The Press., 1892-05-26
(From Bulletin of the Storrs School Experiment
 Statton) FOOD INVESTIGATIONS.

Wage-workers and people of moderate incomes generally in New England spend and must spend nearly half their earnings for food. The health and strength of all are intimately connected with and de- pendent upon their diet. Yet even the most intelligent people know less of the actual uses and values of their food for fulfilling it's purposes than they do of those of almost any other of the necessi- ties of life. In consequence there is great waste in the purchase and use of food, loss of money, and injury to health
 We make three-fold mistake in our food economy. First, we pun chase need lessly expensive kinds of food. The cheapest food is that which supplies the most nutriment for the least money. The most economical food is that which is the cheapest and at the same time the best adapted to the wants of the user. The maxim that "the best is, the cheapest" does not apply to food. The best food, in the sense of that which is the finest in appearance and flavor, and which is sold at the highest price, is not generally the cheapest, nor is it always the most health full or economical. Even among those who desire to economize, there is great pecuniary loss from the selection of ma terials in which the actual nutrients are really, though not apparently, dearer than need be.
 Many people make the grave mistake of believing that the highest-priced food ma terials are the best, and purchase accord ingly. As class, they consume large amounts of the dearer kinds of meats. The fact is that the cheaper cuts of meat are just as nutritious, and when properly cooked are very palatable. Many whose means are limited err seriously in their choice of food, so that they are often in adequately nourished when they might be we'll fed at less cost; and, what is the worst thing of all, it is generally the very poor who practice the worst economy in the purchase as we'll as in the use of their food. Here, as elsewhere, it is true that
 'to him that hath shall be given, but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath"
 Second, the food which we eat does not always contain the proper proportions ot the different kinds of nutritive ingredi- ents. We consume fats and carbohy. drates in relative excess. People in this country eat what Is set before them, ask. ing no questions for economy's sake, pro- vided it suits their taste. We are a gen. eration of fat, starch, and sugar eaters. We are so because of the abundance and toothsomeness of foods containing these ingredients.
 Third, in this country many people not only the we1l-to-do, but those in mod crate circumstances also-use a needless quantity of food; part of this excess, however, is simply thrown away, so that the injury to health, great as 1t may be, is doubtless much less than if all were eat en-. The investigations here referred to confirm the general impression that, we consume much more food than is required tOl UuL pCcU ulASutuOut, buO bAlS -lS 0s3- pecially the case with people who do but little n uscular work.
 Allowing that the food consumption of which statistics have been collated is ap. proximately repi esentative Of that of peo. pie in the United States generally, we are led to the conclusion that our. national dietary has become one-sided, so that, al. though we live upon high nutritive plane, our food might be better fitted tc our needs. The chief error seems to be in the use of needless quantities of the fatter kinds of meat and sweet-meats. The subject is an important one fol wage-workers. Statistics, as we'll as com
 mon observation, bear emphatic testimo ny to the better condition of the Ameri can as compared with the European work fngman, in respect to his supply of tht necessaries and comforts of life. No where is this superiority more striking than in the quality and quantity of thu food. .ts....e.- ..f...
 The American workingman is better