A manual of home-making

Up to the present time, most food has been graded from the point of view of the producer rather than of the consumer. Few foods have been graded and laiieled so that the consumer and the merchant can talk on the same basis, l^ntil this is done, it will be difficult for the housewife to buy intelUgently. She should, however, read carefully the labels on all packages L 440 showiug the tent^. A MANUAL OF HOME-MAKING net weights and the composition of fhe cnn- AmoufU to be bought After the kind and grade of food have been decided on, it' next necessary to determine the definite amount to buy, which depends primarily on such factors as the following: The aniount allowed for one person (this amount in the basis of |i;)ood buyini? and if pro|x^rly estimated insures enough food for all and elimi- nate^s to a great tlegrec* the problem of left-over food [see Tabl^" XXII] ); the numljer to !>e fed; the numlx^r of time^ the food b* to be served; the keeping qualities of the food (the amount bought should be small enough to prevent depreciation); the available storage facilities; the amount of money available to in- vest (interest on the money invt^te<i in food should l>e abided to the cost of the food) ; the terms of contract; the relative ad van- TABLE XXIL— Servinqs or Vegbtablrs in One PouKt> Appro;rim(Ue sUe Nun^itr aervinfft VegetMe of Hcrvinq inannpofmd Asparagus H cup 4 Beans, dr>' H cup ^^ B(*an3^ Btring . . Hc»ip ■ Beets Hcup 4^ m Cabbage . % cup 3 CaitoU H cup 4-« Cauliflower ?4CUp M Cdery. M cup m Onions . .... H cup m Parsnips . , . . . H cup m PoUtoea. % cup m Subify..,. H cup m BrtisBcla sprouts 3 tJ cup 5-6 Spinach H cup 4 Squash, summer ' J <'«lp 1-2 Squash, winter . '- Clip 2-8 Sweet potatoes . 1 lM)t4l!u 3-4 Swiss chard '2 <^^ip 3-4 Tomatoes ' 2 fUp 3-1 Tumir>« H ^*up 4-5 I MARKETING'FOR THE HOUSEHOLD ta^es of buying in large quantities; the season of the yeai (it is l>est to buy large amounts of kmd for storage when the new crops eome in ; this is esi>eeially trm^ of drieii fruits and many grain products, which come on the market but once a year) ; the cost. Bulk or unit package. W\ien the amount to be bought has been deteJinined^ the housewife must iJeiide whether to buy in bulk or package, and, if in package, the size of the unit. It is generally cheaper to buy in bulk than in package. (Sec Table XXIII,) The package costs more because of the container and the labor involved in packing and handling. The package^ on the other hand, lias the merit of being air-tight and dirt-prooL For these and of lier reasons it is preferred by some persons. It is possible, however, for the gi'ocer to keep food in bulk in a satisfactory and sanitary condition. Buying in bulk usually necessitates storage in moist* TABLE XXIII - ( TjMpAaisoN or Cost of Food Bought in Packarb AND IN Bulk Food CoMtof package Weight or tnetuiure of cofUetUii nf Amount obtainable in hfdh for the package same mcmfiy Bacon , . . , .38 9 ounces 16 ounces 13.3 ounces Cocoa 30.4 ounces Cocoanut .04 3.5 ounces 5 . 75 ounces CtxIUsh 24 .35 .05 16 ounces 16 ounces 24 crackers 20 nunc^pfl CotTce 17,5 ounces Crackers (soda) 35 rrackera Crackers (pxabiun). 10 33 crat^kprj* 48 crackers