Charlevoix county herald., 1918-05-17
EAT CEREALS TO
REDUCE FOOD COSTS


The most practical means of reducing
table expenses without decreasing the
wholesomeness and adequacy OF the
diet lies in increased use OF cereal
foods. especially boiled grains. mush-
es 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 \
source of starch. needed by the body
to yield energy. They furnish also
considerable quantities of protein, one
Of the most important and usually one
of the most expensive food elements.
needed to build the body and keep 1t
in repair. In addition, cereals furnish
mineral matter, fats, fibre and, espe.
cially II 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. 1t then becomes necessary
only to eat with them comparatively
small quantities of higher-priced foods
70 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 interchanged freely as
availability, 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 consid-
cred in theordinary mixed diet. In
such a diet. therefore, corn or oat-
meal, for example. may be satisfactor-
lily substituted for wheat when the lat
ter Is scarce.
The most common form in which
cereal food Is consumed is bread. The
food value of bread, however. comes
from the cereal of which 1t Is made.
and it makes little difference whether
we get our cereal ration in baked or
boiled form. If cereals are to be
made a more important feature OF the
diet, mushes and boiled grains, as
well as baked doughs, should be eat
en- in greater quantity. Practically
any of the cereals may be used in
making some type Of bread. Wheat
has been most used because its gluten
makes possible the raising Of the
dough with yeast. Flours and meals
Of the other grains, however, may be
made into baking powder breads and
many of them can be substituted for
some of the wheat flour in making
yeast breads.
Breakfast foods should be chosen
carefully If economy il desired, since
the form in which the food is pur.
chased largely determines the cost
Meals from which mushes may be
made may be obtained for few cents
Q pound. while specially prepared
grains may cost UP to 4S cents or even
more per pound. Bulk breakfast cere-
ais, such az oatmeal commonly may
he 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 a 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 and
cream or milk, make wholesome and
palatable foods. These home-ground
grains, used alone or with flour. also
may be used satisfactorily in bread
making. Boiled grains. such as rice.
barley. corn meal or honiiny, may be
used in 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.