Food and health

^ The information given in this letter was kindly furnished by Miss Jessie D. Ebert, District No. 27, Hamburg, Erie County, New York. Some of these facts were published in the East Aurora Advertiser May 27, 191 5, and others were written in a private letter. committee that meets our teacher at twelve o'clock every Friday, and plans luncheon for every day for next week. We decide which of us shall furnish food and what food each one of us shall bring. We name the helpers for preparing the food each day, also. At one o'clock the committee passes a slip to those who are to furnish food, telling what food they are to bring and on what day. Sometimes one girl or boy changes with another. We have a book and keep a list of everything, so that nobody shall do more than his share. Usually each family does not furnish food more than once a month. It does not cost so very much either, — about ten cents each time one of us brings something. Here are some of the other things that we like : potato soup, baked beans, bean soup, tomato soup. Sometimes we make the things at home when mother is willing, and bring a pan of beans or macaroni, or something else, to be warmed up. Some of us did not join the club, but any one who is not a member may buy a cup of hot food for one cent. Usually two girls are appointed to do the cooking. Sometimes it is begun before school or at recess. At 1 1 : 45 the girls finish the luncheon ; then we wash our hands, and sit down at our desks to be served. The girls, with one or two others to help, serve all of us. We take turns in washing the dishes ; and it is funny that we never seem to mind it at school. We would not give up our lunch club for anything. Your affectionate cousin, Polly. Packing the luncheon. When food is done up in packages, it should be neatly wrapped (see page 301). If called on to act as judges in a luncheon-box contest, we might draw up for ourselves a score card like the following : SCORE CARD LUNCHEON-BOX CONTEST RAnNG 1. Neatness of box or wrapper 5 2. Appearance of the inside of the box 25 Neatness Daintiness 3. Quality and preparation of food 35 Excellence of preparation 4. Selection of food 35 Fitness for purpose Too Courtesy of the New York State College of Agriadtvre at ComeU UniveraUy. 1. Make a list of simple utensils that would help you in preparing food at school. You can recall those used at home. 2. What plan can you make for washing dishes ? 3. Can you think of some way of avoiding dishwashing, or of having as little as possible ? 4. Make a list of luncheon dishes that you think you might make at school. Lesson 2 water and fruit beverage What can we prepare to drink at school in addition to water, on warm days in fall and spring ? Let US think about some of the ways of making agreeable cool and hot beverages. Fruit jukes with water. " What fruits may be used in place of or with lemon juice ? " The answer to this is very simple : any fruit that is acid and juicy, and has a decided flavor, makes a pleasant drink. The beverage is wholesome, if one does not take too much and if it is not too sweet. Perhaps we are all more used to making lemonade than any other fruit drink, but the Pleasant Valley Club is trying other fruits on some of the warm days in September. Marjorie Allen experiments at home ; when she sees that her Mother is warm and tired, she surprises her with a glass of cool fruit juice and water. Strawberry, currant, and raspberry juices are delicious in this way, and so is the juice from tart summer apples, slightly cooked. Canned fruits, jellies, or jam may be used ; and, if the flavor is flat, a little lemon juice or cream of tartar may be added. " How does Marjorie make the fruit juice into a refreshing drink .? '*