The Washington times., 1919-10-21
Sauing Moneyin the Home
Little Tricks For Women
in Household Economics
By Elizabeth Latimer.

By Elizabeth Latimer.
N My an earnest bousekeepsr
~ knows the trials and tribu-
lations attendant on the
problem--of daily meals. every day
In the week, rain or shine. Mere
{ man hasn't the slightest concep-
ton OF the detail required the mie-
takes that.can be made, the thought
and care which must be expended
on well cooked and properly
served meal He little realizes a.
he sits down at table. unfolds his
napkin and proceeds to enjoy his
dinner that just as much effort has
probably gone into that meal as he
put into the business deal he has
just finished at his office.
Probably the most difficult thing
for any housekeeper to know, ac-
cording to the experts at the Bu-
reau OF Agriculture, is how mucs
Of each Of the food substances and
nutrients a family needs.
The exact amount which each
person needs depends upon age.
sex, size and amount of work done
with the muscles. An elderly per-
son, or one of quiet habita, needs
less food than a vigorous, young
one; large person more than a
small one: a man more than a wo-
man; grown persons more than
children; and a laborer working in
ditch. mechanic, or a football
player more than a man who sits
at his desk all day.
Nature Often Saves Us
In Spite of Ourselves.
IN order to calculate exactly how
much starch. sugar. fat, protein,
etc Cor, what Is equivalent TO this.
how much protein and energy the
family needs one would have TO
know exactly how. much muscular
work each member was performing
and also exactly how much Of the
different nutrients each food con-
tained and exactly how much each
person would eat. This. of course,
would mean great deal of ieur-
Ing. Fortunately, such exactness Ia
not necessary in ordinary life. II
little too much or too little Of one
nutrient is provided at a single
meal or on q single day a healthy
body does not suffer. because II has
ways OF storing such a surplus and
of using its stored material in an
IL the diet taken week in and week
out always provided too much or
too little of some one nutrient
Against this danger the housekeep-
er can more easily protect her fam
lily.
Habit and custom help greatly,
because they usually are based on
what the experience of generations
has proved Is wise and healthfui,
though, of course, there are bad
habits and outgrown\ customs in
food as in everything else. Good
food habits. IL must be remembere6.
include more than cleanliness. and
order in everything that has TO do
with food and meals and Ieisurely
ways of eating. Equally important
are liking for all kinds of whole
some foods. even IL they have not
always been used in ones home or
neighborhood, and eating reasona-
BILE amounts, without being either
greedy or overdainty.5 Every effort
should be made TO train children in
such good food habits
If older people have not learned
them, they, too. should try to do so,
for such. things are very important
not only to health but also TO aeon
omy. To refuse to eat some whole
some dish simply because one is
not accustomed to IL may prevent
the use of some very desirable and
economical food. To feel that there
is any virtue in providing more food
than is needed shows poor taste as
well as poor economy.
The health and appearance of the
family are a good test Of the whole
someness of their diet. II they are
strong, well developed for their
ages. free from ailments. and full OF
energy and ambition. one may safe
ly say their food agrees with them.
But IL they are listless and ailing.
or not as well developed either
physically or mentally as they
should be, and II competent physi-
clan finds that there is no special
disease to account for these had
symptoms, a mother may well ask
herself IL the food is right, and n
not, how she can make IL so.
Buy Wisely
Use All You Buy.
A few general suggestions as TO
how to get the most for ones
money in the matter of food fol-
low:
Use cereals thour. meal, cereal
breakfast foods, etc.) freely. taking
pains to prepare them with great
care and to vary the kind used from
day to day IL necessary to keep
people from tiring of them.
Remember that a quart of whole
milk a day for each child, to be
used as a beverage and In cookery,
is not too much.
Remember that while skim milk