The Monmouth inquirer. [volume] (Freehold, N.J.) 1865-1933, 1924-01-24

ChiIdren's School
LuncheonS


IF you could see the luncheons the
children bring to school,, said one
teacher, ''you would not wonder that
they find the course Of study tco much
sor them"
yet her work has not been among
the so-called poor" but in locality
where there are comparatively few in
AFFECT poverty
Many schools now provide broth and
ether foods for the children, but these
are still the exceptions even In the
cities, and in very few cases has this
urgently needed reform reached the
country. Where the school makes 10
such provision the children's lunches
should receive even more attention
than the meals for the rest of the fam
lily, for it is more important that the
children should be well fed than that
grown people should be. A person
who has attained his full growth of
body and brain can endure some pri-
walton without serious results, but
child can not be deprived of proper
nourishment without lifelong injury
resulting.
Wherever circumstances permit the
children should go home for their mid
day meal. 1t has been noted that girls
eating their luncheons at home were.
as a rule, brighter and healthier than
when they dined at school. even when
the school had lunch counter.
In preparing luncheon at home
for the child to take with him it must
be remembered that because it is
wholesome it need not be. so plain that
the youngster, on comparing it with
his neighbor's, feels tinge OF disap.
pointment. Young children eat largely
with their eyes. Give child an ami
mal-shaped cookie or square Of
sponge cake decorated with pink and
yellow frosting, and let 1t repose in
the lunch basket beside q rosy
checked apple, some meat sandwiches
cut in fancy shapes and custard
baked in gorgeously decorated cup.
Then hide a surprise" in the bottom
of the basket. A few large raisins, q
fine fig, a piece OF maple sugar or q
date stuffed with cream cheese, viii
make popular Surprises, or the cake
may take the form of the surprise"
The idea Is to whet the appetite for
the luncheon by letting the child know
beforehand that there Is something in
it which he has not seen and which is
more interesting than sandwiches.
In providing fruit care should be
taken that 1t is neither overripe nor
underripe, Mothers sometimes re-
mark that they never let the children
have candy, but give them all the fruit
they wish. Now, little pure candy is
infinitely better for them than under
ripe or oyerripe fruit. which may make
them actually i'll, and the same may
be true Of fruit that has passed
through several hands or come from
an unknown source unless sterilized.
! Cases of diphtheria have been traced
to the eating of apples stored In a
slightly damp place where an imper-
ceptible coating of mould had gath
cred over them. When possible the
skin and rinds Of fruit given to chill
dren, unless it has come straight from
an orchard, should be sterilized or
very thoroughly washed. 1t will not
affect the interior of most fruits to
dip them quickly into boiling water
and lift them out Immediately.
The minced meats that are put into
the children's sandwiches should be
made from fresh meat and not taken
from tins. No wise mother will let a
delicate child run the slightest chance
of dangers from this source.
Next in Importance to the whole
someness of the food is the variety
of the menus. Though robust child
| is easy to suit, he is much like the
rest of the world, and he will not eat
half the lunch provided for him if he
| has grown tired of the particular kind
| of food that it contains, and thus he
will not get half the nourishment that
he should have, A constant change OF
| diet is particularly necessary in the
case of decilate children who have not
much appetite. IL.
Although a child should not be PAM
pered as to his likes and dislikes, it is
a good plan if he manifests special
fondness for particular dish to serve
! it often, for he will be sure to eat it,
| while if foods that he dislikes are con
stantly given to him, because they are
considered wholesome, he will refuse
TO eat them, and consequently lose
! just that much nourishment.
A large luncheon should not be pro
yided, a small one being more easily
digested when one must do school
work SO soon after eating, If the
child has a ravenous appetite, as most
children do have, give him something
to eat at once upon returning from
school.