The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1925-09-07

packed at home will depend upon
the age of the luncher and upon.
what food Is available at school.
This lunch deserves as much
thought as any other meal of the
day. Keep it interesting by plan
ming for surprises when the box
is opened at school. Do not make
continual use of any one food just
because It is easy to prepare. 1t
is wise to plan the lunch the day
before, for at that busy time in the
morning when the children are hur-
rying off to school it is not always
easy to give the lunch box the
attention 1t should have. The chill
dren themselves make take the re-
sponsibility of packing their lunch.
Sandwiches are the great staple,
and as the making Of these in
large quantities at the lunchroom is
time-consuming, they are most suit
able for the home-packed lunch.
Graham or whole wheat bread
there is a variety OF nutritious and
appetizing Filings to be made from
such foods as mild cheese, raisins.
dates; figs, nuts, lettuce, chopped
celery or raw cabbage, and sliced
tomatoes or eggs mixed with a lit
tie mild salad dressing. milk, or
cream Various spreads" can be
kept on hand. as for example
mixture of nuts, figs AMI dates Or
raisins. Peanut butter is valuable
for adding the needed calorias TO
the lunch Of the underweight child.
and IL the appetite needs coaxing,
a thin spread of tart jam adds zest
to the nut batter. Tt is more
wholesome than relishes or pickles
as an appetite teaser' Fruit is
easily carried. and a whole tomato
wrapped in paraffin paper is a
valuable supplement. Glass and
china individual baking dishes and
paper cases make possible the bsh-
ed custard or the plain cake or
gingerbread in muffin form. Much
sweet food should, of course, be.
avoided.
The menu offered at school
. should also be carefully adapted
to the age of the lunchers Good
mnchroom menus can be made
with such typical dishes as vege-
table, soups and purees, cheese
dishes. creamed and scailoped
vegetables, simple salads. baked
or raw fruit. ice cream and baked
custards with milk as q bever-
age. The supply of drinking
water should be easily accessible.
Coffee and doughnuts or pastry
have no place on the lunch coun-
ter. II candy is included, it
should not be lollipops or aIl-day
suckers, but the kind that can
be eaten ION the spot" directly
after lunch.
Have you visited the lunch.
rooms in your own community?
Have you given them any neces-
sary assistance? If you have
children at school. is 1t not your
responsibility to do so? If you
are a real community house
keeper, with the welfare of all
the children in the, district at
heart, is it not your opportunity
to cooperate in making the school
lunch work loom large as a
health service?
A few years ago. in making a
survey Of school lunch work for
a child health organization, we
visited many lunchrooms. Some
were well conducted. Others
sadly needed attention. In some
an ignorant saleswoman handed
out sweet biscuits. candy, pickles
and "hot dogs" to children, who
ate these hurriedly as rney played
about with grimy hands during
the noon recess. And the corner
store did a thriving business! For
tunately school lunches are re-
ceiving more attention every
year. Parent-Teacher Associa-
tons have made many good
1unchrooms possible, and State ex-
tension services are giving val
Uable assistance. Special work
carried on by the school for un-
dernourished children is highly
important, but the well-conducted
school lunch, sponsored by moth
ers who provide their children
with two other well-balanced
meals each day, should in time
greatly reduce the number Of I'm
dernourished children needing
special attention. Such a lunch
room is an important service in
| any community.