Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-11-04
SCHOOL CHlLDREN'S LUNCH
How to Provide Wholesome and Tasty
Food.
Warm Meals Better Than Cold Ones
and Avoid Giving
sweets.

Written FOR The Evening star
The curse OF indigestion. OF which the
American nation is said to have more than
Its just share, begins very often with the
school lunch basket. American children
are worse fed than those Of any other ma
ton on the face OF the earth. 1t Is not
that they are URderfed. far from e. They
eat more than enough food OF a certain
kind.
The fallacy OF the idea that Il requires no
intelligence TO prepare the food for fam
lily is in no other instance so easily shown
as this American children. pasty-faced
and nervous, many OF them are, ara eN-
amples Of the results OF iniudcous feeding.
English children are much more whole
somely catered to In this respect. They arc
given plenty Of plain. easily diCested NUT
ton, roast beef. rice pudding lam. milk,
bread and butter and very little pastry or
PIE On this fare they thrive. grow rosy
checked and wax large IN stature and in
intelligence, while American children from
the time the milk diet is discarded enjoy a
range Of selection in foods that is governed
only by inclination
1t is especially a matter OF inheritance
that growing children, on whose brains tho
demands Of modern educa tional mot hnds
are severe. should be provided with nutri-
uous foods. designed to repair inroads on
those parts Of the body where the waste Is
greatest All children should have a good
warm meal in the middle of the fay but
there are many cases where that is not
possible. Those children who attend day
school too far from home for their return
at midday must of necessity be satisfied
with cold luncheon. 1t is seldom advls-
able Tor the child TO be given the money TO
purchase the meal at a restaurant even IN
there is one convenient to the school house
Inc cooking in most restaurants Is very
bad and the children are likely to be
thrown in contact with undesirable people
Their selection OF food too VIII naturally
be more a matter of inclination than iudg-
neht. Moreover the children will often
Try To save from the money with which
they are intrusted sufficient 10 nl,rrb.se
coveted candies or TOYS
Many wise heads Of schools. realizing that
II IS the child whose comfort is best cared
Tor who studies best. have special rooms
set aside for the day scholars The rooms
are furnished with neat tables. and are IN
charge or servant. who is there TO look
after things and take orders for bowls If
soup. cups Of coffee glasses OF milk ar
other inexpensive yet nutritious hun IIpbt
foods. Se
A Luncheon Outnt.
When 1t is not possible for the children
to have their luncheon in school With the
school boarders each child should be pr,-
Vided with reat basket in which a whole
some lunch is put up. The basket may
contain Japanese napkin, a picnic knife
FORK and a spoon I'm a case, a coI,apsn,.e
drinking cup, a flask OF milk and one Of
cold soup, II there is any place TO warm Il
at noon. II the flask is of metal the SCUM
may De warmed by laying it against the
steam pipes with which the school g
heated.
The luncheon should be wrapped I'm clean
Whlte napkins TO keep it fresh. Sandwiches,
II wrapped IN glace paper. will be found al
noon almost as nice as when first made
These sandwiches may be made with suv
sort OF Milling that is convenient and liked
IN summer a tomato may be put I'm Tho
basket and a few slices d lott
httIe mayonnaiSe dressing in a shallow
emma box. such as is sold I'm the shops for
hoiding pins. If the inside of the lid IS
covered with piece of the glace nappr II
may be made to fasten down tight With
the vegetables and bread and butter the
enid can at noon make sandwiches. first
taxing slice of bread then a leaf Of lot
tuce, then little dressing a slice Of the
tomato and a slice OF bread being ADDED.
IheSe sandwiches are delicious for a warm
uay- joints OF chicken may be given The
child when there is cold chicken at home
or meat, chicken oyster patties hard
boiled eggs, fruit tartlets. slices of veal
Ioaf or any dish that may be eaten cold OF
may be served attractively in luncheon
basket.
Cake and pie should be seldom included.
cut httle glasses Of jelly, preserves and
milk puddtngs all suggest themselves as
being suitable Fruit makes an excellent
dessert. fresh fruit being always whole
some The expense of these luncheoUs need
DE very lght, as they may be made UP from
these bits are worked over into pattles and
sandwiches, so that the child is not made
10 feel that anything is good enough for
him and that he is being fed on What he
calls left overs"
The difficulty with growing children is
that there is too long interval between
meals. Children, like kittens, should eat
often and little at a time.
Little. but often.
AT about 1870 O'clock few oatmeal bis
cults and a glass Of milk would not only
be acceptable. but so refreshing that tho
school work would be done much better.
As school is dismissed In most cases at
from 2:30 to $3.50 in the afternoon, that ses-
sion is not so trying. although a ten min
uteS break in the middle Of the afternoon
with an apple or an orange for each child
and the opportunity to converse freely
would be conducive to good discipline as
well as health. Punishment might take tha
form of FORGETTING this period Of respite
from work.
OF course in public schools there will be
dlflculty in putting this into practice. one
teacher who wished 10 make the expert
ment asked the pupils to bring a few pen
niles, and with this box Of Ga meal crack
ers was bought. and two or three were
served to each child every day In the
same way apples were bought in the winter
by the barrel, so that they cost each
scholar very little. Every one had his own
cup or glass, which he had brought from
home. little strip of paper pasted along
the bottom of the cup with mUcilage bear
ing the name of its owner. 1t was put on
securely enough to stand several washings.
Water was passed out among the pupils
and each ate his oatmeal biscuits or apple.
1t was break in the work of the day and
the children never failed TO return to their
tasks with renewed energy.
The plan of serving noon lunch for chill
dren in the public schools has long been
talked Of, a few rolls and cup Of hot gailk
and coffee to be sold for a few pennies
being the plan OF the philanthropists who
originated the idea 1t is a little hard to
expect children to work on such light
meal, but that some day a light and really
nutritious lunch will be served cheaply. or
even free, in each school building is some-
thing which We may all expect with conf
dence.
Some Little known Facts.