Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1918-03-25
EAT CEREALS TO
REDUCE FOOD COSTS


me most practical means OF reducing
table expenses without decreasing the
Sholes0meness and adequacy OF the
diet lies in increased use of cereal
foods. especially boiled grains, mush-
=, and breads made of corn meal and
cereals other than wheat.
Cereals contain most OF the import
ant food elements which the body
needs and yet are comparatively IN
expensive. They are primarily i
source OF starch, needed by the Dody
To yield energy. They furnish also
considerable quantities of protein. one
ot the most important and usually one
of the most expensive food elements,
needed To build the body and keep IL
in repail In addition, cereals furnish
mineral matter. fats, fibre and. espe-
cially If part of the bran is left in.
little-known substances which regu
late body activities.
Cereals, therefore. may be used as
the relatively inexpensive basis for
meals. Il then becomes necessary
only to eat with them comparatively
small quantities OF hisherpriCed foods
To make up the proper balance among
the needed elements
With animal foods or other nitro.
Genous foods, fruits, and vegetables
also are used in the diet, the various
grains may be lnterchaneed freely as
aVaila biiity, cost or preference die
tates. The starch OF all the cereals
Is practically the same. Protein, fat,
and mineral matter vary somewhat in
the different kinds, but so slightly
/ that the difference need not be cOnsd-
cred in theoS mary mixed diet. In
such a diet, ~ereiore, corn OF oat'
meal. for example. luay be satisfactot
/ ily substituted FOR wheat when the lat.
/ ter is scarce.
The most common form in which
cereal food is consumed is bread. The
I food value of bread, however, comes
| from the cereal OF which it is made,
and it makes little difference whether
We get our cereal ration in baked or
boiled form. II cereals are TO be
/ made more important feature of the
J diet, mushes ana boiled grains, as
/ veil as baked doughs, should be eat
en- in greater quantity. Practically
any of the cereals may he used III
/ making some type Of bread. Wheat
/ has been most used because its gluten
I makes possible the raising OF The
dough with yeast Flours and meals
OF the other grams, however, may be
made into bakins.powder breads and
many Of them can be substituted Tor
some of the wheat flour in making
yeast breads.
Breakfast foods should be chosen
carefully if economy is desired, since
the torn in which the food is pur'
chased largely determines the cost.
Meals from which mushes may be
made may be obtained for few cents
pound. while specially prepared
grains may cost up to IS cents or even
more per pound Bulk breakfast cere-
ais. such as oatmeal commonly may
be purchased at lower prices than the
same kinds put UP in cartons.
one way to lessen the cost OF
Breakfast foods is to buy whole grains
from feed store and grind them
coarsely in coffee or other hand
mill. The cracked grains. when salt
ed properly. boiled thoroughly, and
served with butter or sugar ana
cream or milk. make wholesome and
palatable foods. These home-eround
grains used alone or with Hour also
may be used satisfactorily in bread
making Boiled grains, such as rice,
barley, corn neal or hominy, may be
used m the same way, or any of these
may be combined into dishes with
cheese, eggs or meal, which add both
flavor and heterogeneous food elements.