A dinner containing as few dishes as a
meat and vegetable stew, fresh relishes, and a
fruit or sweet spread may be adequate in
amount and in food nutrients. On the other
hand, an elaborate meal of several courses
may lack important food nutrients. In plan¬
ning either a one-dish meal or a formal din¬
ner, check the food groups to see if the meal
is making its contribution to the day’s re¬
quirements. In this way good meal-planning
will soon become a matter of habit.
Special Meals. Mealtime is an important
occasion for many reasons. When the right
foods are correctly prepared and served, good
nutrition for the family is the result. And
when attractive food is served in pleasant
surroundings, it gives pleasure to all. In
other words, food has a social value as well as
a physical one. Wise homemakers who are
concerned with building the family into a
strongly knit unit do not overlook mealtime
as one means of accomplishing this end.
Friends, too, play an important part in the
social side of food service. There is nothing
which gives more real joy than sharing good
things with friends. Holidays, birthdays, and
other special days present opportunities for
something out of the ordinary in meal-plan¬
ning. Special days require special meals,
but holiday meals need not be difficult nor
time-consuming to plan, prepare, and serve.
As a matter of tradition, certain dishes are
associated with certain holidays. This makes
holiday menu-planning even simpler than
everyday planning.
MEAL SERVICE
A well-planned and excellently prepared
meal may lose some of its character if it is
not well served. This does not mean that it
is necessary to have elaborate service. A
meal should be well served whether eaten in
the kitchen, a dining alcove, a dining-room,
or one end of the living-room. Neither does
it mean that the homemaker should make the
serving of meals complicated or consuming
of time and energy. A meal can be easily
and attractively served without a maid and
without undue effort on the part of any mem¬
ber of the family.
The trend at the present time is toward
simplicity in table service, as it is in other
phases of managing a home. That does not
mean that less attention is given to little
details which make a meal attractive and
enjoyable. Rather, it means that the wise
planner considers the style of service which
fits the needs and pleasure of her family. It
means, too, that she thinks through each
meal and considers the number of dishes
and the amount of silver and glassware she
is using, all of which must be washed and
put away after the meal. It means, further¬
more, that she considers the kind and amount
of table linen which she uses, for that must
be washed, ironed, and cared for. There are
many attractive kinds of place mats avail¬
able today which may give a table more
colors and interest than some linens which
require a great deal of time and energy to
keep in good condition.
Here are some ways of serving attractively
which require a minimum of time and energy.
Some of the advantages and disadvantages of
each method are pointed out.
Page 334
Presented as published in 1935. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
A dinner containing as few dishes as a meat and vegetable stew, fresh relishes, and a fruit or sweet spread may be adequate in amount and in food nutrients. On the other hand, an elaborate meal of several courses
may lack important food nutrients. In plan¬ ning either a one-dish meal or a formal din¬ ner, check the food groups to see if the meal is making its contribution to the day’s re¬ quirements. In this way good meal-planning will soon become a matter of habit.
Special Meals. Mealtime is an important occasion for many reasons. When the right foods are correctly prepared and served, good nutrition for the family is the result. And when attractive food is served in pleasant surroundings, it gives pleasure to all. In other words, food has a social value as well as a physical one. Wise homemakers who are concerned with building the family into a strongly knit unit do not overlook mealtime as one means of accomplishing this end. Friends, too, play an important part in the social side of food service. There is nothing which gives more real joy than sharing good things with friends. Holidays, birthdays, and other special days present opportunities for something out of the ordinary in meal-plan¬ ning. Special days require special meals, but holiday meals need not be difficult nor time-consuming to plan, prepare, and serve. As a matter of tradition, certain dishes are associated with certain holidays. This makes holiday menu-planning even simpler than everyday planning.
MEAL SERVICE
A well-planned and excellently prepared meal may lose some of its character if it is not well served. This does not mean that it is necessary to have elaborate service. A meal should be well served whether eaten in the kitchen, a dining alcove, a dining-room, or one end of the living-room. Neither does it mean that the homemaker should make the serving of meals complicated or consuming of time and energy. A meal can be easily and attractively served without a maid and without undue effort on the part of any mem¬ ber of the family.
The trend at the present time is toward simplicity in table service, as it is in other phases of managing a home. That does not mean that less attention is given to little details which make a meal attractive and enjoyable. Rather, it means that the wise planner considers the style of service which fits the needs and pleasure of her family. It means, too, that she thinks through each meal and considers the number of dishes and the amount of silver and glassware she is using, all of which must be washed and put away after the meal. It means, further¬ more, that she considers the kind and amount of table linen which she uses, for that must be washed, ironed, and cared for. There are many attractive kinds of place mats avail¬ able today which may give a table more colors and interest than some linens which require a great deal of time and energy to keep in good condition.
Here are some ways of serving attractively which require a minimum of time and energy. Some of the advantages and disadvantages of each method are pointed out.