The midland journal., 1917-06-29
FOOD WASTE AT HOME.
Housewife the Chief Factor in the
Conservation of the Nations
Food Supply-Helpful
Suggestions.

OuSSCSUAOuSs
One dollar out of every five that is
spent for food is thrown away in
some American households. In the
majority it may be only one out OF
every ten or twelve, but in almost
every home the waste is an import
ant item in the cost of living. In
vestigators have estimated it as
ranging from practically nothing to
20 per cent of the food purchased,
with tx per cent as mean value.
Few housewives probably have any
idea of what it amounts to in their
own homes, but there are fewer still
who could reduce it if they would.
Ordinarily the process of wasting
begins with the purchase of food. 1t
is not uncommon, for example, for
the housewife to want the butcher
to trim off the fat and bones which
we're nevertheless included when the
meat was weighed and for which ne
has charged his customer. Since
these have to be paid for, the eco
nomical housewife will see that they
are taken home and used. The
bones should go into the soup pot ana
the fat can be utilized for cooking
and thus made to reduce the amount
of fat which must be purchased
specially for that purpose and which
in many households is a considerable
item in the years food bill.
Another cause of wasteful buying
is the erroneous idea that the value
of foods as food is in some way de-
termined by the price. AS matter
of fact, the nutritive value OF an
article of food and its price seldom
have any relation to each other. An
expensive cut of beef is not neces-
sarily any more sustaining than
cheap one. It usually tastes better
or can be cooked by easier methods.
To buy it deliberately for these
qualities does not necessarily mean
waste of money, but if one is looking
for nutriment, not flavor or con-
venience, the purchase of the expen=
sive cut is often uwarranted ex-
trayagance. Care in cooking and
seasoning moreover, will make mex
uensive meats attractive and much
better than costly ones poorly pre-
pared.
With fruits and vegetables the
price is often determined by the sea-
son. A vegetable out of season is
much more expensive than one in
season, but it is no more nutritious.
In order to purchase to best advant-
age, the housewife should under
stand such things and should also be
familiar with general market cond1-
tions. If she can choose between
going to market in person and order
ing by telephone or at the door, she
should know whether in her partlcu-
lar circumstances the convenience oil
the latter makes up for, the possibly
better prices and quality to be OBJ
tanned by the former method. She
should, further, know whether the
saving often effected by buying IN
bulk is likely to be offset or not by
spoilage and waste in the home. Ii
she has no adequate storage faclll-
ties it may often be wiser to buy III
small quantities. Furthermore, when
this is done, there is no doubt that
there is less temptation to be unduly
lavish with the article in question.
Once the food is in the house, it is
important that all that is edible be
eaten. The peeling of potatoes, for
example, seems a small thing, but it
has been estimated that 20 per cent
Of the flesh of the potato is often
1ost in the process. Not only are
many other vegetables alG fruits
wastefully pared, but in many cases
the tops or outer leaves are thrown
away, although they could be used
as green, to flavor soups, and in
other ways.
One of the articles of food with
which the waste is greatest is bread.
n almost every household quantities
of this are left over" every day.
Frequently they are put into the
garbage pail; more rarely they are
made into bread pudding or few
7re used in scalloped dishes or in
similar ways. 1t is not generally
known, however, that dried bread
ran be ground in a coffee mill or
food chopper and used in place of
mart or all of the flour called for in
gingerbread, and cookies, pancakes,
and biscuits, or in thickening soups,
sauces, etc. This fact has long been
familiar to commercial bakers and
there is no reason why the housewife
should not practice the same econ
omy that they do.
sOne great difficulty is that too
many American housewives consider
the details of real economy beneath
them. 1t has not been the American
practice to scrimp. 1t is not uncom-
NAV T,,rnNo inctanna IN