The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1917-07-22
ELIMINATING FOOD WASTE
Hints for War Economy Prepared by the
American Defense Society.

The prime obstacle to the solution OF
the food problem Is not an actual
shortage OF food. but the lack OF scien-
tific production and the extraordinary
percentage OF waste and profits be-
tween production and consumption
Farmers produce what Is most profit
able rather than what Is easiest grown
or most needed: mitldleme II ignore
everything but their immediate and
maximum profit: and consumers buy
and cXpcnd foodstuffs to slight ad.
vantage. Our marketing and distri-
hutton system has broken down, and
recent European experiments have
shown that the government must bo
empowered. trusted and held respon-
sihlc.
Food Preservation.
The work of canning. drying ana
preserving pcrisl,ahle foods can be
done entirely by women who volun-
tecr part OF their leisure time on crr-
ain days OF each week. iNNOsnen should
quit knitting Cor n few weeks and go to
harvesting and preserving by comlnu-
mites. Make il war business ana
social junction. II In the American
wonan's most important war industry
during the season.
Neiehborhood cooperation WITH ac-
| complish wonders, two women for
harvesting. two FOR boiling and can
ming, two for prcnarlng and driving, and
ono with a small car for distributing.
selling. and other outside work.
Discover what fruits and vegetables
,z,,y1, -
relatively small value. Which are bet
ter dried. which must he canned. and
the cost OF each process. Use the SIM
/ pie processes whenever possible. Cost
! is the deciding factor In most cascs
and there Is always n practical limit.
Peas. beans. corn. eggplant. rhubarh.
apples and many other things can he
| dried at home or In small plants, nt
great saving OF cost. Substitute con-
tainers of fiber or other material for
tin and glass. You viii find MANY sur
plus inrs. crooks. higs and bottles
around the house. II you cannot Use
/ them. turn them In to some central
committee TINT can make use OF tho
materials.
Simple homo drying Ia becoming q
lost nrt. Fruits and vegetables should
he cut into slices one eighth to one.
fourth ~ an inch thick Dry In home
! made trays of three efghths boards,
sides and ends two inches high. and
bottoms Of screening, galvanized wire
mesh, or la'hire spaced one fourth OF
IN inch. There nrc three methods OF
| dfyin": in ~" e,n by artificial heat.
and by air blnst-an electric fan, for
example
The fruit should be turned or stirred
from time to time while drying. After
drying. the product should he packed
Temporarily -" !, TO-" dave crd each
dav poured from one box to another
to insure thorough mixing ana n uni
form degree OF moisture. Any part
found to be too moist should ne re.
dried. When In condition. pack tho
nroduct permanently. The United
States Department OF Agriculture
Issues MANY valuable pamphlets deal
| Inc with NIL nhases OF the food nMes.
tlon, which can be had for the asking.
Food Values.
Tho question Of diet ard food cxpen.
! ditnre has hecnne y matter lnsistent-
l,v demard,nr The attention ~ ,ndivId-
MATS and governments. Millions Of
people across the aeas look to US for
! n larpe rart ut their food. Al Euro
penn nations have instituted relief
measures recurring the wise expenIii.
ture OF food and the elimination Of
waste. We alone among the allied ma.
tions continue our extravngant ex-
penditure along the old lines OF finan-
cihl waste and physical injury.
To every household President Will
son says: let me suggest also .
that every housewife who practices
strlct economy puts herself In THO
ranks of those who serve the nation.
This is the time for America to cor
rect her objectionable fault Of waste.
fuinnss and extravaganza. 80 The
supreme test OF the nation has come
We must all speak. act. and serve
together"
There are certain fundamental prin-
ciplcs or food values OF which fcw
housewives have any ADEQUATE knowl-
edge. Mr.. Herbert c. Hoover urges
every housewife to study food costs
md scientific food values. ana sMg.
&c ats that Americans. M fnr M pos.
siblc. eat fish. fruits. vegetables. poul !.
try and dairy products which cannot
he exported. and save exportable
grains. and staples such IA sugar. lard
and cured meats. Every housewife can
prohibit the unnecessary or wasteful
use OF foods. Cut the frills out OF your
mems.
| A well-to-do woman reports that for
each person In her family she buys
daily. on the average. one pint OF milk,
~ eggs. eight ounces meat. five
ounces cereals. three ounces sugar
three ounces fats. and five ounces po.
tatocs OR the equivalent In vegetables
Tho meat IL butchers weight. including
trimmings, md double allowance OF
milk 10 necessary for children. This
list conAins sugars. starches. fats. pro-
teins and mineral salts. proportlonsd "a
the needs Of the body. and ID prob.
ably In cxcess Of requirements.
/ 1t has been repeatedly dsmonstnted
that the averaa9StaqA wuonaufx
live on q simpiesr4tion costing 30 70 g
.. cents Z day. work hard and BE- ads.
qnatsly nourished. The 1ollow1ng