avoid drying.

Although small pieces of some cheeses can be

frozen, normally freezing may damage a cheese's

characteristic body and texture and cause the

cheese to become crumbly or mealy.

5. (a) True. Except for soft unripened cheeses like

cottage cheese, all natural cheese should be served

unchilled to help bring out its distinctive flavor and

texture. This usually requires 20 minutes to 1 hour

or more at room temperature, depending on the size

of the piece of cheese.

6. (d) all of these. USDA Grade AA Cheddar

cheese must have a highly pleasing flavor, a smooth

compact texture, and an attractive appearance and

uniform color. When Cheddar carries the USDA

grade shield, the cheese has been graded by a

highly trained Government grader, and has been produced in a USDA inspected and approved plant.

In addition to Grade AA, Cheddar cheese may also

carry a Grade A shield. This Cheddar is also of good

quality, but not quite as high as Grade AA.

7. (b) melts faster than process cheese. Process

cheese food contains less cheese, and has a lower

milkfat content and more moisture than process

cheese. Cheese spread has less milkfat and higher

moisture than cheese food.

SCORING

Give yourself five points for each correct answer.

30-35 Excellent. You're a cheese gourmet. You

know how to put a good nutritional food to good use.

25-30 Good. You know your cheeses pretty well.

To make gourmet status, study "How to Buy

Cheese."

15-25 Fair. You could stand a few cheese lessons.

Experience is a great teacher so serve more kinds

of cheese more often.

26
Lesson Aid III—Eggs

OBJECTIVES

From this lesson:

1. Students should learn what USDA grades mean

on egg cartons, and for which uses each grade is

best.

2. Students should learn what the size of eggs

means, especially that size and grade are not related.

MATERIALS TO USE

Pamphlets

How to Buy Eggs

Flyers

(from PA-976—How to Buy Food)

How to Buy Eggs

Quizzes

What Do You Know About Eggs? (p. 29)

Table

Calculating the Cost of Eggs (p. 30)

Visual Aids

"Egg Grades—A Matter of Quality"—This 12-minute color film describes egg marketing and how eggs

are graded. Purchase price $68.

"How to Buy Eggs" (C-139) Available either as a

slide set ($13) or a filmstrip ($5.50). This set tells

how to buy eggs by grade and size. Audio cassette

available with both slides and filmstrip. $3.

Know the Eggs You Buy (PA-70) 250. This small

color poster (1144" by I7V2") illustrates grades

and sizes for eggs.

Know the Eggs You Buy (AMS-543) 600. This

large color poster (30" by 45") is the same as

PA-70.

Supplementary Material

Eggs in Family Meals—A Guide for Consumers

(G-103) 150. This pamphlet gives buying, storing,

and cooking tips for eggs. Recipes are included.

SUGGESTIONS FOR TEACHING

1. Bring in (or have students bring in) several

different egg cartons to see various size and grade

markings. Discuss differences between size and

grade, what the USDA shield means, where it is

found, etc.

2. Reproduce the "Calculating the Cost of Eggs"

table. Go over the explanation of how to use the

table with the students. Then have them work a

few problems:

If Grade A Large eggs cost 790 a dozen, and

Grade A Extra Large eggs cost 850 a dozen, which

is the better buy? (The difference in price is 60,

less than the 100 price spread listed in the table,

so the Extra Large eggs are the better buy.)

If Grade AA Large eggs cost 870 a dozen, and

Grade AA Medium eggs cost 750 a dozen, which is

the better buy? (The difference in price is 120,

more than the 110 price spread in the table, so

Medium eggs are the better buy.)

3. Have students calculate the cost of eggs per

pound without using the price spread chart. One

dozen Large eggs weigh IV2 pounds.

GLOSSARY

You may want to reproduce this glossary for your

students. It can serve as a useful reference both

during the lesson series and afterwards.

Baked eggs—(or shirred eggs) Eggs broken from

the shell and cooked in an oven or oven-type appliance.

Candling—A process of examining the interior of

the egg without breaking the shell. Eggs are twirled

in front of or over lights so the inside can be observed. Years ago a candle was actually used;

hence, the term "candling." See hand candling and

mass candling.

27
Chalaza—The twisted, rope-like strands of material appearing on each side of the egg yolk. These

strands are highly concentrated egg white and are a

natural, wholesome part of the egg. They anchor the

yolk in place.

Egg grader—Any Federal or State employee licensed to certify egg class, quality, quantity, and

condition, according to USDA's shell egg grading

regulations.

Extra Large—The second largest size eggs sold.

Sizes refer to minimum weight per dozen. 27 ounces

for Extra Large.

Federal-State Graded—When grading is done in

cooperation with a State the official grade shield

may include the words "Federa I-State Graded."

Fresh Fancy—Another name for U.S. Grade AA

eggs, but used under a special USDA quality control

program. See U.S. Grade AA.

Fried eggs—Eggs broken from the shell and

cooked in a pan—usually a frying pan.

Grade—There are three consumer grades for

eggs: U.S. Grade AA (or Fresh Fancy), U.S. Grade A

and U.S. Grade B. See these terms. Graded eggs

have been examined by a grader to determine factors such as the condition of the white and yolk and

the cleanliness and soundness of the shell.

Hand candling—A method of determining interior

quality of eggs by holding single eggs before a

strong light. Hand candling is used very little in

present commercial operations but is used for checking accuracy in grading.

Hard cooked eggs—Eggs covered with water and

cooked in the shell until the white and yolk solidify.

The water should be kept just below boiling to prevent tough, rubbery eggs.

Jumbo—Largest size eggs sold. Minimum weight

per dozen is 30 ounces.

Large—Size of eggs. Minimum weight per dozen

is 24 ounces.

Mass candling—Large commercial operations

use electronic equipment for "mass scanning" or

"flash candling" where thousands of eggs can be examined each hour. The eggs are placed on a continuous conveyor system and mechanically rotated over

strong lights. Skilled personnel observe the condition of the yolk and white and the cleanliness and

soundness of the shell.

Medium—Size of eggs. Minimum weight per

dozen is 21 ounces.

Peewee—Size of eggs. Minimum weight per

dozen is 15 ounces. This size is not often found at

the retail store.

Poached eggs—Eggs broken from the shell and

cooked in a hot liquid (usually water).

Scrambled eggs—Eggs broken from the shell,

beaten, then cooked—usually in a frying pan; may

also be cooked in a double boiler or in the oven.

Shell color—The color of the egg shell, which

may vary from white to deep brown. The color is determined by the breed of hen and does not affect

the nutritive value, quality, flavor, or cooking performance of the egg. Consumer preference varies in

different parts of the country—some people prefer

white eggs; others prefer brown.

Size—Refers to various sizes—or weight classes

—of shell eggs expressed in ounces per dozen.

There are six sizes: Jumbo, Extra Large, Large, Medium, Small, and Peewee. See these terms.

Small—Size of eggs. Minimum weight per dozen

is 18 ounces.

Soft cooked eggs—Eggs covered with water and

cooked in the shell until the white and yolk are of a

soft consistency. The water should be kept just

below boiling.

U.S. Grade AA—(or Fresh

Fancy) This is the top USDA

consumer grade for shell eggs.

These eggs are ideal for all

purposes, but especially for frying and poaching where appearance is important. The

broken out egg covers a small

area. The white is thick and

stands high and the yolk is firm

and high.

U.S. Grade A—This is the

second highest USDA consumer grade and the one most

often found in the retail store.

The broken out egg covers a

moderate area. The white is

reasonably thick and stands

fairly high and the yolk is firm

and high.

U.S. Grade B—This is the lowest USDA consumer

grade for eggs. It is not often found in retail stores.

The white is thinner and the egg spreads out more

than U.S. Grade AA and A eggs, and the yolk is

somewhat flattened. Grade B eggs are satisfactory

for general cooking and baking where appearance

is not important.

White—(or albumen) White part of the egg, surrounding the yolk.

Yolk—The yellow part of the egg.

28
What Do You

Know About Eggs J?

Uncertain about your knowledge of eggs and egg

quality? Try this true-false quiz and see how much

you really know about buying and storing eggs.

TRUE or FALSE

1. A U.S. Grade A Large egg is better than a U.S.

Grade A Medium egg.

2. You should never use a dirty or cracked egg in an

eggnog.

3. A U.S. Grade B egg will be just as nutritious as a

U.S. Grade A egg.

4. For best quality, store eggs promptly with large

end up in your refrigerator.

5. All eggs in a carton marked "Large" are identical

in size.

6. All -cartons marked "Grade A" have been officially

graded by the Federal-State Grading Service.

7. Eggs are no good after a week in the refrigerator.

8. If you want to serve poached eggs, U.S. Grade

AA or A eggs would be your best choice.

9. Shell color does not affect the nutritive value or

quality of eggs.

10. Leftover egg yolks should be covered with cold

water before storing in the refrigerator.

ANSWERS

1. False. A large egg is bigger than a medium

egg, not better. Remember, size refers to weight of

the egg; the grade refers to the quality of the egg.

2. True. Eggs eaten uncooked—as in an eggnog

—should always be clean and shouldn't be cracked.

This is just to insure an extra safeguard for your

family against possible contamination by bacteria.

Never buy cracked or dirty eggs. If one becomes

cracked accidentally, use it only in thoroughly

cooked dishes. Don't use dirty eggs for any purpose.

3. True. The Grade B egg may not look quite as

nice as the Grade A egg if you fry or poach it, but it

will be just as nutritious.

4. True. Keep eggs large end up, and the natural

quality of the eggs will last longer. What's more,

the yolk won't stick to the shell. Refrigeration is also

needed to preserve the natural quality of eggs. Buy

eggs only from a refrigerated case, and put them

into the refrigerator promptly at home. Holding eggs

for any time in a warm place—a car, for example—

causes quality to decline rapidly.

5. False. If a carton of USDA-graded eggs is

labeled "Large," all the eggs together must weigh

at least 24 ounces. There may be some slight variation between individual eggs. '

able to consumers, and the

he sizes usually availminimum weight per

dozen for each are: Extra Larjge, 27 ounces; Large,

24 ounces; and Medium, 21 punces.

6. False. Only egg cartons iwith the official USDA

grade shield have been officially graded under the

Federal-State grading program. Cartons marked

"Grade A" without the grade shield are under State

or local jurisdiction. ¡

7. False. Eggs will lose some quality (appearance)

after a week in the refrigerator, but they will usually

still be just as good in taste and in nutritive value.

To prevent off-taste, don't store eggs next to cheese,

citrus, fish, or other aromatic foods.

8. True. U.S. Grade AA and A eggs have high

standing yolks, thick whites and won't spread out in

the pan. These highest quality eggs are best for

poaching or frying.

9. True. Shell color is determined by the breed of

hen. It does not affect the nutritive value, quality, or

cooking performance of an egg*

10. True. Leftover egg yolks should be covered

with cold water and stored in the refrigerator in a

tightly closed container. Use within a day or two.

Extra egg whites should also be refrigerated

promptly in a tightly closed container and used

within a day or two. Don't cover the egg whites with

water.

SCORING

Give yourself five points for each correct answer.

40-50 Excellent. You know how to buy eggs by

grade and size.

30-40 Good. You're a good shopper, but you

could use a little more studying.

Below 30 Fair. You're a fair shopper. You might

want to give your "How to Buy Eggs" pamphlet a

closer look.

29
CALCULATING THE COST OF EGGS

Did you ever look at eggs of different sizes and

wonder which was the better buy?

To make that decision, the first thing you need

to know is that although eggs are sold by the dozen,

the price you pay relates to the size—or minimum

weight per dozen. There are six official weight

classes, ranging from Peewee (15 ounces per dozen)

up to Jumbo (30 ounces per dozen). The most

commonly sold sizes are: Extra Large-27 ounces

per dozen; Large-24 ounces; Medium-21 ounces;

and small-18 ounces. In other words, there is a

difference of at least 3 ounces per dozen between

each of the sizes.

The following table shows a method of quick

calculation to find the better buy by weight, between

eggs of one size and the next larger or smaller

size.

To use it, first find the price of Large eggs in

the column at left. The figure in the right column

opposite the price of large eggs will tell you the

average price spread between a dozen eggs of one

size and the next larger or smaller size. If the price

difference between adjacent sizes of eggs exceeds

the price spread figure, the smaller eggs are a

better buy. If the difference is less than the price

spread figure, the larger eggs are a better buy.

For example, the price of Large eggs is 79 cents

a dozen. The price of the next larger size, Extra

Large eggs, is 85 cents. The difference is 6 cents.

Because 6 cents is less than 10 cents (the price

spread listed in the table) the Extra Large eggs are

the better buy. If the Large eggs are 79 cents and

the Extra Large 90 cents, the difference of 11 cents

would exceed the price spread listed in the table.

The Large eggs would then be the better buy.

Remember that accurate comparisons can be

made only between eggs of the same grade. (Lower

grades normally sell at a lower price.)

When the price per

dozen of "Large"

eggs isBuy the larger of two sizes if the

price difference per dozen between

one size and the next larger size is

less thancents cents

41-48 6

49-56 7

57-64 8

65-72 9

73-80 10

81-88 11

89-96 12

97-104 13

105-112 14

113-120 15

30

Table developed by Agricultural Research Service
Lesson Aid IV~

Poultry

OBJECTIVES

From this lesson:

1. Students should learn what the USDA grade

means on poultry.

2. Students should learn how to read the label:

what are broilers, stewing chickens, ducklings, etc.,

and when should they buy one instead of another?

(For example, when would a stewing chicken be

more suitable to use than a broiler?)

MATERIALS TO USE

Pamphlets

How to Buy Poultry

Flyers

(from PA-976—How to Buy Food)

How to Buy Chicken and Turkey

(separate one-page flyers)

How to Carve Roast Turkey

How to Cut Up A Chicken

How to Debone Chicken Breasts

Quiz

Poultry Problem-Solving (p. 33)

Tables

Comparative Costs of Chicken Parts (p. 34)

Comparative Costs of Turkey Parts (p. 35)

Visual Aids

"Something to Crow About" A 16 mm. 271/2

minute color film that follows a European magazine writer through a hatchery, feed mill, broiler

farm, processing plant, and supermarket to show the

role of USDA inspection and grading programs for

poultry and poultry products. Purchase price $190.

Supplementary Materials

Poultry in Family Meals—A Guide for Consumers

(G-110) 150. This pamphlet gives buying, storing,

and cooking tips for poultry. Recipes are included.

Quick Tips on Meat & Poultry Care and Labels.*

This flyer tells how to keep meat and poultry products clean and safe and explains labeling requirements.

Quick Tips on Meat & Poultry Storage & Cookery.*

This flyer gives temperatures for cooking and storage and other tips on food safety.

Summertime Foods Questions and Answers.* This

flyer gives special information on keeping meat and

poultry safe for barbecues and picnics.

SUGGESTIONS FOR TEACHING

1. Have students list the various kinds of poultry

they find in the supermarket and discuss how to

cook each kind. (Examples might include: stewing

chicken; broiler; capon; Rock Cornish game hen;

young tom turkey; mature turkey; duckling, etc.)

Have them note which kinds carry the USDA grade

shield.

2. Reproduce the "Comparative Costs of Chicken

Parts" and "Comparative Costs of Turkey Parts" tables for your students. Discuss with them how to get

the most poultry for their money.

GLOSSARY

You may want to reproduce this glossary for your

students. It can serve as a useful reference both

during the lesson series and afterwards.

Barbecue—To roast poultry slowly on a gridiron

or spit, over coals, or under free flame, usually basting with a seasoned sauce. Popularly applied to

poultry cooked in or served with barbecue sauce.

Broil—To cook poultry by direct heat, as in the

broiler part of the oven.

"' Available from Information Division, APHIS, USDA, Washington,

D.C. 20250.

31
Broiler—(or fryer) A young chicken (usually 7 to

10 weeks of age) of either sex, that is tender-meated

with smooth-textured skin.

Broiler duckling—(or fryer duckling) A young

tender-meated duck (usually under 8 weeks of age)

of either sex.

Capon—A surgically unsexed male chicken

(usually under 8 months of age) that is tendermeated with soft, smooth-textured skin.

Class—Age. Will be indicated on labels as, for example, "young" or "mature" poultry, or by terms

such as "broiler" or "roaster." The class indicates

the cooking method necessary for maximum flavor

and tenderness. See young and mature.

Federal-State Graded—When grading is done in

cooperation with a State, the official grade shield

may include the words "Federa I-State Graded."

Fowl—(or hen or stewing chicken)—A mature

female chicken (usually more than 10 months of

age) with meat less tender than that of a roaster.

Fry—To cook poultry in fat. Poultry cooked in a

small amount of fat may be called panfried. Poultry

cooked in a deep layer of fat may be called deep-fat

fried.

Fryer—See broiler.

Fryer duckling—See broiler duckling.

Fryer-roaster turkey—A young immature turkey

(usually under 16 weeks of age) of either sex, that is

tender-meated with soft, smooth-textured skin.

Grade—There are three grades for poultry: U.S.

Grade A, U.S. Grade B, and U.S. Grade C (see these

terms).

Hen—See fowl.

Inspection—Poultry must be

officially inspected for wholesomeness before it can be

graded for quality. Poultry

passing Federal inspection is

stamped with this mark.

Kinds—Various species of poultry: chickens, turkeys, ducks, geese, and guineas.

Mature—Old, less tender-meated classes of poultry. Best cooked by simmering, steaming, braising,

stewing, or pressure cooking. May be labeled "mature," such as "mature turkey/' or "mature goose,"

or "fowl," "hen," or "stewing chicken."

Poultry—Chickens, turkeys, ducks, geese, or guineas.

Poultry grader—Any Federal or State employee

licensed to grade poultry; that is, to certify class,

quality, quantity, and condition according to U.S.

Department of Agriculture poultry grading regulations.

Ready-to-cook poultry—Whole dressed poultry

which has been cleaned and is ready for cooking.

Term also applies to poultry parts.

Roast—To cook poultry uncovered in an oven.

Roaster—A young chicken (usually 3 to 5 months

of age), of either sex, that is tender-meated with

soft, smooth-textured skin.

Roaster duckling—A young tender-meated duck

(usually under 16 weeks of age) of either sex.

Rock Cornish game hen—A young immature

chicken (usually 5 to 7 weeks of age) that is tendermeated with soft, smooth-textured skin. Weighs not

more than 2 pounds ready-to-cook. A chicken of the

Cornish breed or crossed with that breed.

Stew—To simmer poultry in a small quantity of

liquid.

Stewing chicken—See fowl.

U.S. Grade A—The highest

quality grade for poultry. U.S.

Grade A poultry has a good

over-all shape and appearance,

is meaty and practically free

from defects. U.S. Grade A is

usually the only marked grade

you will find in the store.

U.S. Grade B—The second quality grade for poultry. Not as attractive as Grade A; may have some

dressing defects.

U.S. Grade C—The third quality grade for poultry.

Grade C is not as attractive as Grades A and B and

has some dressing defects.

Yearling hen turkey—A fully matured female turkey (usually under 15 months of age) that is reasonably tender-meated with reasonably smooth-textured

skin.

Yearling torn turkey—A fully matured torn turkey

(usually under 15 months of age) that is reasonably

tender-meated with reasonably smooth-textured skin.

Young—Term for young tender-meated classes of

poultry which are best for barbecuing, frying,broiling

or roasting. May be labeled "young," such as

"young turkey" or "young guinea," or indicated by

terms such as "broiler," "roaster," "fryer."

Young torn turkey—A young male turkey (usually

5 to 7 months of age) that is tender-meated with

soft, smooth-textured skin.

32
Poultry ProblemSolving

Many of us admit that we could learn something

about choosing poultry. This quiz is for those who

want to see how much they really know—or need to

learn.

MULTIPLE CHOICE

1. A government inspection mark shows that your

poultry has been inspected and is:

a. tender and nutritious.

b. wholesome.

c. of good quality.

2. Poultry inspectors examine:

a. every bird within an inspected plant.

b. a representative sampling of each farmer's

poultry.

c. one of every ten birds.

3. The shield-shaped mark on a package of poultry

or on a wing tag means:

a. the poultry has been inspected for wholesomeness.

b. the poultry has been graded for quality.

c. both.

4. USDA Grade A means that poultry marked with

this grade is:

a. attractive in appearance.

b. fully fleshed and meaty.

c. practically free from defects.

d. all of these.

5. The U.S. Department of Agriculture has grades

for only two kinds of poultry: chicken and turkey.

a. True.

b. False.

6. Which of the following "class" names indicate

young poultry?

a. duckling.

b. broiler-fryer.

c. fryer-roaster turkey.

d. fowl.

7. You want to prepare a chicken salad for a summer luncheon. Could you use a stewing chicken to

make this?

a. Yes.

b. No.

8. Turkeys are hard to find in a store except at

Thanksgiving and Christmas.

a. True.

b. False.

9. Chicken may be kept in your refrigerator, before

cooking, for:

a. not more than 1 to 2 days.

b. 5 to 7 days.

c. longer than 7 days.

10. Your turkey is large, so to save time on the day

it is to be served, you plan to partially cook it the

day before. Is it safe to do this?

a. Yes.

b. No.

579-944 O - 75 - 3

33
ANSWERS

1. (b) wholesome. The inspection mark is assurance of a clean, wholesome product. It does not

relate to the quality or tenderness of poultry.

2. (a) every bird within an inspected plant.

3. (b) The shield-shaped grade mark is assurance the poultry has been officially graded for quality under USDA supervision. However, poultry may be

graded only after it has-been officially inspected for

wholesomeness—so (c) is also a correct answer.

4. (d) all of these. These are the major quality

factors determining the grade. USDA Grade A poultry is tops in all three. You will practically never see

lower grade poultry carrying a grade designation.

5. (b) false. The U.S. Department of Agriculture

has grades for chickens, turkeys, geese, ducks, and

guineas.

6. (a) duckling, (b) broiler-fryer, and (c) fryerroaster turkey. Duckling is a young duck. A young

chicken may be labeled as a frying chicken, broiler,

or Rock Cornish game hen. A young turkey may be

labeled fryer-roaster, young turkey, young hen, or

young tom. Fowl and hen are other names for stewing chicken. It is important to know these class

names because they tell you not only the relative

tenderness of poultry but also suggest appropriate

cooking methods. Young poultry can be cooked in a

variety of ways. Older poultry is best cooked with

moist heat.

7. (a) yes. A stewing chicken would be appropriate for making chicken salad. Cooked properly,

this older chicken can be just as tender as a young

chicken. You could also use a frying chicken to

make chicken salad. Price would probably determine

your choice.

8. (b) false. Turkey is available the year round.

9. (a) not more than 1 to 2 days. Poultry is

perishable, so it should be kept in a freezer at 0° F.

if you do not plan to cook it within 2 days.

10. (b) no. Poultry should be completely cooked

at one time. Never partially cook poultry one day

and finish cooking it at a later time. This could encourage harmful bacteria growth.

SCORING

Give yourself five points for each correct answer.

40-50 Excellent. You're a good shopper who

knows how to read labels.

30-40 Good. You're a good shopper but you could

benefit from some additional information.

Below 30 Fair. You're a fair shopper, but you

need a little more practice in poultry problem-solving.

COMPARATIVE COSTS OF CHICKEN PARTS^

If the price per

pound of

whole fryers,

ready to

cook, is—

Chicken parts are an equally good buy if the price per pound isBreast half

Without rib With rib Thigh Thigh and

drumstick Drumstick Wing

Dollars

.31

.33

.35

.37

.39

.41

.43

.45

.47

.49

.51

.53

.55

.57

.59

.61

.63

.65

.67

.69

.71

.73

.75

.77

.79

.81

.83

.85

.87

.89

Dollars

.42

.45

.48

.50

.53

.56

.59

.61

.64

.67

.70

.72

.75

.78

.80

.83

.86

.89

.91

.94

.97

.00

.02

05

08

.10

13

.16

19

21

Dollars

.41

.44

.46

.49

.52

.54

.57

,59

.62

.65

.67

.70

.73

.75

.78

.81

.83

.86

.89

.91

.94

.97

.99

1.02

1.04

1.07

1.10

1.12

1.15

1.18

Dollars

.35

.37

.39

.41

.43

.46

.48

.50

.52

.55

.57

.59

.61

.63

.66

.68

.70

.72

.75

.77

.79

.81

.84

.86

.88

.90

.92

.95

.97

.99

Dollars

.33

.35

.38

.40

.42

.44

.46

.48

.50

.53

.55

.57

.59

.61

.63

.66

.68

.70

.72

.74

.76

.78

.81

.83

.85

.87

.89

.91

.93

.96

Dollars

.32

.34

.36

.38

.40

.42

.44

.46

.48

.50

.53

.55

.57

.59

.61

.63

.65

.67

.69

.71

.73

.75

.77

.79

.81

.83

.85

.88

.90

.92

Dollars

.25

.27

.28

.30

.31

.33

.35

.36

.38

.39

.41

.43

.44

.46

.48

.49

.51

.52

.54

.56

.57

.59

.60

.62

.64

.65

.67

.69

.70

.72

' Based on yields of cooked chicken meat with skin (only 1/2 skin on wings and back included), from frying chickens, ready to cook, that

weighed about ly^ pounds.

Table prepared by Agricultural Research Service. Reprinted from Shopper's Guide, 1974 Yearbook of Agriculture.

34
COMPARATIVE COSTS OF TURKEY PARTS^

If the price

Turkey parts and products are an equally good buy if the price per pound Is—

per pound

of whole

Breast

quarter

Leg

quarter

Breast,

whole

or half

Drumstick Thigh Wing

Turkey roasts

Boned

turkey,

canned

Turkey

with

gravy,*

canned

or frozen

Gravy

with turkey,

ready-tocook is—

Readyto-cook -

Cooked '

turkey,"

canned

or frozen

Dollars Dollars Dollars Dollars Dollars Dollars

.51... .57 .55 .65 .52 .62 .47 .89 1.17 1.15 .45 .19

.53. . . .60 .57 .68 .54 .65 .49 .93 1.22 1.19 .46 .20

.55. . . . .62 .59 .70 .56 .67 .51 .96 1.26 1.24 .48 .21

.57... .64 .61 .73 .58 .70 .53 1.00 1.31 1.28 .50 .21

.59... .66 .63 .75 .60 .72 .55 1.03 1.36 1.33 .52 .22

.61. .. .69 .66 .78 .63 .75 .56 1.07 1.40 1.37 .53 .23

.63. . . .71 .68 .80 .65 .77 .58 1.10 1.45 1.42 .55 .24

.65. .. .73 .70 .83 .67 .80 .60 1.14 1.50 1.46 .57 .24

.67. . . .75 .72 .85 .69 .82 .62 1.17 1.54 1.51 .59 .25

.69... . .78 .74 .88 .71 .85 .64 1.21 1.59 1.55 .60 .26

.71. .. . .80 .76 .91 .73 .87 .66 1.24 1.63 1.60 .62 .27

.73. .. .82 .78 .93 .75 .89 .68 1.28 1.68 1.64 .64 .27

.75. .. .84 .81 .96 .77 .92 .69 1.31 1.72 1.69 .66 .28

.77. . . . .87 .83 .98 .79 .94 .71 1.35 1.77 1.73 .67 .29

.79. .. .89 .85 1.01 .81 .97 .73 1.38 1.82 1.78 .69 .30

.81. . . .91 .87 1.03 .83 .99 .75 1.42 1.86 1.82 .71 .30

.83. .. .93 .89 1.06 .85 1.02 .77 1.45 1.91 1.87 .73 .31

.85. . . . .96 .91 1.08 .87 1.04 .79 1.49 1.96 1.91 .74 .32

.87... . .98 .94 1.11 .89 1.07 .80 1.52 2.00 1.96 .76 .33

.89 1.00 .96 1.13 .91 1.09 .82 1.56 2.05 2.00 .78 .33

.91. . . 1.02 .98 1.16 .93 1.11 .84 1.59 2.09 2.05 .80 .34

.93 1.05 1.00 1.19 .95 1.14 .86 1.63 2.14 2.09 .81 .35

.95. . . 1.07 1.02 1.21 .97 1.15 .88 1.66 2.18 2.14 .83 .36

.97 1.09 1.04 1.24 .99 1.19 .90 1.70 2.23 2.18 .85 .36

.99 1.11 1.06 1.26 1.01 1.21 .92 1.73 2.28 2.23 .87 .37

00

CJI

^ Based on yields of cooked turkey meat excluding skin, medium to large birds.

- Roast, as purchased, includes 15 percent skin or fat.

•' Roast, as purchased, has no more than one-fourth inch skin and fat on any part of surface.

^ Assumes 35 percent cooked boned turkey, minimum required for product labeled "Turkey with Gravy."

•'' Assumes 15 percent cooked boned turkey, minimum required for product labeled "Gravy with Turkey."

Table prepared by Agricultural Research Service. Reprinted from Shopper's Guide, 1974 Yearbook of Agriculture.
Lesson Aid VFresh Fruits

and Vegetables

OBJECTIVES

From this lesson:

1. Students should learn what a grade name

means on a package of fresh fruits or vegetables.

2. Students should become familiar with the wide

variety of fruits and vegetables they can buy, and

should learn:

a. what to look for and what to avoid when they

buy fresh fruits and vegetables, especially to avoid

fruits and vegetables that are spoiled, immature,

over-ripe, damaged, or inferior in other ways.

b. to buy only what they need, since fresh fruits

and vegetables are highly perishable.

c. to handle all fruits and vegetables carefully,

both at the supermarket and at home.

d. to buy when each fruit or vegetable is in

season, and therefore of better quality and price.

MATERIALS TO USE

Pamphlets

How to Buy Fresh Fruits

How to Buy Fresh Vegetables

How to Buy Potatoes

Flyers

(from PA.976—How to Buy Food)

How to Buy Apples

How to Buy Carrots

How to Buy Fresh Fruits and Vegetables

How to Buy Onions

How to Buy Oranges

How to Buy Potatoes

How to Buy Salad and Cooking Greens

(separate one-page flyers)

How to Buy Celery

How to Buy Corn

How to Buy Mixed Nuts in the Shell

How to Buy Peaches

How to Buy Pears

How to Buy Sweetpotatoes

How to Buy Tomatoes

Quizzes

Does Produce Buying Stump You? (p. 38)

Posers on Potatoes (p. 39)

Chart

Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Availability Chart (p. 40)

Visual Aids

''Quality for All Seasons"—This 18-minute color

film gives an overview of the marketing of fresh

fruits and vegetables and shows how produce is

inspected for quality. Purchase price $99.

Supplementary Materials

Fruits in Family Meals—^A Guide for Consumers

(G-125) 450. This pamphlet gives buying, storing,

and cooking tips for fruit. Recipes are included.

Vegetables in Family Meals—A Guide for Consumers (G-105) 450. This pamphlet gives buying, storing, and cooking tips for vegetables. Recipes are included.

SUGGESTIONS FOR TEACHING

1. Each student may be assigned a group of fresh

fruits or vegetables for a presentation; for example:

greens, melons, apples, citrus fruits, berries. If possible, suggest they bring samples.

2. Have students on the alert for USDA grade

names where applicable (such as on packaged carrots, onions, or potatoes).

3. Visit the supermarket produce department.

Point out signs of freshness and ripeness for various

fruits and vegetables.

4. Reproduce the "Fresh Fruit and Vegetable

Availability Chart" for the students. Have them read

the chart to find the fruits and vegetables that are in

most supply and the ones in least supply for the current month.

36
GLOSSARY

You may want to reproduce this glossary for your

students. It can serve as a useful reference both

during the lesson series and afterwards.

All-purpose potatoes—These potatoes are used

for boiling, frying, and sometimes for baking. They

include both round and long types and are amply

available year-round.

Baking potatoes—Russet Burbank potatoes are

the best known among this group of potatoes, which

are good for baking, as the name indicates.

Blossom end—The opposite end from the stem

end of fruits. This end is more rounded.

Clingstone—One of two general types of peaches.

(The other is freestone.) Flesh clings tightly to the

pit with this type. It is usually used for canning.

Freestone—One of two general types of peaches.

(The other is clingstone.) The flesh separates readily

from the pit with this type. Freestone peaches are

preferred for eating fresh or for freezing.

Ground color—The background color of a fruit

before the sun's rays cause the skin to color. The

ground color may be seen beneath and between the

surface coloration of the fruit.

Hard—The terms "hard," "firm," and "soft" are

subjective terms used to describe the maturity or

ripeness of a fruit. A "hard" texture will not give

when pressed. A "firm" fruit yields slightly to moderate pressure. A "soft" fruit yields readily to moderate pressure. The term "mature green" is sometimes

used instead of "hard."

Mature—Term for fruit that is ready to be picked

—whether or not it is ripe. If a fruit is picked when

mature, it is capable of ripening properly.

Netting—The vein-like network of lines running

randomly across the rind of some melons.

New potatoes—Either potatoes freshly harvested

and marketed during late winter or early spring; or

potatoes freshly dug which are not quite fully matured. These potatoes may be "skinned" in some

places because the skin is very tender. Best use is

boiling or creaming.

Produce—Inclusive term for all fresh fruits and

vegetables.

Ripe—Describes a fruit or vegetable that is ready

to be eaten.

Russet Burbank—A long variety of baking potato

with fine scaly netting on the skin—^the best known

of the baking potatoes.

Russeting—A lacy, brownish, blemish-type coating on top of the skin of fruits. It does not affect the

eatingquality of the fruit.

Scald—A blemish, or brownish discoloration

which occasionally develops in the skin of apples or

other fruits in cold storage.

Stem end—The stem end of fruit will have a scar

or the remains of the stem to identify it.

U.S. No. 1—The top grade for most fresh fruits

and vegetables. For a few, U.S. Extra No. 1, or U.S.

Fancy, may be the top grade. The U.S. No. 1 grade

is used extensively as a basis for trading between

growers, shippers, and wholesalers and retailers. It

is used to a limited extent in retail stores.

579-944 O - 75 - 4 37
Does Produce Buying

Stump You?

Fresh fruits and vegetables offer unlimited potential for good and good-for-you meals and snacks. But

even experienced shoppers are sometimes stumped

at the produce counter.

Test your produce shopping know-how with this

true-false quiz.

TRUE or FALSE

1. U.S. Fancy apples are larger than U.S. No. 1

apples.

2. "New" potatoes normally have some skin missing.

3. It's aH right to buy hard or green peaches because you can ripen them when you get them home.

4. Yellowing, wilted, or decayed tops do not affect

the eating quality of green onions (scallions).

5. All fresh fruits and vegetables are inspected for

quality (graded) by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

6. The best buys of fresh fruits and vegtables can

be made when they are in season.

7. If you buy tomatoes that aren't quite ripe, it's

best to ripen them before you refrigerate them.

8. A special markdown on damaged fruits or vegetables can really mean a big saving.

ANSWERS

1. False. U.S. Fancy and U.S. No. 1 are grades

established by the U.S. Department of Agriculture

to describe the quality of apples. U.S. Fancy apples

are of higher quality than U.S. No. 1, but apples of

various sizes may be found in either grade.

2. True. "New" potatoes are marketed as soon as

they are harvested and the skin usually is tender

and not as well-set as that of potatoes which are

stored before marketing.

3. False. Very firm or hard peaches with a distinctly green ground color (the basic color minus the

blush) are probably immature and won't ripen properly. Buy peaches that are fairly firm or slightly soft,

with a yellow or creamy ground color.

4. False. Yellowing, wilted, or decayed tops are

indications that the edible portion of green onions

may be flabby, tough, or fibrous. Choose green onions that have fresh, crisp, green tops. The white

portion should extend 2 or 3 inches up from the root

end.

5. False. Grading of fresh fruits and vegetables is

a voluntary service provided by USDA's Agricultural

Marketing Service. However, many packers have

their fruits and vegetables graded by Federal or Federal-State inspectors as an aid in wholesale trading,

and U.S. or similar State grades are sometimes

shown on retail packages. Some produce must be

graded and labeled under State or Federal regulations.

6. True. When you buy in season, the quality is

usually better and prices are more reasonable. Also,

each month USDA tells you through radio, television, and newspapers what foods are in best supply.

These plentifuls are usually reasonably priced and a

good choice for your menu planning.

7. True. If you store tomatoes that aren't fully ripe

in the refrigerator, the cold temperature may keep

them from ripening later on. Let tomatoes ripen in a

warm place and then refrigerate them.

8. False. It's penny-foolish to buy damaged fruits

or vegetables because even if you trim off decayed

or bruised areas, the rest of the fruit or vegetable

may be affected by deterioration anyway.

SCORING

Give yourself five points for each correct answer.

35-40 Excellent. No gaps in your produce knowledge!

30-35 Good. You know your fruits and vegetables

pretty well.

25-30 Fair. Produce buying stumps you. Better

study your "How to Buy Fresh Fruits" and "How to

Buy Fresh Vegetables."

38
Are you a hot-shot shopper when it comes to potatoes? Take this quiz to find out.

MULTIPLE CHOICE

seen on bags of

No. 1. The grade

1. The USDA grade most often

potatoes in retail stores is U.S.

name tells you:

a. where the potatoes were grown.

b. whether they are round or long potatoes.

c. the potatoes meet a specific level of quality.

2. Should you buy a potato that looks green?

a. Yes,

b. No.

c. It depends on how green it is.

3. Before storing potatoes, be sure to:

a. wash them.

b. set aside any bruised or cracked potatoes

and use them first.

c. both a and b.

4. Potatoes should be stored in:

a. a cool dark place with good ventilation.

b. a warm dark place with good ventilation.

c. an air-tight container, regardless of temperature.

5. If stored properly, general purpose and baking

potatoes will keep:

a. for several weeks.

b. for several months.

c. indefinitely.

6. A boiled medium-size potato contains:

a. more calories than a large apple.

b. the same amount of calories as a large

apple.

c. fewer calories than a large apple.

7. "Size A" marked on a bag of U.S. No. 1 potatoes means:

a. the potatoes are all the same size.

b. small potatoes.

c. the potatoes must be of a minimum size.

ANSWERS

1. (c) The grade name designates a specific level of

quality. Potatoes certified by Federal or FederalState inspection as U.S. No. 1 quality are firm, wellshaped, smooth, and relatively clean. They may have

a few defects, but are free from large cuts, growth

cracks, bruises, skinned areas, and decay. Use of

the U.S. grades or official grading services is voluntary. Sometimes packers label their potatoes by

grade whether the potatoes were officially graded or

not. But these potatoes should meet the standards

for the grade if they are so labeled.

2. (b) No. Greening may affect only the skin of potatoes or it may penetrate the flesh. The green portions contain the alkaloid solanin which causes a

bitter flavor. So don't buy green potatoes.

3. (b) It's a good idea to set aside any bruised or

cracked potatoes and to use them first. But never

wash potatoes before you store them. Dampness increases the likelihood of decay.

4. (a) Potatoes should be stored in a cool dark place

with good ventilation. The most desirable temperature is from 45° to 50° F. Potatoes stored at 70° or

80° F. should be used within a week. The higher

temperatures often cause sprouting and shriveling.

5. (b) If stored properly, general purpose and baking potatoes will keep up to several months. "New"

potatoes in good condition will keep for several weeks,

6. (b) A plain, boiled medium-size potato contains

about the same amount of calories as a large apple.

Fats, gravies, and sauces commonly served with potatoes will, however, increase the calories.

7. (c) Size A means the potatoes must be at least

1% inches in diameter, and 40 percent of them

must be 2V2 inches in diameter or 6 ounces in

weight or larger.

SCORING

Give yourself five points for each correct answer.

30-35 Excellent.

20-30 Good.

Below 20 Fair. You can learn more about buying,

storing, and using potatoes by reading "How to Buy

Potatoes."

39
FRUIT AND VEGETABLE AVAILABILITY

This chart shows when common fruits and vegetables are in supply.

Means supplies

are scarce

or nonexistent.

Means supplies

are moderate.

Means supplies

are plentiful.

Means supplies

are exceptionally

abundant.

COMMODITY Jan Feb Mar Apr May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec

APPLES $$$$

APRICOTS

m///// ^

m

1

t

ARTICHOKES m ^^/9%^i?

ASPARAGUS

^

AVOCADOS

^

" %♦♦♦♦♦

ViW"

wwww ii

BANANAS ^m wi ^^ ^É^^

BEANS, SNAP S^Kp ^^

BEETS m,^^mM ^^m yil

BERRIES, MISCf

^

BLUEBERRIES

BROCCOLI

^m ^ ^W^^

Y////

BRUSSELS SPROUTS S^

^^

vvvvvÜm ^p

CABBAGE

^ ^^ ^

"

CANTALOUPES — ' % *«

: >; : %

CARROTS

^ ^

v;v>?

^^^^^

CAULIFLOWER ^Ë ^^ ^^

VvVxy

CELERY

CHERRIES

^

^mWAV vww : : : :i ^u ^

CHINESE CABBAGE m.^

^

^^ Wj^^^^^m^yVyV^ ^

CRANBERRIES

CORN, SWEET

^^

m^^ ^^ eM

^%

«ç«. 1

>: : : : M-M^l

Kw

vvw

>i*yxi\

CUCUMBERS

^

^

WW

ESCAROLE-ENDIVE

EGGPLANT

...

^^

i1^

^ ^^ m

^

m^^ ^^ ^^^^^

GRAPEFRUIT

ENDIVE, BELGIAN

m^m^

^^M ^^ ^

m^^m.'m.^^

GRAPES M^ im

*Mostly blackberries, dewberries, raspberries.

40
COMMODITY Jan Feb Mar Apr May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec

GREENS

^^^^ ^^W1$^ ^^^

HONEYDEWS

^^ M^^^H^^

LEMONS

^^

^

^^^

Î§§9?

^

W^

^

LETTUCE ^m^

^^ ^^^^^^^^

LIMES P

^^

^^^^^ ^^^^^^^^

MUSHROOMS 7///,0.%VA^.^^^^P^^^^^^^^

^

NECTARINES

^^ 1 ^^

OKRA

^^^^

^

^^^^^^

ONIONS, DRY Ä ^

^^ ^^^

M^

ONIONS, GREEN

^^^^

^P^

^^^^^

ORANGES

PARSLEY & HERBS**

m

y///'.PBP^«eRPÉ^

PARSNIPS Mmu.^

^ ^^^^

PEACHES P l^^l

^^M^

PEARS m ^ m.m.^ v¿&^

^

PEPPERS, SWEET

^^^É ^^^^^^$§§§^

PINEAPPLES yy/y.m^^^^^^ ^^^^^P^^^^^^

PLUMS-PRUNES

^^ 1

POTATOES

^É^ L ^^^^ ^^

ÎS?Si

^

RADISHES

^^

^^ ^^íí^^^^^^

SPINACH

RHUBARB

m ^

^^

^

^

H^^P^^^É^^^^^

SQUASH S8?^ ^^^ ^^

J§ôg

^^^^^

STRAWBERRIES MM^

pmm^

^^

TANGERINES

SWEETPOTATOES

^^^M ^ ^

TOMATOES

^H ^^^^ ^^^W^g^^^

TURNIPS-RUTABAGASmm.^p^^ ^^v^^^^

WATERMELONS m^^ *«»'M^

**lncludes also parsley root, anise, basil, chives, dill, horseradish, others.

Information courtesy of United Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Association, Washington, D.C.

41
Lesson Aid VICanned & Frozen

Fruits and Vegetables

OBJECTIVES

From this lesson:

1. Students should learn what the USDA grade

name on a can or package of frozen fruits or vegetables means.

2. Students should learn about the different styles

of canned and frozen fruits and vegetables and

when to use them.

3. Students should learn which styles are more

expensive and which are less.

4. Students should learn how to tell when cans or

packages show signs of damaged contents.

5. Students should learn to read the labels and

know what should be on them.

MATERIALS TO USE

Pamphlets

How to Buy Canned and Frozen Fruits

How to Buy Canned and Frozen Vegetables

Flyers

(from PA-976—How to Buy Food)

How to Buy Canned and Frozen Peas

How to Buy Canned Fruit Cocktail

How to Buy Canned Fruits

How to Buy Canned Peaches

How to Buy Canned Tomatoes

How to Buy Vegetables—Canned and Frozen

(separate one-page flyers)

He "^0 Buy Applesauce

He 0 Buy Canned Pears

How to Buy Canned Pineapple

How to Buy Frozen Strawberries

How to Buy Tomato Catsup, Sauce, Puree, and Paste

Quizzes

How's Your Vegetable Quotient? (p. 46)

Get Your Fruit Facts Straight (p. 44)

Visual Aids

''Behind the Grade Mark"—This 20-minute color

film shows how fruits and vegetables are canned

and frozen and what USDA grading and the U.S.

grades mean to consumers. Purchase price $107.

Supplementary Materials

Fruits in Family Meals—A Guide for Consumers

(G-125) 450. This pamphlet gives buying, storing,

and cooking tips for fruits. Recipes are included.

Vegetables in Family Meals—A Guide for Consumers (G-105) 450. This pamphlet gives buying, storing, and cooking tips for vegetables. Recipes are

included.

SUGGESTIONS FOR TEACHING

1. Many supermarkets offer at least two grades of

some canned fruits or vegetables under their own

label. Often, the difference in price indicates a difference in grade. To illustrate differences in quality

in different grades or prices of a canned fruit or vegetable, you can use a technique that wholesale buyers call a ''cutting." Open two cans—of tomatoes,

for example—of a different grade (or, if the grade is

not shown, of different price). Pour the contents on

separate plates or trays and spread them out. Point

out differences such as color, degree of spreading

(in products like applesauce), amounts of peel,

amount of damaged pieces, etc.

You may want to carry this demonstration a step

further by conducting a taste test. Using the cutting

sample, and paper cups and plastic spoons, give

each student a taste of each sample to compare

flavor and texture.

2. Suggest students make a scrapbook of labels

from canned and frozen fruits and vegetables. Have

them indicate what information—including USDA

grade marks or grade names, weight, style, etc.—

can help them be better shoppers.

42
GLOSSARY

You may want to reproduce this glossary for your

students. It can serve as a useful reference both

during the lesson series and afterwards.

Bush berries—(Also cane berries) Group name

for berries such as blackberries, boysenberries, dewberries, loganberries, and youngberries.

Choice—(Or U.S. Grade B) Much of the fruit that

is processed qualifies for this USDA grade. Only

slightly less perfect than U.S. Grade A in color, uniformity, and texture, U.S. Grade B, or Choice, fruits

have good flavor and are suitable for most uses.

Drained weight—The weight of the fruit or vegetable in a can or package after the liquid has been

drained from it.

Extra Standard—(Or U.S. Grade B) This USDA

grade is applied to canned and frozen vegetables

that are of very good quality but not quite so well

selected for color and tenderness as Grade A.

Fancy—(Or U.S. Grade A)

This is the top USDA grade

for canned and frozen fruits

and vegetables. These are the

very best, with excellent color

and uniform size, weight, and

shape; and they are the most

tender, succulent, and flavorful.

French cut—A style of both frozen and canned

green beans. Also called julienne or shoestring,

these beans are sliced lengthwise.

Heavy sirup—Canned fruit may be packed in

light, heavy, or extra heavy sirup. The heavier the

sirup, the sweeter and more flavorful the fruit, and

usually, the higher the price.

Net weight—Total contents of fruit and vegetable

containers or packages, including juice or sirup. Net

weight must appear on the label.

Standard—(Or U.S. Grade C) Quality grade for

both fruits and vegetables. Vegetables of this grade

are not so uniform in color and flavor as in the

higher grades and they are sometimes more mature.

Fruit may not be as sweet, and may contain some

broken and uneven pieces.

Style—Form of canned or frozen fruits and vegetables, such as slices, halves, etc. This must appear

on the label.

43
6et Your

Fruit Facts Straight

Canned and frozen fruits are convenient, ^nd always available. But not everyone knows enough

about them to shop wisely.

if you can answer the following questions, you've

got your fruit facts straight.

MULTIPLE CHOICE

1. Canned fruit cocktail must contain

a. definite proportions of peaches, pears,

pineapple, grapes, and maraschino cherries.

at least 3 different kinds of fruits,

apples, peaches, grapes, and pears.

2. The term "extra heavy sirup," found on the labels

of some canned fruits, means

a. a sugar sirup thickened with corn starch.

b. the sweetest, thickest sugar sirup used in

canned fruits.

c. the sirup weighs more than the fruits in the

can.

3. "Fancy" canned or frozen peaches are

a. a special variety.

b. extra-large peaches.

c. of top quality.

4. The U.S. grade name on a can or frozen package

of fruit can help you

a. determine the variety of fruit.

b. decide how to use the fruit.

c. figure out the number of servings.

b.

c.

5. In selecting canned and frozen fruits, you should

avoid

a. dented cans.

b. bulging or swelling cans.

c. solidly frozen packages,

6. In canned and frozen fruits, regular sized pieces

or whole fruits are generally more expensive than

mixed pieces of various sizes and shapes.

a. True.

b. False.

7. Most frozen fruits are

a. packed with dry sugar or sugar sirup.

b. artificially colored.

c. packed whole.

8. Canned fruits will retain their quality for a year or

more

a. if kept at a temperature no warmer than

75"R

b. if kept at a temperature no warmer than

90° F.

c. regardless of temperature.

9. Which of the following is not required by law to be

on the front panel of labels on canned and frozen

fruits?

a. the common name of the fruit.

b. liquid in which it is packed.

c. quality.

10. Price Is often an indication of the quality of

canned and frozen fruits.

a. True.

b. False.

44
ANSWERS

1. (a) Definite proportions of peaches, pears,

pineapple, grapes, and maraschino cherries. Fruit

cocktail is one of a few fruit mixtures which is

standardized by Federal law. Peaches and pears

make up the greater part of the mixture.

2. (b) The sweetest, thickest sugar sirup used in

canned fruits. Canned fruits may be packed in light,

heavy, or extra heavy sirups, in water, in slightly

sweetened water, or in fruit juices. The heavier the

sirup, the sweeter the fruit and sometimes the higher

the price.

3. (c) Of top quality. The grades established by

USDA to define specific levels of quality in canned

and frozen fruits are:

U.S. Grade A (or U.S. Fancy)—top quality

U.S. Grade B (or U.S. Choice)—very good quality

U.S. Grade C (or U.S. Standard)—fair quality.

When the fruit has been officially graded for quality under continuous USDA inspection, it may carry

the official grade name, such as "U.S. Grade A," or

the statement "Packed under continuous inspection

of the U.S. Department of Agriculture." The grade

name and the statement may also appear within the

USDA shield.

Sometimes, however, the grade name is shown

without "U.S." in front of it, for example, "Fancy." If

the grade name appears alone, the fruit must meet

the quality of the grade shown, even though the

product has not been officially inspected for quality.

4. (b) Decide how to use the fruit. Different qualities of fruits are suited to different uses.

Top quality, Grade A fruits have an excellent color

and uniform size, weight, and shape. They are a

good choice for dessert or fruit salad for a company

dinner.

Grade B fruits, only slightly less perfect than

Grade A in color, uniformity, and texture, have good

flavor and are suitable for everyday desserts, salads,

and fruit cups.

Grade C fruits, which are not as sweet or as uniform in appearance as the higher grades, are a

thrifty buy and good for use in puddings, jams, and

frozen desserts.

5. (b) Bulging or swelling cans. These indicate

spoilage. Small dents in a can will not harm the contents unless the dents have pierced the metal or

loosened the can seam.

Frozen fruits should be frozen solid. If fruits in a

package are not firm, it may mean they have been

defrosted at some time during marketing and therefore may have lost quality. Stains on the package

may also indicate defrosting.

6. (a) True. Whole fruits, halves, and slices of

similar size are more expensive than mixed pieces.

While you may wish to spend more money for whole

fruits or halves for special purposes, mixed pieces

are a good buy for gelatin molds and other dishes

where the appearance of the fruit is not important.

7. (a) Packed with dry sugar or sugar sirup.

8. (a) If kept at a temperature no warmer than

75° F. Canned fruits that have been stored at very

warm temperatures or for long periods of time may

lose quality (the color, flavor, or texture may

change). The fruit is still safe to eat, however.

9. (c) Quality. Federal regulations do not require

the grade of the fruit to be shown on the label. If the

grade is not shown, try different brands to find the

quality you like.

Federal law does require the label to state on the

front panel the common or usual name of the fruit;

the form or style of fruit (such as whole, slices, or

halves); for some fruits, the variety or color; the sirups, sugar, or liquid in which a fruit is packed; and

the total contents.

Other information required on the label, although

not on the front panel, includes ingredients (such as

spices, flavoring, coloring, special sweeteners, if

used); any special type of treatment; and the packer's or distributor's name and place of business.

10. (a) True. Most canned and frozen fruits are

packed and priced according to quality. Sometimes

stores offer two or more qualities under their own

name labels, with the higher quality priced higher.

SCORING

Give yourself five points for each correct answer.

40-50 Excellent. You have your fruit facts

straight and you know how to shop wisely for canned

and frozen fruits.

30-40 Good. You're a good shopper, but you

would probably find quite a bit of useful information

in "How to Buy Canned and Frozen Fruits."

Below 30 Fair. Your buying habits could be improved.

45
Hoiii^'s Your

Vegetable Quotient?

The myriad supplies of canned and frozen vegetables found in today's food nnarkets may confuse the

average food buyer. And it's no wonder, for a multitude of brands, styles, seasonings, garnishes, and

prices confront the shopper.

The following VQ (vegetabfe quotient) test highlights many points helpful in making a wise choice

from the shelf or frozen food counter,

MULTIPLE CHOICE

1. Vegetables that are canned and frozen are

a. leftover fresh vegetables.

b. grown especially for canning or freezing.

c. grown ¡n hothouses.

2. The least expensive styles of vegetables are

a. French-style or julienne.

b. whole vegetables.

c. dices, short cuts, or pieces.

3. You can tell a canned or frozen vegetable is of

high quality by its

a. taste.

b. appearance.

c. price.

d. all of these.

4. The term "U.S. Fancy" on a can or frozen package of vegetables refers to

a. the style of the vegetable,

b. its quality.

c. the sauce it is packed in.

d. the size of the can or package.

5. Bulging or swelling of a can indicates

a. spoilage.

b. the can was dropped.

c. overpacking.

6. When buying frozen vegetables, you should make

sure the package is

a. wet.

b. soft.

c. firm.

7. The U.S. Department of Agriculture inspects all

canned and frozen vegetables for wholesomeness.

a. True.

b. False.

8. Labels on canned and frozen vegetables are required by Federal law to show

a. the number of servings.

b. the grade and quality of the vegetable.

c. the style of the vegetable.

9. The contents listed on a can of vegetables show

a. the weight of the vegetable, including any

liquid in the can.

b. the weight of the vegetable, not including

any liquid.

c. the volume of the cooked vegetable.

10. Most canned and frozen vegetables are packed

and priced according to their quality.

a. True.

b. False.

46
ANSWERS

1. (b) Grown especially for canning or freezing.

Because vegetables should be canned or frozen as

soon as possible after harvest to retain their nutritional value and quality, canners and freezers

usually contract to buy vegetables before they are

planted. The vegetables are then delivered to the

processing plant as soon as they are harvested,

while they are at their best.

2. (c) Dices, short cuts, or pieces. Whole vegetables usually cost more than cut styles because it is

hard to keep these fragile products whole during

processing. French-style or julienne vegetables,

which are sliced lengthwise, are more costly to process than other cut styles. Short cuts, dices, and

pieces are least expensive and a good buy for use in

soups, stews, or souffles.

3. (d) All of these. Top-quality canned and frozen

vegetables are the most tender and flavorful and

most uniform in color and shape or size. They therefore usually cost more than lower qualities.

4. (b) Its quality. U.S. Fancy is another name for

U.S. Grade A. U.S. Grades A, B, and C were established by USDA to describe different levels of quality

in canned and frozen vegetables.

U.S. Grade A, top quality, is the kind of vegetable

you'd probably serve at special meals.

U.S. Grade B (or Extra Standard) vegetables are

of next highest quality; they look and taste almost as

good as U.S. Grade A and are good for everyday

meals or for use in casseroles or gelatin salads.

U.S. Grade C (or Standard) vegetables are more

mature and not as uniform in color and flavor as the

higher grades. They are a thrifty buy for use in

dishes where appearance of the vegetable is not important.

When the U.S. grade name is shown on a label, it

means the vegetables have been officially graded by

USDA.

5. (a) Spoilage. Don't buy or use cans that are

bulged or swelling.

6. (c) Firm. Don't buy soft, limp, wet, or sweating

packages; these are signs that the vegetables have

defrosted or are in the process of defrosting. The

vegetables may be safe to eat, but normally there

will be a loss of quality.

7. (b) False. The U.S. Department of Agriculture

does inspect canned and frozen vegetables for quality, upon request of processors, but assurance of the

wholesomeness of these products is the responsibility of the Food and Drug Administration.

Inspection for quality (grading) is not required by

law and processors must pay a fee for the service.

Under USDA's continuous inspection program, an

inspector is on duty in the processing plant at all

times the plant is operating. In addition to checking

the quality of the product, he checks the plant and

equipment for cleanliness.

When vegetables are packed under continuous

USDA inspection, the U.S. grade name may be

shown on the can or package. The grade name and

the statement, "Packed under continuous inspection

of the U.S. Department of Agriculture," may also be

shown within the USDA shield.

8. (c) The style of the vegetable. The grade of the

vegetable, even if it has been packed under continuous USDA inspection, is not required to be shown.

Federal law also does not require listing the number

of servings, but if this is shown the law requires

that the label give the size of the servings in

common measures, such as cups or ounces.

9. (a) The weight of the vegetable including any

liquid in the can. Contents of canned and frozen

vegetables are shown as net weight, not volume.

10. (a) True. Most processors and distributors

have quality control programs whether or not they

use USDA's grading service, and pack vegetables in

at least two grades. The higher grade commands a

better price on the market. Some processors use a

grade name such as "Fancy" without the "U.S." in

front of it. Vegetables so labeled must meet the

quality requirements of the U.S. grade.

SCORING

Give yourself five points for each correct answer.

40-50 Excellent. You know how to buy canned

and frozen vegetables to suit your needs.

30-40 Good. You're a good shopper, but you

would still benefit from "How to Buy Canned and

Frozen Vegetables."

Below 30. Your buying habits could be improved.

47
Lesson Aid VII

More for

Your Money

OBJECTIVES

This supplementary lesson may be of special interest to instructors teaching low income groups,

but would be useful to groups at any income level. It

is a review of all the food categories and uses many

materials also used in the first six lessons. You may

use this lesson separately, or you may want to'incorporate appropriate sections into each of the other

lessons as you use them.

From this lesson:

1. Students should learn how to buy: economy

cuts of meat; foods when they are in season or on

sale, and therefore less expensive; less expensively

packaged foods; and other economical foods, such

as instant nonfat dry milk.

2. Students should learn when lower USDA

grades for food are a good buy.

3. Students should learn that foods are not more

nutritious just because they are an expensive brand

or a high quality grade.

4. Students should learn preparation and cooking

techniques to make economical meals as good as

meals that cost more.

5. Students should learn something about the inexpensive protein available in dry beans, peas, and

lentils.

MATERIALS TO USE

Pamphlets

How to Buy Dry Beans, Peas, and Lentils

Flyers

(from PA-976—How to Buy Food)

How to Buy Ground Beef

How to Cook Beef

(separate one-page flyers)

How to Buy Dry Beans, Peas, and Lentils

How to Buy Rice

How to Cut Up A Chicken

Supplementary Materials

Cereals and Pasta in Family Meals—A Guide for

Consumers (G-150) 350. This pamphlet gives buying, storing, and cooking tips for breakfast cereals,

rice, corn meal and hominy grits, bulgur, and pasta.

Recipes are included.

Money-saving Main Dishes (G-43) 600. Students

may want to order their own copies of this recipe

book to use in learning to make inexpensive, nutritious meals.

Soybeans in Family Meals (G-208) 350. This pamplrlet tells how to use fresh and dry soybeans; soybean sprouts; soyflour, grits, and milk; and soybean

mash, curd, and oil. Recipes are included.

SUGGESTIONS FOR TEACHING

1. An excellent source book for this lesson is

"Your Money's Worth in Foods" (see p. 11). This

book has many good ideas for meal planning and

food shopping for consumers interested m economizing on food.

2. Emphasize during this lesson that USDA

grades for foods are not a measure of nutritive

value. For example, Grade B eggs are just as nutritious as Grade AA or Grade A eggs. Many of the

How to Buy pamphlets tell when to use lower grades

for economy.

3. Have students do some price comparing in the

supermarket:

a. Suggest that they list the prices for different

forms of the same food. For example, have them

compare the cost per serving of fresh green beans,

canned green beans, and frozen green beans.

b. Suggest that they compare prices between

different brands and different styles of a product.

Make sure that they compare the same styles when

comparing brands. Make sure that they compare, for

example, two brands of asparagus spears, not one

brand of asparagus spears and another brand of asparagus tips or cuts. Also be sure they compare the

same brand when comparing different styles.

You may want to assign a specific food or foods

48
to each student. Ask each to make a list and bring it

to class to support his findings. One student could

check prices of different types of green beans; another, different ways of buying orange juice (canned,

bottled, frozen concentrate, made from fresh oranges, etc.), another, different brands of bacon; and

another, different brands or forms (canned, frozen,

dried) of chicken soup. This exercise can make students aware of how simple it is to get the same

product less expensively by comparative shopping

both for brands and for styles.

4. Have a recipe exchange session. Let students

share their money-saving recipes and ideas for leftovers. This would be a good time to emphasize the

"How to Buy Ground Beef" and "How to Cook Beef"

flyers. Discuss different ways to use ground meat,

which kinds are more economical for different purposes, etc. Also, discuss how to cook economy cuts

of meat for good meals.

5. If students are not familiar with instant nonfat

dry milk, you may want to demonstrate its use,

either by itself or as a cake ingredient, for example.

This will show that the product is both economical

and tasty.

6. Familiarize students with dry beans, peas, and

lentils. Emphasize that these foods are excellent

protein sources and good sources of iron as well.

Conduct a cooking demonstration with dry beans,

split peas or lentils, so students will be familiar

with the techniques. Highlight how to use each type

in a meal.

7. Review these charts and tables during this

lesson: "The Cost of Protein Foods" (p. 19 and

p. 52), "Calculating the Cost of Eggs" (p. 30),

"Comparative Costs of Chicken Parts" (p. 34),

"Comparative Costs of Turkey Parts" (p. 35), and

"Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Availability" (p. 40). All

of these can help students get more for their money.

GLOSSARY

You may want to reproduce this glossary for your

students. It can serve as a useful reference both

during the lesson series and afterwards.

Black beans—(Or black turtle soup beans) Dry

beans used in thick soups and in oriental and Mediterranean dishes.

Black-eye peas—(Or black-eye beans or "cow

peas") These dry beans are small, oval-shaped, and

creamish white with a black spot on one side. They

are used primarily as a main dish vegetable. Blackeye peas are beans. There is no difference in the

product, but different names are used in some regions.

Dry split peas—These dry peas have had their

skins removed and they are mainly used for split pea

soup. Split peas are split during processing, when a

machine breaks them in half after their skins have

been removed.

Dry whole peas—These peas are used in making

soups, casseroles, puddings, vegetable side dishes,

dips, and hors d'oeuvres.

Great Northern beans—Larger than but similar to

pea beans, these beans are used in soups, salads,

casserole dishes, and home-baked beans.

Ground beef—Also called hamburger. A label

name for one kind of the broad category of "ground

beef." Hamburger usually has the most fat and costs

the least. It is good for dishes like spaghetti, chili,

meat loaf, and casseroles.

Ground chuck—This kind of ground beef makes

an excellent beef burger or "Salisbury steak." It

usually has less fat and more lean meat than ground

beef—and, if so, will shrink less in cooking. Ground

chuck has enough fat, however, for good flavor and

juiciness.

Ground round—This type of ground beef is

usually very lean and more expensive than ground

beef or chuck. Because it is low in fat ground round

will not be quite as tender or juicy as other kinds of

ground beef.

Ground sirloin—(Also called chopped sirloin)

Usually the most expensive type of ground beef. Its

excellent flavor is good for special recipes and deluxe hamburgers. However, you may find ground sirloin very much like ground chuck.

Instant nonfat dry milk—A dairy product resulting

from the removal of fat and water from pasteurized

fluid milk. It's made by a process that produces

larger flakes than regular nonfat dry milk, so that it

will dissolve "instantly" in water.

Kidney beans—A dry bean that is large, red, and

kidney-shaped. Kidney beans are popular for chili

con carne, salads, and many Mexican dishes.

Lentils—A disc-shaped legume about the size of

a pea. Good for soup, or with fruits, vegetables, or

meat.

Lima beans—Not widely known as a dry bean,

lima beans make good main dish vegetables and can

be used in casseroles. They are broad and flat and

come in different sizes.

Navy beans—This is a broad term that includes

Great Northern, pea, flat, and small white beans.

Pea beans—Small, oval and white, pea beans are

good for home-baked beans, soups, and casseroles.

Pinto beans—These beans are of the same species as the kidney and red beans. Beige-colored and

speckled, they are used mainly in salads and chili.

Red and pink beans—These two types of dry

beans are related to the kidney bean. Both are used

in Mexican dishes and chili. Pink beans have a more

delicate flavor than red beans.

49
Crossword Puzzle

This crossword puzzle will test your familiarity

with the words in the glossaries.

ACROSS

DOWN

3.

4.

6.

7.

10.

12.

13.

15.

16.

17.

19.

21.

22.

23.

A fruit is one that is ready to be picked.

cheese is a blend of fresh and aged

natural cheeses, shredded, mixed, and pasteurized.

To pot roast.

Ham has a shank half and a (two

words)

A black berry or boysenberry is an example of

a . (two words)

USDA Grade describes eggs of the very best

quality.

USDA Prime is a quality for beef and

lamb.

Canned and frozen fruits and vegetables must

have on their label the common name of the

product, the net weight, and the , such

as "French cut" green beans.

Cheddar cheese is a firm cheese.

Jumbo, Extra Large, Medium, Small, Peewee.

These are sizes for

A large steak, good family fare.

Vein-like lines on the rind of some melons.

With this type of peach, the flesh clings tightly

to the pit.

Shoulder is a meaty cut of beef roast,

from the outside of the chuck.

1.

2.

5.

8.

9.

11.

12.

14.

18.

20.

21.

22.

A young, tender-meated chicken may be labeled fryer; roaster, or

Instant dry milk.

This grade of beef has a high proportion of

lean and very little fat.

mold ripened cheese is cured by use

of a characteristic mold culture that grows

throughout the interior of the cheese.

U.S. Grade nonfat dry milk must mix instantly, have a sweet and pleasing flavor, and

have uniform natural color.

A of beef is half a carcass, including

both fore and hind quarters.

grades measure the percentage of lean

meat a carcass contains.

How sharp Cheddar cheese is depends on how

long it has been

Same as 17 across.

Brownish discoloration which sometimes develops on the skins of apples or other fruits

on cold storage.

To cook meat without added water, uncovered,

in the oven.

Canned fruits and vegetables must have the

weight on their labels.

pack cheese is a blend of natural

cheeses, but it is not heated, as is pasteurized process cheese.

50
Answers

U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE : 1975 0-579-944

51
COST OF PROTEIN FOODS

Table 2. Cost of 20 grams of protein at July 1974 prices. (Twenty grams of protein is about a third of the

recommended daily allowance for a 20-year-old man.)

Food

Peanut butter

Eggs, large

Bread, white enriched

Dry beans

Chicken breasts

Chicken, whole, ready-to-cook

Beef liver

Hamburger

Milk, whole fluid

Turkey, ready-to-cook

Pork, picnic

Bean soup, canned

Ham, whole

Tuna, canned

American process cheese . . .

Ham, canned

Frankfurters

Sardines, canned

Pork loin roast

Round beefsteak

Chuck roast of beef, bone in . Ocean perch, fillet, frozen . . .

Liverwurst

Salami

Rump roast of beef, boned . .

Sirloin beefsteak

Rib roast of beef

Bologna

Haddock, fillet, frozen

Pork sausage

Pork chops, center cut

Bacon, sliced

Lamb chops, loin

Porterhouse beefsteak

'Zeal cutlets

Market

unit

12 oz.

doz.

lb.

lb.

lb.

lb.

lb.

lb.

half gal.

lb.

lb.

11.5 oz.

lb.

6.5 oz.

8oz.

lb.

lb.

4 oz.

lb.

lb.

lb.

lb.

8oz.

8oz.

lb.

lb.

lb.

8oz.

lb.

lb.

lb.

lb.

lb.

lb.

lb.

Price per

market

unit 1

$0.62

.62

.35

.78

.75

.52

.91

.90

.78

.66

.72

.26

.90

.59

.72

1.52

1.03

.40

1.13

1.74

1.09

1.08

.68

.86

1.70

1.75

1.52

.71

1.50

1.02

1.54

1.09

2.26

2.06

3.45

Part of

market unit

to give .20

grams of

protein

.23

.25

.51

.24

.25

.37

.24

.24

.29

.35

.32

.96

.29

.44

.38

.24

.36

.94

.33

.22

.35

.36

.60

.50

.26

.28

.33

.73

.35

.52

.35

.5,2

.31

.34

.21

Cost of 20

grams of

protein

$0.14

.16

.18^

.19

.19

.19

.22

.22

.23'

.23

.23

.25

.26

.26

.27

.37

.37

.38

.38

.38

.38

.39

.40

.43

.44

.49

.50

.52

.53

.53

.53

.57

.69

.69

.74

1 Average retail prices in U.S. cities, Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor.

- Bread and other grain products, such as pasta and rice, are frequently used with a small amount of meat, poultry, fish or cheese as main

dishes in economy meals. In this way the high quality protein in meat and cheese enhances the lower quality of protein in cereal products.

3 Although milk is not used to replace meat in meals, it is an economical source of good quality protein. Protein from nonfat dry milk costs

less than half as much as from whole fluid milk.

Table reprinted from: Family Economics Review, Fall 1974. Agricultural Research Service, USDA.

52