The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1916-04-02
FAMILY Dinner
IS GIVEN @. X"
Uncle Sam Declares the Noon
Meal May Be Made Suita-
bic for School Children.
COOKING Is IMPORTANT
And. Mind You, the Governments Ex-
perts Pronounce that Prompt
Service Is Most Essential.

There is no reason why the ordinary
family dinner should not be suitable for
school children or served in a way that
adapts II to their needs, according to
Farmers Bulletin 712, entitled School
Lunches" just issued by the Depart
ment of Agriculture.H
The usual first course of meat and
vegetables contains nothing. except the
meat, which cannot be given even to the
youngest children. The vegetables, pro-
viding they are carefully prepared by
simple methods, are specially needed
and can often be made attractive to
children by being served with a little
meat gravy. AS substitute for the
meat itself. milk can be provided in the
case of the younger children. These
articles, with the bread and butter, pro-
vide most OF the food needed.
The dessert course is suitable for chill
dren as well as for grown people unless
1t consists of rich pastries or buildings.
The latter are not considered wholesome
Tor children, II for no other reason tina N
that they are likely to lead to oYereat-
ing. Such desserts as fruit, fresh or
cooked, with cake; cereals with milk or
cream, and sugar; custards and custard
puddings; gelatin dishes: simple ice
cream. water ices. and other simple des-
serts may be given.
cooking Is Important.
Whether or not the family meal is
wholesome for children depends not
only on the food materials selected, but
also on the way in which it is cooked.
simple methods are to be preferred from
the standpoint OF health as well as from
that of the housekeeper's time. All
dlshes that are likely to contain over
heated and scorched fats, such as food .
carelessly fried in a pan in a small
amount of fat, should be avoided
Deep-tat frying is open to fewer OBJ
jections, since. If properly done. foods
Will absorb little fat and the fat will
not scorch. Vegetables cooked in water
or In their own juices and seasoned with
salt and a little butter or cream, are
easier to prepare than those that are
served with white sauce, scalloped, or
cooked in other elaborate ways
What is said above applies equally to
all meals There is, however. one spec
ial precaution that applies to the noon
meal when 1t is hurried. This refers to
tough hard foods that are likely to
escape proper mastication. II Is a mis-
take to think that the foods given to chill
dren must always be soft or finely diyId-
ed. for chidren's teeth need exercise
quite as much as their muscles do.
When time for eating is limited, how
ever, 1t is well to omit foods that are
difficult to chew, and in extreme cases
II may be necessary to serve only soft Or
hnely divided fOods-sandwiches made
from crustless bread with finely chopped
nlhngs, for example. Before resorting
to this. however, 1t Is Well to make sure
that the time for eating and for insis-
tence on good table manners is not
unnecessarily cut short,
The advantage of putting the meal on
Ihe table promptly and of having foods
served in individual portions, or at least
ready to eat when they are brought to
the table, should be kept in mind. To
have the meat already sliced and the
dessert in cups instead of in one large
dish from which individual portions must
be served. and to follow the same general
plan with other foods. may change a hur-
rled meal iEto one at which there is plenty
of time for attention to details essential
to health and good manners