School and Home Cooking Part 76

Going without breakfast may be the cause of headaches, poorly prepared lessons, and in some cases irritability or bad dispositions. When the morning meal is omitted, an undue quant.i.ty of food is apt to be eaten at noon. In many schools, work is resumed immediately or shortly after luncheon. The digestion of a large quant.i.ty of hearty food interferes with mental effort.

THE HUNGRY BOY belongs to the period of adolescence. It is perfectly natural for the growing boy to be hungry. Indeed during the time from twelve to seventeen years, more food is consumed by the average youth than by an adult. If three meals a day are to satisfy the hungry boy, a nouris.h.i.+ng diet must be eaten. Concentrated, but easily digested foods, such as eggs, cereals, meat, starchy and nitrogenous vegetables for building and energy as well as foods which supply mineral matter such as fruits and succulent vegetables, are needed.

The use of milk and cocoa rather than tea and coffee should be encouraged.

It is especially necessary that milk with its growth-promoting materials and valuable proteins be included in the diet of a growing youth. If coffee must be used, let it be cereal coffee.

For the boy who would "make the team" and excel in athletics the matter of a proper food selection is most important. The athlete must give serious consideration to his diet.

FOOD PLANS FOR GIRLS AND BOYS.--According to the table given on previously, the diet of a girl from fourteen to seventeen should supply Calories averaging 2400, while that of a boy of the same age should supply Calories averaging 3400. [Footnote 110: The reason why the energy requirements of a boy exceeds that of a girl of the adolescent period is stated on previously.]

The following plans for a day's diet for the girl and boy of fourteen to seventeen years are offered as suggestions for wholesome food combinations:

FOODS APPROXIMATE CALORIES

Breakfast. Fruits, fresh or cooked 75-100 Cereal with Whole Milk and Sugar 200-250 Toast and b.u.t.ter (2 to 3 slices) 300-450 Cocoa or Whole Milk 120-150

Luncheon. Cream Soup 150-175 Meat Subst.i.tute 200-300 Bread and b.u.t.ter (1 to 2 slices) 150-300 Rice or Tapioca Pudding or Blanc Mange 150-200 Cocoa or Whole Milk 120-150

Dinner. Egg-dish or Meat 200-300 Starchy Vegetable or Cereal 100-125 Succulent Vegetable or Salad 50-150 Bread and b.u.t.ter (1 to 2 slices) 150-300 Baked Custard or Ice Cream with Chocolate Sauce 250-300 Cereal Coffee (with Sugar, and Top Milk) or Whole Milk 125-150 --------- 2340-3400

THE SCHOOL LUNCHEON.--Girls and boys of high school age invariably lunch at school, or a luncheon is brought from home and eaten at school. If a pupil buys his luncheon at school, hot, wholesome, nouris.h.i.+ng foods such as cream-soup vegetables, eggs, cereal puddings, cocoa, and milk should be purchased. It is unfortunate if pastry and sweets are chosen to the exclusion of the foods just mentioned.

In case the plainer foods are selected, it is a mistake for the pupil to narrow his purchase to a very few foods such as meat, potatoes, and pastry. Too often pupils get in the habit of choosing foods which furnish too little variety in composition. Learning to like many different foods is a characteristic one should strive to develop. When one abolishes food prejudices and "eats everything" that is wholesome, the possibility of securing a well-balanced meal to meet the needs of the body is increased.

LUNCHEON MENUS.--The quant.i.ty and kind of food that should be eaten at luncheon depends largely upon the kind and quant.i.ty of foods eaten at breakfast and dinner or supper. Some eat more breakfast than luncheon while others follow the reverse plan. It has been found, however, that a luncheon yielding from 750 to 1000 Calories furnishes adequate nutriment for the average youth, provided of course the foods are well balanced in composition. Suggestive luncheon menus for school girls and boys follow.

(The luncheon which is carried from home is discussed in Lesson CXLIX.)

FOOD CALORIES DERIVED TOTAL FROM PROTEIN CALORIES

1 serving macaroni and cheese (1 cupful) 34.0 200.00 1 slice bread and b.u.t.ter 14.2 150.00 1 portion gingerbread (2 ounces) 14.0 200.00 1 medium baked apple with whole milk 6.8 128.00 1 serving cocoa (3/4 cupful) 16.1 118.40 ---- ------ 85.1 796.40

1 serving vegetable soup (1 cupful) 21.28 148.22 1 cheese and peanut sandwich 43.47 270.00 1 large orange 6.20 100.00 1 portion cake (2 ounces) 14.00 200.00 1 gla.s.s milk (7/8 cupful) 26.60 140.00 ------ ------ 111.55 858.22

1 serving cream of tomato soup (1 cupful) 25.07 178.4 3 soda crackers 9.4 100.0 1 ham sandwich 51.1 316.4 1 portion ice cream (1/8 quart) 7.66 199.2 1 large banana 5.3 100.0 1 gla.s.s milk (7/8 cupful) 26.6 140.0 ------ ------ 125.13 1034.0

QUESTIONS

Plan a week's series of school luncheons containing foods which may be obtained at home or at school or at any other place where you eat your luncheon. Calculate the total Calorific value of the menus. Also determine the per cent of Calories derived from protein.

LESSON CXL

PLANNING A DAY'S DIET--COOKING AND SERVING A MEAL

Plan [Footnote 111: See Footnote 72] a day's diet containing the kinds of foods suitable for you and other members of your cla.s.s and furnis.h.i.+ng sufficient Calories to meet the energy-requirement of girls of your age.

(Follow the suggestions given in Lesson CV and Cx.x.xIX.) Determine the per cent of the total Calories produced by Calories derived from protein.

Compute the cost of the meal.

Cook and serve one of the meals of the day's diet. Follow the English or family style of serving,--either with or without a maid.

LESSON CXLI

REVIEW: MEAL COOKING

MENU

Bread (or Raised Biscuits) Cranberry Jelly (or Fruit Sauce)

See Lesson XIV for suggestions regarding the preparation of the lesson.

LESSON CXLII

HOME PROJECTS [Footnote 112: See Lesson IX.]

SUGGESTIONS FOR HOME WORK.--Bake yeast bread or raised biscuits at your home at least once a week.

SUGGESTED AIMS: (1) To improve the quality of the bread. Score your products each time you prepare them. By careful observation and by consultation with your teacher, determine the cause of any undesirable quality your breads may have and then strive at the next baking to correct your mistakes.

(2) To compare homemade and baker's bread. Determine the weight and cost of a loaf of homemade and baker's bread. Compute the cost per pound of each. Compare the flavor and satisfying qualities of each. Consult other members of your family regarding these two qualities. Name the advantages and disadvantages of baking bread at home.

DIVISION FOURTEEN

CAKE

LESSON CXLIII

CAKE WITHOUT FAT--SPONGE CAKE

COMPARISON OF SPONGE CAKE AND POPOVERS.--See the recipe for Popovers.

Compare it with the recipe for Sponge Cake I.

SPONGE CAKE NO. I

4 egg yolks 1 cupful sugar 1 teaspoonful lemon juice Grated rind of 1/2 lemon 4 egg whites 1/2 teaspoonful salt 1 cupful flour