Chapter XI: Part 11

Make a sirup of the sugar and 1 cupful of the water. Allow this to become cool and then add the fruit juices and the remaining water. Pour into glasses and garnish each glass with a slice of orange, a red cherry, or a fresh strawberry.

85. GRAPE LEMONADE.--An excellent combination in the way of a beverage is lemonade and grape juice. Besides adding flavor to the lemonade, the grape juice gives it a delightful color.

GRAPE LEMONADE (Sufficient to Serve Six)

1 qt. lemonade 1 c. grape juice

Prepare the lemonade in the manner explained in Art. 83. Add the grape juice to the lemonade and stir well. Serve ice cold in glasses.

86. PINEAPPLE LEMONADE.--Another variation of lemonade is produced when pineapple juice is added to it. To garnish this beverage, a slice of lemon and a spoonful of grated pineapple are generally used. This pineapple beverage is delightful with wafers or small cakes as refreshments for informal social affairs during hot weather.

PINEAPPLE LEMONADE (Sufficient to Serve Six)

1 c. water 3/4 c. sugar 3 c. ice water 1 c. juice from canned pineapple 3 lemons

Make a sirup of the water and sugar, and set aside to cool. Add the ice water, the pineapple juice, and the juice of the lemons. Stir well, strain, and serve. Garnish with a slice of lemon and a spoonful of grated pineapple added to each glass.

87. MINT JULEP.--Mint drinks are not served so often as some of the other fruit beverages, but those with whom they find favor will undoubtedly be delighted with mint julep prepared according to the following recipe:

MINT JULEP (Sufficient to Serve Eight)

4 sprigs mint 1 c. sugar 1 qt. water 1 c. red cherry juice 1/2 c. pineapple juice 1/2 c. orange juice 1/4 c. lemon juice

Crush the mint with the sugar, using a potato masher or a large spoon. Add the water and fruit juices and strain. Serve over crushed ice and garnish the glasses with sprigs of mint. Tall, narrow glasses are especially attractive for serving this drink.

88. FRUIT NECTAR.--The term nectar was used by the early Greeks to mean the drink of the gods. Now it is often applied to an especially delightful beverage. Pineapple combined with lemon is always good, but when orange juice is also used, an excellent nectar is the result.

FRUIT NECTAR (Sufficient to Serve Eight)

3/4 c. sugar 2 c. water 1-1/2 c. orange juice 1 c. pineapple juice 1/2 c. lemon juice

Boil the sugar and water for 2 minutes and then cool. Add the fruit juices, strain, and serve over cracked ice.

89. RED-RASPBERRY NECTAR.--A beverage that is pleasing to the eye, as well as delightful to the taste, can be made by combining red-raspberry juice and lemon juice with the required amount of sugar and water. The juice from canned raspberries may be used for this drink.

RED-RASPBERRY NECTAR (Sufficient to Serve Six)

1/2 c. sugar 2 c. water 1/2 c. lemon juice 1-1/2 c. red raspberry juice

Boil the sugar and water for 2 minutes and allow the sirup to become cool. Then add the fruit juices, strain, and serve over cracked ice.

90. SPICE CUP.--Occasionally a spice drink seems to be just what is desired. When this is the case, the directions given in the accompanying recipe for spice cup should be followed.

SPICE CUP (Sufficient to Serve Eight)

1-1/2 c. sugar 1-1/2 pt water 12 cloves 2-in. stick cinnamon 3 lemons 4 oranges 2 drops oil of wintergreen

Boil the sugar, water, and spices together for 5 minutes and allow the sirup to become cool. Add the juice of the lemons and oranges and the wintergreen oil and serve in glasses over cracked ice. Garnish each glass with slices of orange and lemon or a piece of preserved ginger.

91. FRUIT PUNCH.--As fruit beverages are very often served at small receptions, club meetings, or parties, a recipe that will make a sufficiently large quantity is often desired. The amounts mentioned in the following recipe will make enough fruit punch to serve thirty to forty persons if punch glasses are used, or sixteen to twenty if ordinary drinking glasses are used.

FRUIT PUNCH

2-1/2 c. sugar 1 qt. water 2 c. fruit juice (raspberry, strawberry, or cherry) 6 oranges 6 lemons 1 pt. can grated pineapple 1 c. strong black tea (strained) 1 qt. carbonated water

Boil the sugar and water for 2 minutes and allow the sirup to become cool. Then add the fruit juice, the juice of the oranges and lemons, the pineapple, and the tea. Just before serving, add the carbonated water, which lends a sparkling appearance and a snappy taste to a beverage of this kind. Pour over cracked ice into sherbet or punch glasses or into tall narrow ones.

92. GINGER-ALE PUNCH.--As most persons like the flavor of ginger ale, punch containing ginger ale is always a favorite when a large company of persons is to be served. The quantity that the accompanying recipe makes will serve twenty to twenty-five persons if punch glasses are used, or ten to twelve persons if drinking glasses are used.

GINGER-ALE PUNCH

1-1/2 c. sugar 1 pt. water 2 lemons 3 oranges 1 pt. grape juice 4 sprigs fresh mint (crushed) 1 lemon sliced thin 1 qt. ginger ale

Boil the sugar and water for 2 minutes and allow the sirup to become cool. Drill the juice from the lemons and oranges and add this with the grape juice, crushed mint, and sliced lemon to the sirup. Just before using, add the ginger ale and serve over cracked ice.

SOFT DRINKS

93. A class of very popular non-stimulating beverages are the SOFT DRINKS sold at the soda fountains. Many of them can also be bought in bottles and so may be purchased and served at home. These drinks really consist of carbonated water and a flavoring material that is either prepared chemically and colored or made of fruit extracts. Sometimes ice cream is added, and the drink is then called _ice-cream soda_.

94. Soft drinks include phosphates, ginger ale, coca cola, birch beer, root beer, and various other drinks called mashes, sours, and freezes. While these are pleasing to the taste and have the advantage of being ready to drink when prepared, it is advisable not to indulge in them too frequently, because excessive use of them is liable to affect the system. Besides, beverages that are just as satisfactory as these so far as flavor is concerned and that are made of much better material can be prepared at home at far less cost. With these drinks, as with other commercially prepared articles of food, the cost of preparation and service in addition to the cost of materials must be paid for by the consumer.

NOURISHING BEVERAGES

95. Many times it is necessary or desirable to administer food in the form of liquid. When this is to be done, as much nourishment as possible should generally be incorporated into the beverage. To meet such a need, the following recipes are presented. In each case, the quantities mentioned make a drink sufficient for only one person, so that if more than one are to be served the amounts should be multiplied by the number desired. The food materials used in these drinks are easily digested, and the beverages are comparatively high in food value.

96. At most soda fountains, these nourishing drinks are offered for sale, so that if one does not desire the work of preparation, they may be obtained at such places. However, as practically all the ingredients are materials used in the home and are therefore nearly always on hand in most households, drinks of this kind may be prepared at home at much less cost than when purchased already made. The main thing to remember in their preparation is that the ingredients should be as cold as possible and that the beverage should be cold when served.

97. The beverages containing eggs may be made in more than one way. They may be mixed in a bowl or an enamelware dish with a rounded bottom and then beaten with a rotary egg beater, or they may be mixed in a metal shaker designed especially for this purpose and then shaken thoroughly in that. In drinks of this kind, the point to remember is that the eggs should be beaten or shaken until they are light and foamy.

98. CHOCOLATE SIRUP.--While chocolate sirup is not a beverage in itself, it is used to such an extent in beverages, as well as an accompaniment to numerous desserts, that it is well for the housewife to know how to prepare it. It may be kept an indefinite length of time if it is put into a glass jar and sealed. Here, as in the preparation of other sirups, a tablespoonful or two of corn sirup or glucose will help to keep the sirup from crystallizing.

CHOCOLATE SIRUP

4 sq. chocolate 1 c. water 3/4 c. sugar

Melt the chocolate in a saucepan, stir in the water, and add the sugar. Boil until a thick sirup is formed.

99. PLAIN MILK SHAKE.--A pleasant variation for milk is the plain milk shake here given. Even those who are not fond of milk and find it hard to take like it when it is prepared in this way.

PLAIN MILK SHAKE

1 c. milk 2 tsp. sugar Few drops of vanilla Dash of nutmeg

Beat all the ingredients together with an egg beater or shake well in a shaker and serve in a glass with cracked ice.

100. EGG MILK SHAKE.--The simplest form of egg drink is the egg milk shake explained in the accompanying recipe. This is an extremely nutritious drink and is often served to invalids and persons who must have liquid nourishment.

EGG MILK SHAKE

3/4 c. milk 1 egg 1 Tb. sugar Pinch of salt Few drops of vanilla

Mix all the ingredients and beat the mixture with a rotary beater or shake it in a shaker. Serve in a glass over cracked ice.

101. EGG CHOCOLATE.--The addition of chocolate to an egg milk shake improves it very much and makes a drink called egg chocolate.

EGG CHOCOLATE

3/4 c. milk 1 egg 2 Tb. chocolate sirup Few drops of vanilla Pinch of salt

Mix all the materials and beat with an egg beater or shake thoroughly in a shaker. Serve in a glass with cracked ice.

102. CHOCOLATE MALTED MILK.--A preparation that is much used in nourishing drinks and that furnishes a great deal of nutrition is malted milk. This is made from cow's milk and is blended by a scientific process with malted grains. It comes in powder form and may be purchased in bottles of various sizes. It is well to keep a good brand of malted milk on hand, as there are various uses to which it can be put.

CHOCOLATE MALTED MILK

3/4 c. milk 1 egg 2 Tb. malted milk 2 Tb. chocolate sirup Few drops of vanilla Pinch of salt

Mix and shake in a shaker or beat with a rotary egg beater. Serve in a glass with cracked ice.

103. ORANGE EGG NOG.--The accompanying recipe for egg nog requires orange for its flavoring, but any fruit juice may be substituted for the orange if desired. Pineapple and apricot juices are exceptionally good.

ORANGE EGG NOG

1/4 c. cream 1/4 c. milk 1 egg 1 Tb. sugar 2 oranges

Mix the cream, milk, egg, and sugar, beat well with an egg beater, and continue beating while adding the juice of the oranges. Serve in a glass over crushed ice.

104. FOAMY EGG NOG.--An egg nog can be made foamy and light by separating the eggs and beating the yolks and whites separately. Either cream or milk may be used for this drink, and it may be flavored with vanilla or fruit juice, as preferred. A small piece of red jelly beaten into the egg white makes this drink very attractive; or, jelly may be used as a flavoring and beaten with the ingredients.

FOAMY EGG NOG

2 eggs 1 Tb. sugar 1/2 c. cream or milk 2 Tb. fruit juice or 1/2 tsp. vanilla

Separate the yolks and whites of the eggs. Mix the yolks with the sugar, cream or milk, and the fruit juice or vanilla and beat thoroughly. Beat the whites stiff and fold into the first mixture, retaining a tablespoonful of the beaten white. Pour into a tall glass, put the remaining white on top, and serve.

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BEVERAGES

EXAMINATION QUESTIONS

(1) What is a beverage?

(2) What does boiling do to: (_a_) hard water? (_b_) impure water?

(3) What is the value of beverages in the diet?

(4) Mention and define the three classes of beverages.

(5) (_a_) What are caffeine, theine, and theobromine? (_b_) Where is each found? (_c_) What effect do they have on the human body?

(6) (_a_) Where is tannic acid found? (_b_) What effect does it have on the human body?

(7) Tell briefly about the preparation of coffee for the market.

(8) How should coffee be bought?

(9) What are the general proportions of coffee and liquid used in the making of coffee?

(10) What use can be made of left-over coffee?

(11) Tell briefly about the preparation of black and green tea for the market.

(12) What points should be observed in the selection of tea?

(13) What general proportions of tea and water are used for the making of tea?

(14) Tell briefly about the preparation of cocoa and chocolate for the market.

(15) What advantage have cocoa and chocolate over tea and coffee as. articles of food?

(16) What use can be made of left-over cocoa and chocolate?

(17) (_a_) How are cereal coffees made? (_b_) Of what value are they?

(18) Of what value are fruit beverages?

(19) What uses can be made of left-over fruit juices?

(20) What good use can be made of nourishing beverages?

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THE PLANNING OF MEALS

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NECESSITY FOR CAREFUL MEAL PLANNING

1. As every housewife realizes, the feeding of the members of her family places upon her serious and important responsibilities. While she deserves and receives credit for their good health, the blame for much of their ill health falls upon her, too. The reason for this is that illness is due in a greater measure to wrong food than to any other single factor; and even if improper diet is not directly responsible for ill health, it certainly lowers the bodily resistance and thus makes a person susceptible to disease.

The health of her family is naturally the housewife's first and greatest consideration, and as this depends so much on correct diet, it should be the aim of every housewife to plan her meals in the careful, intelligent way required to supply her household with the food each member needs.

2. As has already been learned, a knowledge of the selection, care, and preparation of food is absolutely necessary in providing proper diet. But correct feeding requires more than this. In addition, the housewife must have a working knowledge of what foods contain and their effect in the body. She must also learn what her family needs and then make every effort to supply this need in the most economical way. The result will be a sufficient amount of food of the right kind at a minimum expenditure of funds.

She should keep in mind, however, that the cost of diet has no direct relation to its food value, but that economy and proper feeding are closely connected. For instance, an inexpensive diet may be just as satisfactory from a food-value standpoint as an expensive one. But in order to make the inexpensive one adequate and the expensive one balanced, the housewife must apply her knowledge of the general composition of food; that is, she must know whether a food predominates in carbohydrate, fat, or protein, and whether or not it furnishes minerals. Equipped with such knowledge, she will be able to purchase the largest amount of nutritive material for the smallest outlay of money. The cheapest food is not always the one that sells for the lowest price per pound, quart, or bushel, but the one that furnishes the most nutritive material at the lowest cost; also, food that is the wrong kind to serve is not an economical one to purchase.

3. Many housewives regard it as unnecessary to plan beforehand and persist in preparing meals without giving any previous thought to them. But to begin thinking about an hour before meal time what to have for a meal is neither wise nor economical, for then it is too late to determine what ought to be served from a diet standpoint and there can be prepared only those foods which the time will allow. As can well be understood, this is both a disastrous plan for correct diet and a very extravagant way in which to feed a family. Quickly broiled steaks and chops, commercially canned vegetables and fruits, and prepared desserts should be the occasional treat rather than the daily food. Instead of using these constantly, time should be allowed for the preparation of the less expensive meats and vegetables and the home-made desserts.

To prepare such foods successfully requires that meals should be planned at least 24 hours before they are to be served, and in reality the main dishes should be decided on 48 hours ahead of time. Then, sometime between breakfast and luncheon and before the day's marketing is done, detailed plans should be made for luncheon and dinner of that day and for breakfast of the next. Nor should the left-overs be disregarded if economy would be the watchword in the management of the household. Rather, they should be included in the plans for each day and used up as fast as possible.

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PURCHASE OF FOODS

SUCCESSFUL MARKETING

4. The truly economical housewife will find it necessary each day to determine three things: (1) what is left from yesterday's meals and what use can be made of it; (2) what is in supply that can be used for that day; and (3) what must be added to these things to provide satisfactory meals for the family. Having determined these points, she should make a list of the articles that she must purchase when she does her marketing. A pad fastened to the kitchen wall and a pencil on a string attached to the pad are convenient for this purpose. At the same time, they serve as a reminder that when all of any article, such as coffee, sugar, baking powder, etc., has been used, a note should be made of this fact. To her list of supplies that have become exhausted since her preceding marketing day should be added the fresh fruits, vegetables, and other perishable foods needed for the next day or preferably for the next two days if they can be kept.

5. It is only with proper preparation that the housewife may expect her marketing trips to be successful. If she starts to market with merely two or three items in mind and then tries to think of what she needs as she orders, not only does she waste the grocer's time, but her marketing trip will be a failure. After she arrives home, she will find that there are other things she should have purchased, and the grocer will be forced to make an extra delivery to bring them to her. This is more than she has a right to expect, for the grocer should not be obliged to pay for her lack of planning.

6. To purchase economically, it is advisable, when possible, to buy at a cash grocery and to pay cash for what is bought. When this is done, one is not helping to pay the grocer for accounts he is unable to collect. It is a fortunate grocer who is able to collect 80 per cent. of his bills from his patrons when he conducts his business on the credit plan. However, if it is desired to deal with a credit grocer, all bills should be paid at least once a month. No customer has a right to expect the grocer to wait longer than 30 days for his money.

In many of the cities and large towns, some credit grocers have adopted what is called the "cash-and-carry plan." All customers, whether they buy for cash or on credit, must pay the same price for groceries, but those who wish their goods delivered must pay additional for delivery and those who buy on credit must pay a certain percentage additional on each purchase for bookkeeping. It will readily be seen that such a plan gives the cash customers, especially if they carry their purchases, a decided advantage over credit customers. Also, the grocer is better able to sell his wares at a lower price than the credit grocer who makes free deliveries and no charge for bookkeeping.

KEEPING HOUSEHOLD ACCOUNTS

7. NECESSITY FOR KEEPING ACCOUNTS.--Practically every family is limited to a definite sum of money that may be spent for food. The first consideration, then, while it may not be the most important one, is that of making each dollar buy all that it possibly can in order that the income may meet all the demands upon it. Various conditions arise that affect the proportion of the income to be used for this purpose. For instance, two women whose husbands have equal incomes would, under the same conditions, have an equal amount of money to spend for food, but as a rule there is something to cause this amount to become unequal. One woman may have two children in her family while the other has none, a condition that means, of course, that the woman with the children will have less money to spend for food and with that money she must feed more persons. Her family must be, if possible, as well nourished as the other one. In order to accomplish this task, it will be necessary to supply all the required food material in a form that will cost less than the food purchased by the woman who has a smaller family to feed and clothe.

An excellent way in which to keep expenses down and consequently to live within one's income is to keep a simple record of household expenses. Such a record will enable every housewife to determine just what each item of household necessities costs and whether or not the proportion of cost to income is correct. To keep a record of expenditures will not prove much of a task if it is done systematically, for a few minutes a day will be sufficient time in which to keep accounts up to date. However, if account keeping is attempted, it should not be neglected even for a day, for it will soon assume the proportions of a large task and will have a tendency to discourage the housewife with this part of her work.

8. EQUIPMENT FOR HOUSEHOLD ACCOUNT KEEPING.--For convenience in keeping household accounts, a small desk like the one shown in Fig. 1 should, if possible, be secured and placed in an unoccupied or convenient corner of the kitchen. Here can be kept cook books, recipes, suitable books or cards for account keeping, the marketing pad, a file for bills from the grocer and the butcher, labels for cans and jars, etc. Here may also be placed an extension telephone, which, by being so convenient, will save the housewife many steps. A white desk with a chair to match is the most attractive kind to select for kitchen use, but a dark one may be used if preferred. The desk illustrated was a simple wooden one that was enameled white after it was bought, but it is possible to buy white desks for this purpose. A small, plain table will, of course, answer very well if no desk is available and it is desired not to buy one.

9. METHODS OF HOUSEHOLD ACCOUNT KEEPING.--If the housewife runs a credit account with the grocer, she will learn that different grocers have different ways of recording her purchases.

In some cases, she is provided with a "store book," which she takes to the grocer each time she makes a purchase and in which he records the date and the items bought by her. Then at the end of a stated time, usually the end of the month, when a settlement is to be made, the amounts for the month are totaled and a new account is started. With such a plan, the housewife does not have to keep any record for herself. To be certain that the grocer's account is accurate, she simply has to check the entries each time they are made in the book by the grocer.

In other cases, the grocer merely makes out a slip, or bill, for each purchase and at the end of the month presents his statement for the amount due. In such an event, provided the housewife does not wish to make entries into a suitable book, she may file the slips as she receives them in order that she may check the grocer's monthly bill as to accuracy. A bill file like that shown in Fig. 2 is very convenient for the filing of bills. However, if she does not wish to save each slip she receives, she may adopt one of two methods of account keeping, depending on how much time she has to devote to this matter.

10. If she desires to be very systematic and has sufficient time, it will prove a good plan to record each purchase in a suitable book in the manner shown in Fig. 3. Books for this purpose can be purchased in any store where stationery is sold and are not expensive. In this method of recording, as a page becomes filled with items, the total is carried forward to each new page until the bill is paid at the end of the month. Then, for the next month, a new account may be started. This same method may also be followed in keeping accounts for meats, milk, and such household expenses as rent, light, heat, and laundry. All these accounts, together with an account for clothing and one for miscellaneous expense, make up a complete expense account.

GROCERY ACCOUNT

With ___John Smith, 420 Fourth Avenue__________

=====================================================
10/15 | 1 pk. Apples......................| $ .45
| 1 doz. Eggs.......................| .55
| 1 lb. Butter......................| .53
| 2 lb. Sweet Potatoes..............| .15
| 2 cans Duff's Molasses............| .54
| 1 pt. Vinegar.....................| .10
10/17 | 1 cake Yeast......................| .04
| 6 lb. Crisco......................| 1.98
| 1 box Coconut.....................| .35
| 1 can Pineapple...................| .25
| 1 lb. coffee......................| .40
| 2 qt. Carrots.....................| .10
10/19 | 1 box Matches.....................| .10
| 2 bars Laundry Soap...............| .12
| 1 head Lettuce....................| .08
| 1 can Corn........................| .20
| 1 bu. Potatoes....................| 2.00
| 1 qt. Maple Sirup.................| .65
| |--------
| Forwarded.......| $8.59
======================================================
FIG. 3

11. A somewhat simpler plan and one that requires less time is shown in Fig. 4. When the slips are received, they should be checked to see whether they are correct and then added to get the total. Only this total, together with the date, is placed in the book kept for the purpose, the slips then being discarded. Such a plan will prove very satisfactory for the various household expenses if care is used in checking the items of the slips and in adding them.

Regarding the settlement of her accounts, the housewife who buys on credit will find it a good plan to pay her bills by check. Then receipts will not have to be saved, for the returned check is usually all that is required to prove that a bill has been paid.

12. The housewife who buys for cash does not necessarily have to keep a detailed record of her purchases, for by simply filing her purchase slips in the manner shown in Fig. 2 she can determine at any time what her money has been used for. Still, in every well-regulated household, it is advisable to keep a daily record of income and expenditure; that is, to put down every day how much is spent for food, laundry, cleaning, and, in fact, all expenditures, as well as how much cash is received. Indeed, if such an account is kept, the tendency of money to "slip away" will be checked and a saving of money is bound to result.

GROCERY ACCOUNT

With______John Smith, 420 Fourth Avenue_____ ====================================================== 10/2 | Groceries...........................| $ 2.10 10/3 | Groceries...........................| 2.76 10/6 | Groceries...........................| .42 10/8 | Groceries...........................| 4.12 10/10 | Groceries...........................| 1.09 10/13 | Groceries...........................| .32 10/15 | Groceries...........................| 2.30 10/17 | Groceries...........................| 2.13 10/20 | Groceries...........................| 1.93 10/22 | Groceries...........................| 3.97 10/24 | Groceries...........................| 1.69 10/27 | Groceries...........................| 4.10 10/29 | Groceries...........................| 1.12 10/31 | Groceries...........................| 3.35 | |-------- | Forwarded..............| $31.40 ====================================================== FIG. 4

13. A simple plan for keeping such a record is illustrated in Fig. 5. For this record it is possible to buy sheets of paper or cards already ruled at any stationery store, but it is a simple matter to rule sheets of blank paper that will answer the purpose very well. As will be observed, there is a space provided for every day of the month and columns into which may be placed the expenditures for groceries, including fruits and vegetables, as well as for meats and fish, milk, laundry and cleaning, and miscellaneous items, such as ice and other necessities that are not ordinarily classed as groceries. Of course, the number of columns to be used can be regulated by the person keeping the account, the illustration simply showing the general procedure. However, one column should be devoted to the daily expenditure, the figures here being the amounts of the total money spent for the different items each day. In the last column should be recorded the various amounts of money received by the housewife during the month for the settlement of her bills. At the end of the month, all of the columns should be totaled. The total of the daily outlay should equal that of the preceding columns. The difference between this total and that of the money received will show the housewife just how she stands with regard to income and expenditure for foods and kitchen supplies. In this case, there is an excess of expenditure amounting to $10.68, and this sum should be forwarded to the June account. On the other hand, should the housewife find that her expenses exceed her allowance, she will know that it will be necessary for her to curtail her expenditures in some way.

Expenditures and Receipts for the Month of ___May___, 19___ ================================================================ | | Meats | |Laundry | Miscel-| | Date| Groc- | and | Milk | and | laneous| Daily | Money | eries | Fish | |Cleaning| Expend-| Outlay | Rec'vd | | | | | itures | | ---------------------------------------------------------------- 1 | $ 2.10| $ .60| $ .28| $ 1.50 | | $ 4.48 | $ 5.70 2 | | .40| .28| | | .58 | 3 | 2.76| 1.90| .28| | $ .35 | 5.29 | 15.00 4 | | | .28| | | .28 | 5 | | | .28| | | .28 | 6 | .42| | .28| | .35 | 1.05 | 7 | | .36| .28| | .10 | .74 | 8 | 4.12| | .28| 2.00 | .40 | 6.80 | 9 | | | .28| | | .28 | 10 | 1.09| 1.83| .28| | .38 | 3.60 | 15.00 11 | | | .28| | | .28 | 12 | | | .28| | .35 | .63 | 13 | .32| .76| .28| | | 1.36 | 14 | | | .28| | .19 | .47 | 15 | 2.30| | .28| 1.50 | .12 | 4.20 | 16 | | .53| .28| | | .81 | 17 | 2.13| 1.63| .28| | .60 | 4.64 | 15.00 18 | | | .28| | | .28 | 19 | | | .28| | .22 | .50 | 20 | 1.93| | .28| | .40 | 2.61 | 21 | | .90| .28| | | 1.18 | 22 | 3.97| | .28| 2.00 | .40 | 6.65 | 23 | 2.10| | .28| | | .28 | 24 | 2.10| 2.24| .28| | .80 | 5.01 | 15.00 25 | | | .28| | .10 | .38 | 26 | | | .28| 1.50 | | 1.78 | 27 | 4.10| | .28| | .35 | 4.73 | 28 | | .38| .28| | | .66 | 29 | 1.12| .46| .28| 1.50 | .40 | 3.76 | 30 | | | .28| | | .28 | 31 | 3.35| 1.87| .28| | .55 | 6.05 | 15.00 ---------------------------------------------------------------- Total $31.40| $13.88| $ 8.68| $10.00 | $ 6.66 | $70.02 | $80.70 ================================================================ FIG. 5

Such a method of record keeping could also be followed with good results for showing the distribution of the entire income of a family. It would simply mean the planning of suitable columns for the different items of expenditure.

14. Too much cannot be said of the merit of following some such simple account-keeping method as the ones here outlined, for, as has been explained, it will enable the housewife to know with a fair degree of accuracy what she has spent her money for. In addition to the satisfaction this will give, it will supply a basis from which she can apportion, or budget, her yearly income if she so desires. By giving careful consideration to the various items of expense, she may find it possible to reduce some of them in order to increase her savings account or to have money for other items that require a larger expenditure.

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COST OF FOODS

FACTORS INFLUENCING COST

15. Certain factors that enter into the production of food add so much to the cost that they must be taken into consideration when food is purchased. The housewife who disregards these factors fails in the purchase of food, for she does not know so well what foods to buy nor how to buy them in a way to keep down the cost as the woman who is familiar with these matters. It is possible that the cost of a food may be out of all proportion to its value because of the profits that must necessarily be paid to each person through whose hands the food passes. In the first place, the overhead expenses of the food dealer must be paid by the housewife, who is regarded as the _consumer_. These expenses include his rent, light, and heat, his hired help, such as clerks, bookkeepers, delivery men, and the cost of delivery. In addition, the cost of transportation figures in prominently if the foods have to be shipped any distance, the manufacturer's profit must often be counted in, and the cost of advertising must not be overlooked. With all such matters, the housewife must acquaint herself if she would buy in the most economical way.

16. CHART OF FOOD PROBLEM.--To assist the housewife in her mastery of the purchasing side of the food problem, a chart, Fig. 6, is presented. This chart shows the various routes through which foods travel before they reach the housewife, or consumer. The lines used to connect all dealers from the producer to the consumer represent transportation or delivery, and the increase in cost due to overhead expense and profit is indicated by the black spaces, which increase in size as the number of dealers increase. The _producer_ may be the manufacturer, but in most cases he is the farmer, the stockman, the dairyman, or the fruit grower. The dealers handling the food between the producer and the consumer are known as _middlemen_. They include the wholesaler, the jobber, and the retailer. The retailer is the grocer, the butcher, or the green grocer.

17. So that this chart may be clearly understood, several concrete examples are given. Thus, the farmer who delivers vegetables directly to the consumer is an example of plan No. 1. He has very little overhead expense and consequently can sell cheaper than dealers who have a large overhead expense. However, when the farmer delivers his vegetables to the grocer and the grocer sells them to the consumer, an example of plan No. 2 is afforded. Food bought in this way costs more than that bought directly from the farmer. In plan No. 3, the farmer, for instance, sells his vegetables to a wholesaler, who perhaps buys from other farmers and then sells small quantities of them to the grocer for sale to the consumer. This plan, as will readily be seen, is more involved than either No. 1 or No. 2, but a still more roundabout route is that of plan No. 4. In this case, for instance, the farmer sells his vegetables to a canning factory, where they are canned and then sold to the grocer, who sells them in this form to the consumer. Often two wholesalers, the second one being known as a jobber, are involved in the transaction, as in plan No. 5. In such an event, the farmer sells to the wholesaler, who sells to the jobber, who, in turn, sells to the grocer, from whom the consumer secures the goods. The most complicated route is that shown in plan No. 6. This illustrates the case of the farmer who sells his cereal products to a manufacturer, who makes them up into breakfast foods. He then sells them in large quantities to the wholesaler, who sells them in 50- or 100-case lots to the jobber. From the jobber they go to the grocer, who delivers them to the consumer.

From a study of this chart, it can be readily seen that the cost of food may be reduced if the middlemen can be eliminated. For instance, the housewife will be able to get fruits and vegetables cheaper if she buys them from a farmer instead of a grocer, for she will not be called on to pay any of the grocer's overhead expense or profit. Again, if she buys her staple groceries in a store that is able to eliminate the wholesaler or the jobber, she will get them at a lower price than if she deals where these agencies must receive their share of the profits.

18. NATIONALLY ADVERTISED GOODS.--Much is said about the fact that the consumer, in buying package foods that are nationally advertised, must pay for the package and the advertising. This statement is absolutely true; but it must be remembered that where large quantities of foods are handled, the materials can be bought by the manufacturer or the wholesaler at a lower price than by one who purchases only a small amount. Then, too, if great quantities are sold, and this condition is made possible only through advertising, the profit on each package sold can be much smaller than that which would have to be made when less is sold. Often, therefore, in spite of the advertising cost, a widely advertised food can be sold for less than one that is not advertised at all because a much greater quantity is sold.

19. CHAIN STORES.--The principle of selling great quantities of food at a comparatively small profit on each item is put into practice in chain stores, which are operated by different companies throughout the United States. Such stores are a boon to the housewife who must practice economy, for they eliminate a middleman by acting both as wholesaler and as retailer. Because of this fact, foods that are purchased in large quantities from the producer or manufacturer can be offered to the consumer at a lower price than in a retail store not a part of a chain. Therefore, if foods of the same quality are not lower in price in chain stores, it must be because the buying is not well done or a greater profit is made in selling them. In addition, chain stores generally require cash for all purchases made in them and they do not usually deliver goods. Consequently, their overhead expense is materially reduced and they do not need to make such a large profit.

ECONOMICAL BUYING

20. APPORTIONMENT OF INCOME.--When the housewife thoroughly understands the qualities of foods as well as their comparative food values and is familiar with the factors that govern food prices, she is well equipped to do economical buying for her family. Then it remains for her to purchase the right kind of food and at the same time keep within her means. A good plan is to apportion the household expenses according to a _budget_; that is, to prepare a statement of the financial plans for the year. Then the amount of money that can be used for this part of the household expenses will be known and the housewife will be able to plan definitely on what she can buy. If necessary, this amount may be reduced through the housewife's giving careful attention to the details of buying, or if she is not obliged to lower her expenses, she may occasionally purchase more expensive foods, which might be considered luxuries, to give variety to the diet. The amount of money that may be spent for food depends, of course, on the income, and the greater the income, the lower will be the proportion of money required for this item of the household expense.

21. To throw some light on the proper proportion of the family income to spend for food, Table I is given. As the basis of this table, a family of five is taken and the proportion that may be spent for food has been worked out for incomes ranging from $600 to $2,400 a year. As will be noted, an income of $600 permits an expenditure of only 19 cents a day for each person. When food prices are high, it will be a difficult matter to feed one person for that amount, and still if the income is only $600 it will be necessary to do this. To increase the food cost over 39 cents a day per person, which is the amount allotted for an income of $2,400, would denote extravagance or at least would provide more luxury than is warranted.

TABLE I

PROPORTION OF FAMILY INCOME FOR FOOD ================================================================ Income Per Cent. of Amount Spent Amount Spent Amount Spent per Income Spent per year for per Day for per Day per Year for Food Food Five Persons Person ---------------------------------------------------------------- $ 600 60 $360 $ .98 $ .19 800 55 500 1.36 .27 1,000 50 576 1.57 .31 1,200 48 576 1.57 .31 1,500 44 660 1.80 .36 1,800 39 702 1.92 .38 2,400 30 720 1.97 .39 ================================================================

Various conditions greatly affect this proportion. One of these is the rise and fall of the food cost. Theoretically, the buyer should adjust this difference in the food cost rather than increase her expenditures. For instance, if in a certain year, the general cost of food is 20 per cent. greater than it was in the preceding year, the housewife should adjust her plan of buying so that for the same amount of money spent in the previous year she will be able to supply her family with what they need. Of course, if there is an increase in the income, it will not be so necessary to work out such an adjustment.

22. ECONOMIES IN PURCHASING FOOD.--Through her study of the preceding lessons, the student has had an opportunity to learn how to care for food in order to avoid loss and waste, how to prepare it so that it may be easily digested and assimilated, and how to make it appetizing and attractive so that as little as possible is left over and none is wasted. She should therefore be thoroughly acquainted with the methods of procedure in regard to all such matters and should have worked out to her satisfaction the best ways of accomplishing these things to suit her individual needs. But, in addition to these matters, she must give strict attention to her food purchases if she would secure for her family the most wholesome and nourishing foods for the least expenditure of money.

23. To purchase food that will provide the necessary food value for a small outlay is possible to a certain extent, but it cannot be done without the required knowledge. In the first place, it means that fewer luxuries can be indulged in and that the family dietary will have to be reduced to necessities. It may also mean that there will probably be a difference in the quality of the food purchased. For instance, it may be necessary to practice such economies as buying broken rice at a few cents a pound less than whole rice or purchasing smaller prunes with a greater number to the pound at a lower price than the larger, more desirable ones. The housewife need not hesitate in the least to adopt such economies as these, for they are undoubtedly the easiest ways in which to reduce the food expenses without causing detriment to any one.

24. Further economy can be practiced if a little extra attention is given in the purchase of certain foods. As is well known, the packages and cans containing food are labeled with the contents and the weight of the contents. These should be carefully observed, as should also the number of servings that may be obtained from the package or can. For instance, the housewife should know the weight per package of the various kinds of prepared cereals she uses and the number of servings she is able to procure from each package.

Let it be assumed that she buys two packages of different cereals at the same time, which, for convenience, may be called package No. 1 and package No. 2. She finds that No. 1 contains 16 ounces and No. 2, only 12 ounces; so she knows that No. 1 furnishes the greater amount of food by weight for the money spent. But, on the other hand, No. 2 may go farther; that is, it may serve a greater number of persons. This, in all probability, means that the cereals are similar in character, but that the food value of the servings from No. 2 is greater than that of the servings from No. 1. No. 2 is therefore the more economical of the two. Matters of this kind must not be overlooked, especially in the feeding of children.

Then, too, the housewife should work out carefully which she can use to greater advantage, prepared or unprepared cereals. If she finds that unprepared cereals are the more economical and if she can depend on their food value as being as high as that of the prepared ones, she should by all means give them the preference. Of course, she may use prepared cereals for convenience or for varying the diet, but the more economical ones should be used with greater regularity.

25. Canned goods should be carefully observed. A certain brand of tomatoes, for instance, may have 16 ounces to the can, whereas another brand that can be bought for the same price may have 24 ounces. There may be, however, and there probably is, a great difference in the quality of the tomatoes. The 24-ounce can may have a much greater proportion of water than the 16-ounce can, and for this reason will not serve to the same advantage. As it is with canned tomatoes, so is it with canned corn, peas, and other canned vegetables, for the price depends altogether on the quality. Therefore, several brands should be compared and the one should be purchased which seems to furnish the most food or the best quality of food for the least money, provided the quality continues.

26. In the preparation of meat, there is always some waste, and as waste is a factor that has much to do with the increasing of costs, it should be taken into consideration each time a piece of meat is purchased. If there is time for some experimenting, it makes an interesting study to weigh the meat before and after preparation, for then the amount of shrinkage in cookery, as well as the waste in bone, skin, and other inedible material, can be determined.

An actual experiment made with a 4-pound chicken showed that there was a loss of 2-3/4 pounds; that is, the weight of the edible meat after deducting the waste was only 1-1/4 pounds. The following shows how this weight was determined:

POUNDS
Weight of chicken, including head, feet, and entrails 4
Weight of head, feet, and entrails 1-1/4
Weight of bones after cooking 7/8
Weight of skin after cooking 1/4
Shrinkage in cooking 3/8
-----
Total amount of waste 2-3/4
-----
Actual weight of edible meat 1-1/4

It will readily be seen that chicken at 40 cents a pound would make the cost per pound of edible meat amount to exactly $1.28, a rather startling result. It is true, of course, that the busy housewife with a family can hardly spare the time for the extra labor such experiments require; still the greater the number of persons to be fed, the more essential is the need for economy and the greater are the possibilities for waste and loss.

27. The home production of foods does not belong strictly to economical buying, still it is a matter that offers so many advantages to the economical housewife that she cannot afford to overlook it. A small garden carefully prepared and well cultivated will often produce the summer's supply of fresh vegetables, with sufficient overproduction to permit much to be canned for winter. Not only do foods produced in a home garden keep down the cost of both summer and winter foods, but they add considerably to the variety of menus.

* * * * *

CORRECT DIET

SUITABILITY OF FOOD

28. At the same time the housewife is making a study of economy and trying to procure as nearly as possible the best quality and the largest quantity of food for the amount of money she has to spend, she must consider the suitability of this food for the persons to whom it is to be served. This matter is undoubtedly of greater importance than economy, for, regardless of the amount of money that is to be spent, suitable foods for the nourishment of all the members of the family must be supplied to them. For instance, a family of two may have $10 a week to spend for food, whereas one of five may perhaps have no more; but the larger family must have nourishing food just as the one of two must have. Therefore, whether the housewife has much or little to spend, her money must purchase food suited to the needs of her family. Unless she is able to accomplish this, she fails in the most important part of her work as a housewife, and as a result, the members of her family are not properly nourished.

29. It has long been an established fact that correct diet is the greatest factor in maintaining bodily health. Food is responsible for the growth and maintenance of the body tissues, as well as for their repair. In addition, it supplies the body with heat and energy. Consequently, taking the right food into the body assists in keeping a person in a healthy condition and makes work and exercise possible.

Because so much depends on the diet, the housewife, while considering what can be bought with the money she has to spend, must also decide whether the foods she plans to buy are suitable for the needs of her family. In fact, she should be so certain of this matter that she will automatically plan her menus in such a way that they will contain all that is necessary for each person to be fed. But, as every housewife knows, the appetites of her family must also be taken into consideration. Theoretically, she should feed her family what the various members need, regardless of their likes and dislikes. However, very few persons are willing to be fed in this way; in truth, it would be quite useless to serve a dish for which no one in the family cared and in addition it would be one of the sources of waste.

30. To make the work of the housewife less difficult, children should be taught as far as possible to eat all kinds of food. Too often this matter is disregarded, and too often, also, are the kinds of food presented, to a family regulated by the likes and dislikes of the person preparing the food. Because she is not fond of certain foods, she never prepares them; consequently, the children do not learn to like them. On the other hand, many children develop a habit of complaining about foods that are served and often refuse to eat what is set before them. Such a state of affairs should not be permitted. Indeed, every effort should be made to prevent a spirit of complaint. If the housewife is certain that she is providing the members of her family with the best that she can purchase with the money she has to spend and that she is giving them what they need, complaining on their part should be discouraged.