The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1917-08-30
MEATS

The meat bills are the largest sin
gle item in the cost of food. From
a to II the money spent FOR food
goes to the butcher and usually the
smaller the income the larger the pro-
portion spent for meats. There is
greater opportunity for saving in
shopping for meats than for dry goods
you probably spend more money
for meats than for dress. Except for
Australia, the people of the United
States are the most liberal meat eat
ers in the world The average con
sumption in this country including
rich and poor, children and babies is
about 220 pounds a year. European
people use less than half this amount
and the typical beef eating English
mar not more than two-thirds.
There is an old idea firmly implant-
ed, that meat eating makes strength.
This idea Is a part of our tradition
because the Psychologist, Liebig.
seemed to establish the plausible the
DRY that muscular energy comes from
meat and other proteids eaten. That
seemed natural-the muscles are
meat and during exercise the muscles
are used, so to be strong eat meat,
But later PSYCHOLOGISTS have proved
conclusively that muscular energy
ONE from the starch, sugar and fats
eaten. as we'll as from proteins. The
proteins are necessary only for re-
pairing the bodily tissues-and tissues
don't wear out very fast. Authorities
estimate that 4 a pound of meat per
person, per day is an ample allow
ance, so that the amount of meat eat
en- in the average family can safely
be cut down.
However, meats are appetiZing and
easily digested and there is no good
reason why a moderate amount of
meat should not be eaten. the vegeta-
rian to the contrary. True, many peO-
pie eat too much meat-it is too slim
~ulating for some people. Meat is an
expensive food. especially the choic-
est cuts. regarded from the standpoint
of food value. A pound of lean
meat has about half the food value
of a pound of white bread, medium
fat meat about the same and fat meat
more-if the fat is eaten.
The problem is to reduce the guam
THY of the expensive cuts used with
out its being noticed. An almost uni
versal rule among brides seems to be
when in doubt have steak, and they
often have doubts Now there Is
nothing much better han a first quail
ity Porter House steak. done to a
turn. Have it by all means-once in
a while. But have the less expensive
cuts served in different ways for va
riety, aside from the price. When
you do have the expensive cuts, order
only sufficient for a small service so
lidl al - tdIflI W III bo ltlt .
Order one chop only for each person.
Order steaks by the price, as a "35-
cent steak" instead Of IL pounds
when you usually get and pay for ~
pounds. Order roast the same way,
as "75-cent roast or whatever price
or amount you wish (but check up
the weight.)
With meals in which expensive
meats are used have a number Of
vegetables or macaroni or the vari-
Gus scalloped dishes and take the edge
off the appetite by a first course Of
soup and bread or crackers, or have
a salad. Good bread is about the
cheapest and most wholesome food
there is.
The inexpensive cuts of meats have
just the same nutritive value and are
as digestible as the expensive cuts
and fully as palatable when properly
prepared. The butcher asks and gets
double price for sirloin because every
one wants a sirloin-often as a mat
ter of pride. You pay for supposed
superior flavor and tenderness. In
order to buy meats economically you
should Of course be acquainted with
all the cuts. Experiment with all the
cuts Of beef, mutton and pork that
o have never used, as praised, pot