Oxford Democrat., 1913-09-09

/
Probably no one Of the many duties .
housek eeper has to perform demands
more thought than that of planning
three meals day. So many considera.
tiops enter in; the pocketbook, the
needs of the family from . dietetic
standpoint and by NO means the least
important one Of flavor and taste.
The wise woman, knowing how much
money she has to spend for foud mater.
ials, divides IL into daily portions, so
that If she goes over the amount allowed
Tor one day she can cut down ON the
next days allowance. Occasionally 1t 10
wise to do this; If, for instance, there
are guests aud one wishes to prepare .
company dinner, the family can on the
next day have less expensive meat or
dessert. But that same wise woman
does not let the family realize the econo-
my. And always where economy is
necessary, extra care is also needed to
make the seasoning little better, or
the dish more attractive than usual.
And right here let it be said that the
best values in perishable food material
can be- had only by going to market and
and selecting those vegetables and fruits
which are especially good that day. The
city markets offer many tempting vege.
tables and fruits out of season, but as a
rule 1t is wiser not to purchase.
Regarding the dietetic side of the sub
ject, unless one studies it q great deal,
the taste will be found good guide in =
healthy normal condition. For instance,
no one could eat and enjoy the combina.
TO, .,f fakn rtn nd
in one meal, or If they were eaten, dis
comfort would follow, owing to an over
| amount of starchy food.
Foods may be grouped into general d.
visions and knowledge OF what these
are and just what are their especial
functions in the nutrition of the body, Is
of invaluable assistance to the house.
holder catering for the health and appe-
tites of her family.
The first group includes the meats,
fish, eggs, nuts, cheese, milk and vege-
tables like peas, beans and lentils. They
contain notable proportion of protein
material, which builds tissue. These
foods are especially Important in early
youth. A liberal supply in the diet of y
high school girl who may have tenden-
cy to break down from nervous tension
and overwork may prevent an actual i'll.
ness, and tide over what IL often q per
iod of physical tension.
Starches and sugars are essentially
heat and energy foods. There are count
less varieties of each, all having practi'
cally the same food value. Sugars form
one of the quickest sources Of heat and
energy. A lump of sugar after an e1-
hausting morning of shopping, furnishes
quick return of energy which may be
followed by more substantial food lat
or.
In making out menu, remember that
the first and last impressions are the
ones which the persons remember.
Therefore, the soup and dessert should
be satisfactory. Very often the soup
may be ommilted and q salad put In.
Never serve cream soup If q substan-
tial dinner is to follow; it is too heavy.
A cream soup and salad with bread
and butter and simple dessert make a
luncheon menu, pleasing to almost
everyone.
Never repeat In menu the same food ;
for instance, do not serve tomato soup
and tomato salad, or tomatoes as a vege-
table. Do not serve a creamed vege-
table when the meat has sauce or
rich gravy; and, Of course, do not serve
two sauces in the same course.
In planning meal, think how each
course will look and taste, and choose
those combinations which naturally go
together. An Englishman once re.
marked when eating chicken and corn,
'How this chicken would have enjoyed
this cornw If one food is lacking 10
flavor, choose one with a decided flavor
10 90 with it. Fish, for instance, espec-
tally boiled cod or halibut, needs an
acid or piquant sauce.
recall a ombinat!on which was very
unsatisfactory, consisting of boiled cod,
mashed potatoes, and baked macarOni-
and everything slipped down Without
catching" the palate, and tasted alike.
| Ii the potatoes had been fried, or the
| macaroni served with tomatoes, the re-
suit would have been better.
Many housekeepers make this mis-
take of serving too many good things In
one meal; another is serving q dish too
often, Just because 1t is fav0rite. Peo.
| pie seldom remember after two weeks,
| and the same com bination can be repeat
cd.
Menu making demands constant
Thought, but the results are we'll worth
the trouble; for everyone must eat, and
health and happiness depend largely on
the kind of food eaten.