Evening star., 1942-07-20
Balanced Meals
Insure Child's
Good Health
Without Essential
Food Elements
Bodies Suffer
on fhfS page,
BY Leftice Lee Street,

Ii y LcitICE Lee OTEGE
We hear so much about we'll
balanced meals for our children.
Doctors and baby books tell us
sternly we must plan them, and
certainly this column has never
ceased to stress their Importance.
But yet, I wonder how many mothers
really understand what is meant by
those two words: well balanced?
In order for children to reach the
finest possible adult health 1t is
necessary for them to receive daily
certain food elements. These are
proteins, carbohydrates, fats. min
erals and vitamins. Without any
one of these in sufficient quantities
the young growing body will suffer,
and its progress will be retarded.
Thus child deprived of Vitamin D,
found in cod liver oil and developed
in the body when exposed to the
direct rays of the sun, will have
ricketts,, his bones and teeth will not
develop perfectly. Without iron,
found in the yolk of egg, anemia
will follow and the child will be de-
prived of the rich blood he must
have for glowing health.
Therefore, it is the duty Of every
mother to acquaint herself with
food facts, to find out what her
child should eat and why. Then
having learned, she may plan daily
menus that will include all these
elements. When she succeeds she is
giving her youngster well-balanced
meals.
Let us consider the food for a
ten-months-old baby. In charting
his meals we choose combinations
that give him the elements he
needs, but there are other things to
consider, too. His food should be
properly prepared so that it is easily
digested, and served at regular
hours, and each meal should con-
tain sufficient bulk to insure the
baby against acute hunger before
time for the next feeding.
Here is what I mean:
Baked potato this supplies the
bulk). High in carbohydrate and
vitamins.
String beans (vitamins).
Egg yolk dron, protein, fat and
vitaminS).
Milk carbohydrate. protein, fat,
minerals and vitamins).
Pureed prunes carbohydrate
iron and vitamins).
You understand, of course, that
Pin listing what these foods contain
I have stressed only the elements
they are rich in. For example. milk
has iron in it, but not in sufficient
quantities to supply the bodily needs
The menu above is excellent be.
cause 1t gives the baby food he re-
quires, satisfies his hunger anc
encourages regular elimination. A.
milk and egg are sometimes consti.
pating the string beans and prune!
will offset this.
In contrast. poorly balanced
meal would be:
Pureed peas. white rice, milk
banana. Such a menu is too high IL
carbohydrate, not high enough IL
minerals, protein and vitamins.
1t Is not at all hard for a mother
to teach herself what foods In prope,
combinations her children ane
babies should eat. She does no
have to take an elaborate course il
dietetics to insure her children O
correct meals. All she need do is tt
apply her mind to my classified -foot
chart. 1t should hang in her kitch
en- where, at a glance, she ma,
determine which foods on her baby
diet list contain in abundance tn,
necessary elements. Thus every
day, when planning menus, she ma.
see to it that her baby receive
sufficient quantities of these ele
ments.
Lettice Lee STREET. has COM
piled q classified food table of
average foods suitable for young
children which will be sent to you
upon request. Address Mrs.
STREET., care of The Evening Star.
and inclose a self addressed
stamped (3-cent), envelope. Ask
for leaflet No. "a. Unless the self
addressed envelope bears q (3-
cent? stamp the leaflet cannot be
mailed.