FEEDING THE FAMILY

Dominion, Volume 20, Issue 54, 27 November 1926, Page 18

FEEDING THE FAMILY

AN IMPORTANT QUESTION

There is a most important question which Hie housewife has to answer —a question that has more to do with tho welfare of mankind than any other—since it involves the health of every man, women and child. Wherever civilisation has (xtended. this question is being asked by millions of anxious inquirers using as many shades of inflections: "What do we cat?”

This is not a question such as was asked by a man who was one of a crowd standing by a grade crossing looking at the pieces of an automobile that had just been hit by a train: "Has there been an accident?” Or such a one as was asked of a man who bad mistaken the open door of an elcafor shaft for tlie door of. his room, stepped in and fallen ten stories and lay bruised and bleeding on the floor of the elevator shaf:t “Are you hurt?” Most Important. “What do we eat?” is not a foolish question. It is a most important question, for the health of ourselves and our families depends on whether we answer this question haphazardly or scientifically. We are fortunate in this day and age to be able to answer this question scientifically. The body is a machine—one that works all the time—a most wonderful machine in that, it builds, repairs itself find furnishes its own fuel from raw material. This raw material is food. All food may be listed under three heads: Building foods, fuel foods, and regulating foods. Building foods are those which keep the body in repair and build new tissues for the growing child. Cheese, eggs, fish, legumes, meat and milk are building foods. Fuel foods are those which provide the body with heat and energy. Cereals, fats, sugars, and starchy vegetables are fuel foods. Regulating foods are those which keep the body machinery in good running order. These are the fools which contain laxative material, minerals, and vitamins. This is the group most often neglected in meal planning. All bran whole grain cereals, fruits, . vegetables, and milk are regulating foods. Are From Each Group.

In planning meals at least one food should be selected from each group for every meal. This may seem to be difficult’ to do. but a simple breakfast of cornflakes with sliced peaches served with milk, fills this requirement Milk is your building food, peaches the regulating food, and corn-flakes the fuel food. A stil l more simple meal could ho served with all bran muffins, butter, and a glass of milk. Milk is your building food, butter contains vitamins, and all bran muffins the fuel and regulating food.

Cereals are our most economical source of fuel. Uncooked whole grain cereals are cheapest, but the convenience of being able to open a package nf ready-to-eat cereals, such as corn-flakes and fill the bowls with this crisn, appetising food, often balances the added cost. ' A Protective Food.

Milk is our most economical source of building material. Milk has been called a protetive food because the liberal Use of milk protects against dietary deficiencies of many kinds. Milk contains nrotein. a building food, also an enviable supply of the minerals calcium and phosphorous These are hone-build-ing materials. Children should have a quart of milk a day and adults a pint. Ft is not necessary to drink that amount. Cereals can be cooked in milk instead of water, and served with either milk or eream.