Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-05-02

pound protein for 10 cents at ordinary
prices: Condensed milk meats at more than
20 cents pound; fat meats, such as bacon
and salt pork; shellfish, as CLAIMS, oysters
Ia bles fresh and dried fruits: fats, as but
ter and lard; starches, as tapioca, sage and
cornstarch; sugars canned vegetables and
fruits
Cheap Meats.
Animal foods, judged by bulk and weight
are more expensive, pound for. pound than
vegetable foods. But as whole vegetable
foods are not more economical. Animal
foods furnish more than six-tenths of the
protein and nine-tenths of the fat of the
total food consumed. An ounce of protein
or fat from the tenderloin of beef has DO
more value to the body than the same
quantity of either ingredient from the
shoulder or round. The chief superiority al
the expensive cuts of meat is tenderness,
but with careful cooking the cheaper GUS
can be made very tender, palatable and APP
petizing, the poor mans eating tactics will
say.
Preserved fish are generally more econom-
ical than fresh fish. Thus salt cod furnish
eS 30 per cent more nouriShment than does
fresh cod, and salt mackerel more than
twice much fresh mackerel Salt
mackereI is about twice as economical as
canned salmon.
A quart of oysters contains about the
same amount of nutrition as a quart o.
milk, three-auarters of lound of lean
beef, two pounds of fresh cod or a pound
of bread
SKINNED milk is of the most econom-
ical of foods. 1t contains practically the
same amount of protein as whole milk, and
costs half as much. Cheese at 16 cents a
pound is more economical than any kind of
meat at the same price. Refrigerator eggs
are as wholesome fresh eggs for cooking
purposes Lard is the most economical ami
NAL fat.
Vegetable Economy.
The most and least economical of foods
belongs to the vegetable kingdom. The
nutritive value of breakfast foods is no
greater than that of flour or meal, and the
little book will brand the claims of some
of them as ''preposterous.' 1t will recon-
mend white -four as more economical than
graham or whole wheat fours. There Is
more protein in the bran and germ of wheat
than in the remainder of the kernel it is
pointed out. But flour containing the bran,
while having somewhat more protein, is of
less advantage to the body. The protein Is
bound up in material SO tough that it is
not readily acted upon by the digestive
juices Careful experiments made by the
government chemists have proven that the
finer fiours are more digestible than the
graham or whole wheat fours
Bread can be made at home about half
as cheap as it can be bought if the baking
is done with the same fire needed for other
pun poSeS. SdtIHedl anu TOlieU oats IuTH1Sn
more than twice much protein and ener-
gy as the same investment in a cheap cut
O. beef, such as briSket, worth 6 cents
pound. White cOrnmeal is as nutritious as
yellow cornmeal. Rice is of the most
expensive of the cereals. 1t is deficient in
protein.
Pure olive oil is no more nutritious than
a wholesome vegetable Oil of inferior
flavor. Cucumbers are no more valuable
to the body in February than in July, al
though the price is many times great in
the former month The same is said of all
foods out of season.
Superior to any other vegetable food
even the cerealS-aS sources of protein, are
dried beans and peas. They rank among
the most economical of all foods and COM
pare favoraby with most meats in point
of nutrition.
Tea and coffee are classed as luxuries
and the coffee substitutes made from roast
ed cereals are discovered not to have nu-
tritive value commonly claimed for them.
At 141s Cents Day.
How much a day need a mans food cost?
The government dietary experts figures
are already being put to practical test.
The Baltimore Association for the I'm
provement of the Condition of the Poor
has used the official data as the basis for
a series of ra ton tables.
Less than 141s cents day will feed one
man, if ideal economy be applied. In other
words, he can purchase for 81 enough pro-
visions to last him week This poor
mans ration affords him each day just
what he needs-no more, no less. Here is
a sample poor mans ration for one day:
Breakfast, corn bread, sirup, coffee; dinner,
bread pork, pea soup; supper, bread, homi-
ny, tea. There is also computed a ration
which will keep two people well nourished
at the rate of $1.50 q week, or less than
1OA cents per day each. Another provides
for family of three at the rate of $3.50
week. and still another for family of four
at 81 % a week.
The new navy ration was based upon
modern dietary studies 1t represents what
is even more than sufficient for man at
hard work. Here is the basic days ration,
which may be varied with equivalents
Fresh meat. one and three-quarters
pounds: dried fruit, three ounces; BEANS
three glls; soft bread, one and one-quarter
pounds; butter, two ounces; sugar, four
cream, one ounce. In addition, the sailor
now gets a weekly allowance of macaroni
one-half pound; cheese four ounces; toma-
toes. four ounces; vinegar, onehalf pint;
pickles, one-half pint; molasSeS one-half
pint; salt, four ounces; pepper, one-fourth
ounce; mustard, one-half ounce.
That is what Uncle Sam considers to
represent three good, square meals for
working man. Here is what he gives a
soldier in barracks and taking moderate
exercise:
For one day-Fresh beef, one and one
fourth pounds; soft bread, one and one
eighth pounds; beans, two and two-fifths
ounces; potatoes, one pound; prunes, one
and three-ffths ounces; ground coffee one
and seven-twenty-fifths ounces; sugar
three and one-ffth ounces: vinegar eight
twenty-ffths gill; salt, t-thirteenths
ounce; black pepper one-twenty-fifth ounce
Either of the latter two is more generous
than the poor mans ration" The three
are excellent bases for experiments in do
mestic economy to be made in the house,
holds of 1.-THE poor.