The Cairo bulletin., 1909-08-26
SCHOOL cHlLDREN's NOON MEAL
The question Of midday dinner or

| The question OF Il midday dinner or
luncheon al home for school, children
is a difficult one Of many mothers to
solve. How 70 have it ready on time,
perhaps halt in hour IN advance OF
! the food prepared for the rest OF the
family who come in later. how to
have II nourishing and appetizing,
and AT the same time so simple that
It's hasty consumption viii not upset
the Digestion this is something 1t
takes ones best powers to settle.
Or course the ideal child will never
swallow its food half masticated, but
will iudieiously chew on II till 1t Is
properly prepared for digestion; un-
fortunately however the ideal child
Is not the real one; he bolts his food
between tWo rapid trips from and
toward school. and probably he will
lontinne 10 do this til school days
are over His mother must aceommo-
date the meals to this unfortunate
habit OF hurry and try and give him
What will harm him least under these
circumstances.
One of the very best things to have
is a gOod-sized plate or bowl OF strong
soup Being hot, it Is probable he
cannot eat il too rapidly, and ii may
be SO full OF nourishment that it will
r. I'm. l., Inn . /, L.,
the soup a thick PURGE of beans, black
brown and white, or OF split peas, as
often as possible, varying the flavor
so it will not grow tiresome One day
there may be little squares of bread
Drowned in the oven put on at the
last moment, or on the black bean
soup there may be chopped hard
boiled egg. These will give variety.
Have milk soups also. the tops
aud root of celery, cooked with a
slice of onion. strained through a
wire seive and put into slightly
thickened hot milk will make an eX-
cellent soup: serve this with hot
crackers, Or, take part Of a dish of
leftover stewed canned corn and
treat this in the same way. Use white
beans, also, or any cooked vegetable,
or combinations OF two or more yege-
tables.
When there are fresh meat bones
at hand cook these down in plenty of
water with any vegetable or mixture
Of vegetables, till you have a pot of
strong stock, taking a whole day to
the process. Cool this, strain and
take off the cake OF fat; then heat,
strain again and add diced vegetables,
or rice or barley or tomato; in cold
weather you can divide the stock
and use half in one way one day and
the rest in another the second time.
After a good dishful OF soup not so
much else Is needed as where the soup
is omitted. Baked potatoes, especially
sweet ones. make good second
course, or a plate of hot baked beans,
or canned tomatoes on toast, with
plenty of seasoning or course, there
may be regular dinner OF meat and
vegetables, but this is seldom adyisa
BILE, because it Is too hearty for hasty
eating 1t is far better 10 have the
dinner at night for all school children,
provided 1t is not rich and difficult
of digestion, but merely simple and
good
Fruit is the best finish to the noon
meal; baked apple with cream;
few figs stewed or merely as they are;
handful Of prunes stuffed with nuts
and rolled in graduated sugar; a
little canned fruit, or an orange are
all excellent When it is impossible
for child to come home to the noon
meal, then the mothers task S even
more difficult for putting up school
luncheons is formidable effort II il
almost impossible 10 have the food