Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1910-01-29
Home Curse
In Domestic
Science
iii. Cost of Food In
Moderate Homes.
BY EDITH G. CHARLTON.
In Charge of Domestic Economy Iowa
State College
Copyright 1910 by American Press
Association

III 4 was NuShID W Nb Sdlu. sure EObU
is tirst In feeding people. then ia
dressing people. then In rudgiuS
people and last tn rightly pIrasrug
people with arts or science or any uth-
cr subject OF thought.
If Ruskin is right, aud we know he
Is, then 1t behoovcs All those VINO are
interested In homemaktng aud nuuSr-
keeping to see to II that their duty ~
well performed; that the results at
their labor are not only bringing good
to people. but also making good people
This means improving their physira
conditions, training them to higher
ideals and trurr standards OF living
The standard OF lite will dcIermin"
the character OF the home. and when
ever homes and family life are not
what civilization and Christianity
teach they should be the cause viii
invariably be found to bc wrong stand
ards.
The cost OF living depends on the
ideas and standards of the persons
spending the money. or else 1t depends
on the total disregard tor them. The
question of how much our living
shall cost is more OF education than OF
location, so scale OF expenditures
cannot be given that will be suitable
in every particular 10 any locaiity.
Local conditions must be taken into
consideration to some extent. though
1t is generally found that large expend
iture In one department OF housekecp-
ing can be readily balanced by various
economies in another
Any woman who has right stand
ard of life will not be satisfied to spend
all the income for physical needs. She
will want balance for those things
which are termed higher life, educa-
ton and all those advantages which
develop the mental and moral side OF
the family Ii has been repeatedly
proved that when the family income
is adjusted 50 as to leave at least %
per cent OF 1t for matters not connect
ed with material living there is con
tentment in the family circle and
desire among the individual members
to reach the highest attainm"ntS Of
true manhood and womanhoOd. 1t Is
not my purpose In this article TO at
tempt to do more than show what pro
portion of the income should be re-
served for food and how that amount
can be spent in order to keep within
the margin and to satisfy the physical
needs of the family.
1t has been said that one half the
81 i,i, 10, hn nf
IT has been shown over and over again
that 1t Is not the food actually eaten
which costs so excessively as II Is
what is wasted by poor cooking, pre-
pairing too large quantities and buying
out of season
Meals at 18 Cents a Day.
An income of from $1,000 to $l,5OO
should allow no more than Is to %
cents day for each person for food.
or not more than % per cent of the
total incomes. TO feed Il family OF
five persons on 80 cents a day. or Is
cents each, requires thought and con
siderable planning on the part OF the
hOusekeeper But on that amount II
is possible to provide good nOurishing
meals every day and in amount sntti-
cient for all the needs of the body.
This is not mere theoretical state
ment, for in many homes In this coun-
try less than 81 n day is being spent
on the table.
To buy wisely on small margin
requires some knowledge OF food val
ues, because it is necessary to have
the daily meals represent a given
amount of proteid. fat sugar and
starch, mineral matter and water.
These food constituents must be pro
vided every day n the body is to be
kept in normal condition.
AMOUNT FOOD MATERIAL THAT WILL
FURNISH REQUIRED NOURlSHMEST
FOX ONE DAY FOR MAN AT AVERAGE
WORK.