Foods of the foreign-born in relation to health

Undernourished and malnourished children are frequently found in Mexican families. They are served with the same foods as the adults, foods highly spiced, with a large amount of fat added, or corn meal fried in fat. Bland foods are quite unknown in their dietary. Chicken, chicken soup with rice, vegetables, fruits and cereals, with milk and eggs, are good foods for the children. Gean milk, however, is not always easy to procure. Rice and oatmeal are the cereals most commonly used. These are boiled in water, with milk added when nearly done. They are eaten as a thick gruel instead of with cold milk poured over them as we have them. Nephritis cases, in general, must have foods containing less spice and salt. The diabetic must be furnished with dishes that have no rice in them. This is difficult, as rice is used in many combinations with other foods. When the Mexicans intermarry with Americans, the result of the cross dietary is that often there is double the amount of fat taken at a meal by the American. The f / Mexicans put their fat into the food, while the American puts his on the food. Therefore if he eats bread and butter, or potatoes with butter and green peppers fried in oil and rice, he is getting more fat than a Mexican would get. He would eat his bread without butter, and would not eat potato and butter with peppers and rice. As the Mexicans come north or intermarry, it would be better for the children and adults to learn to eat the simpler foods of the American people, boiled or baked, with less spice and fat. Any nurse or dietitian can persuade them to use cereals or baked or boiled fish and meats and vegetables, if they gradually reduce the amount of tomato or pepper for flavor until it becomes a bland dish, easier to digest and not harmful to the kidneys. Chicken Soup I chicken I green pepper 4 cups water i cup rice 2 tablespoons salt Cut up <Jiicken and boil in salted water with chopped green pepper. When chicken is done, remove and add rice to liquid. Cook until soft. Baked Chicken and Rice Make as Chicken Soup, adding chicken, cut in dice, to rice drained from soup. Brown in oven. Hot Milk Soup Put into kettle two cups of milk. Add one tablespoon of allspice. Serve hot. This is usually drunk from a cup or bowl. MEXICANS 11 Stuffed Peppers 6 green peppers i tablespn. grated cheese I tin sardines, 4^ ounces 1 cup tomato sauce 1 cup fresh bread crumbs Salt Cut peppers in half, lengthwise, and remove stem and seeds, so as to leave peppers boat shape. Wash well and pour boiling water over them, and let stand till cold. Bone the sardines and rub to a paste. Add the bread crumbs and cheese, mix well, and moisten with tomato sauce. Season highly with salt. Fill the halves of peppers, place in a greased baking dish, pour tomato sauce or soup over them, and bake in moderate oven till peppers are tender. Remove peppers, and thicken and season the liquid in the dish to serve with them. Eggs 6 eggs 3 tomatoes 2 onions i cup thick canned 2 green peppers tomatoes I teaspoon chopped parsley i tablespoon butter Remove seeds from peppers and pour boiling water over them. Let stand till cold. Chop fine the onions, peppers, and tomatoes, and cook five minutes in the butter. Add parsley, and season highly with salt and pepper. Use this sauce to serve over the eggs fried. Rice Make a sauce as directed above; add two cups boiled rice to it, with a little water, and let cook till most of the water is absorbed. To Prepare Chili Peppers Remove seeds from the pods. If dried, soak in one pint of warm water till soft. Scrape the pulp from the skin and discard the skins. Use the pulp and water. 12 FOODS OF THE FOREIGN-BORN Chili Con Carne 2 pounds round steak i dove of garlic 2 tablespoons fat 4 chili peppers 4 tablespoons flour Salt