Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1917-05-04

ucslIoAcu ~ TatS, nice, anu insects con-
stiute the heavy items in the $700,O00,O0O
annual waste of food in homes in this
country cited recently by the secretary of
agriculture. Seven hundred million dol
lars il considered To be 4 conservative fig
IRE. In houschld waste, Of course, are not
included in the vast losses of fod allowed
under improper handling or inefficient
marketing methods TO spoil in transit or in
the hands of producers or dealers.
Much of this 500, 900, 900 household
waste of food, the dietary specialists Of
the L. s. department of agriculture de-
clare, is easily prevcntable. This prevent
able waste consists in large part of the
following items:
/. Edible food thrown into the garbage
pail or into the kitchen sink. That vast
amounts of nourishing material are thrown
out from American kitchens and so made
useless for human consumption, Is wei.
established by the returns from garbage
and fertilizer plants showing the amount
of fats and heterogeneous material rccov-
cred from city garbage.
Nutn OF the lopU II AnToNH our, TIC
specialists say, because 30 MANY people
DO no, know how "a utilize l~cftovcrs or will
not take the trouble 10 keep and prepare
them. The specialists point ont that left
over cereals can be rcheatcd or combined
with fruits, meats or vegetables into appc-
thing side dishes; that even Il spoonful
of cereal j. worth saving n 4 thickencr
of soups. ~gravics and sauces. Stale bread
can be utilized in a variety Of ways in com
~hinaiion with vegetables and meats and in
preparing hot breads and buildings. Skim
milk. too widely looked down upon n a
food although IT contains practically all
the nouri-hing clements If whole milk with
the exception of the cream or fat. can be
used n q beverage. in coking cereals. or
n q basis for milk soups or sauces. Even
sour milk, 80 largely thrown away. can be
used in making hot breads or in the home
manufacture OF cottage cheese.
Every scrap Of meat or fish can be com
bincd with cclears or rather foods lacking
in pronounced flavor. both 10 give flavor
and TO add nourishmcnt 70 madc-over
dishes. Every bit Of fat or Suet trimmed
from meat before cooking or tried out m
boiling. roasting. or hroiling can lac made
useful in cooking. Many butchers, after
they nave weighed meat and rancd 2 Z
price for the cut. trim of valuable suct
and fat. This fat which the housewife
paws for. if taken home and used, would
reduce expenditure for preparing cook
ing fats. Water used in cooking rice and
many of tho vegetables contains nuiri
cntS and desirable flnyoring materials val
uablc m soups or sauces. Too often fats
and such water are poured into the sink
Many persons regard the saving of
small amounts of left over food n unim-
portant. III they kept accuratc account,
hawcvcrti for any period. the pcciali-t-
say. many families would be ~a~toundcd BY
the sums that they are paying r. tho gro
Ger. the butcher. and mfilkman merely To-
replace good food being ahaol;.tcly wasted.
,. Spoilagc Of food due to rdrCcS-
handling and storing ~ the home. lmpor
tan. amount o. pcrishahlc focds ~, made
dangerous Il inciiblc ii hon ehold- be-
cause they are exposed unnecessarily 10
heat. germs. du>1 .l.rt, or - el'a~ and
other insects.
Much milk spoils quickly because il II
kept uncovered III warm kitchens. Close
observance If the doctrinc-"kccp per
ishablc food. especially milk. cool, clean
and covered continuously may make q
striking difference in the food bills VI
many families.
In other eases, ono or two vegetables.
bcctS or carrots. for instance. not needed
Immediately are thrown out or allowed to
spoil instead of beng used IN soups or
combination di-hc,. Fruits which could he
stewcd and kept are allowed 10 spoil.
Vegetables and fruits in quantities Otter,
are stored in hot, damp. and poorly ven
tilatCd bins and under conditions which
ha~ttn willing. fermentation and decay.
Fruits. surplus beans. tomatoc~ and other
vegetables produced in home gardens are
allowed To- spoil on the vines or rot on
the ground. \ morning. work would can
and preserve such surpiusace iur use
when fruits and ~ ;ctablcs are scarce and
high in price.
Much food Il ruined BY being stored
where flies or other insects or rats and
mice can get nj IT. Much cereal food j.
ruined because ii j. not protected against
wcevil> or other insects.
3. Food spoiled by careless cooking.
Many housewives who complain that chill
dren and adults will not eat breakfast
cereals fail 10 realize that the cereals
they serve are under-cooked, scorched, or
improperly seasoned and thus made unpal-
atable. Most of the cheaper foods require
careful seasoning and preparation to he