Evening star., 1942-09-21
Lunch Box Is Important
Housewife Can Do Patriotic Job
By Packing 1t With Nourishment

sound, healthy bodies that will en-
able them to carry on ably in the re-
construction period of tomorrow.
Both groups depend for one or
more meals every day on the lunch
Box from home. Does it give them
foods rich In health building pro-
teins and minerals, as we'll as salts
flying their hunger? Does it round
out the diet in accordance with
the national nutritional "yardstick?"
The woman who faces this re-
sponsibility will do we'll to keep the
nutritional "yardstick" hanging con-
veniently on her kitchen wall. She
can plan her daily menus with it
before her, and see that the lunch
box she fills as we'll as the meals she
serves at home meet these daily re-
quirements nutritionally. For in
stance. If breakfast and dinner take
care Of most of the protein require
ments-then the lunch box should
include some of the leafy, green veg
etables and wholegrain or enriched
breads and fresh fruit. The Gov
eminent offers many suggestions for
proper lunch box menus through the
Home Economics Department of the
United States Bureau of Agriculture,
and the American Red Cross offers
free basic course in nutrition that
will acquaint every woman with es-
sential food facts.
This yardstick is not measuring
stick to hold in your hand but an
eight-point tally which lists the
foods that should be eaten every
day. First there is milk and milk
products, at least a pint a day for
adults (more for children) is es-
sential; one citrus fruit, tomato, raw
cabbage or salad greens; green or
yellow vegetables, one big helping
every day-preferably one of them
should be eaten raw; one serving of
potatoes, other vegetable or fruit in
season; cereals, wholegrain products
or enriched white bread (three slices,
minimum, daily; one serving of
meat, poultry or fish every day or at
least five times a week. Good meat
substitutes to be used occasionally
are dried beans, peas or nuts; one
egg day or at least four a week;
also butter or vitimin- rich fats, pea
nut butter or similar spreads Sweets
only if desired after all this has
been eaten.
Penny milk programs sponsored
by the Government in schools
throughout the country make milk
available to all children at least
once day, but the man or woman
working at the energy consuming
job OF production also needs milk, a
milk drink or hot cream soup in
his lunch box
The Government suggests that
you check these five points, and
keep them handy for reference, in
planning nourishing lunch box:
ID Plan your menu the day be-
fore. Buy or cook enough food for
your dinner so there'll be some left
over for the lunch box.
% Have all food and equipment
conveniently stored in one place, so
the lunch can be packed quickly in
the morning.
90 Wrap all dry food in wax pa
per, pack puddings and salads in
paper containers with lids, and in
clude paper hot drink" cups for hot
dishes.
"a Put into the lunch box everv
day: Milk, in food or drink; bread,
whole wheat or enriched in sand
wiches, puddings or meat loaves.
Meat or cheese, or eggs or fish, in
sandwich filings, salads, or hearty
main dishes. Fruit, at least one,
plain, or in salads or puddings: veg
etables, at least one, in sandwich
filings, salads OF in hearty main
dishes.
go Clean and air the lunch box
and vacuum bottle every night.
And II you are nutritionally wise,
you know that good temper and a
happy frame of mind not only aid
digestion but relieve nervous strain.
so try making the lunch box look
attractive by adding paper napkins
and little surprise-a bit of sweet.
candy or cookie. They're good
sources of quick energy, too, and the
man or woman who breaks from his
work In the middle of the day or
night needs this extra lift"
You are doing your Job we'll If you
help maintain the nutritional stand
ard OF this country at . high level.