When purchasing clothing we take note of its wear- ing qualities and the ability to keep us warm, but we seldom apply the same reasoning to our foods, al- though it is quite as necessary. Some one has estimated that in the average house- hold one-tenth of the sum spent for food will go1 for flour, a tenth for butter, another for sugar, another for milk, one-fifth for meat, one-fifth for fruit and vegeta- bles, and the remaining fifth for sundries. There are certain articles of which equal quantities will be used each week or month, and by an examina- tion of previous bills it is easy to estimate the amount required for a given period. Many of these "con- stants"' like butter, sugar, and flour, can be bought in quantities sufficient for a month, then the housekeeper knows how to apportion her money for the variable supplies. It is not necessary for the housekeeper to attempt to estimate the proportion of food principles in every dish she serves, but once a month or a quarter, if her amounts are well kept, she can see how nearly she ap- FOOD FOR A DAY. 135 proaches such daily estimate as the one below for each member of her family : A DAY'S RATION Ounces. Meat and fish 12 to 16 One egg 2 Butter 1 to 2 Milk, 1 gill to 1 pt 4 to 16 Sugar 2 to 3 Dry fruits 1 Legumes 1 Fresh vegetables and fruits 6 to 8 Potatoes , 8 to 12 Flour and grains 12 to 16 Multiply this by thirty and we have a fair' allow- ance for one person for one month. Multiply this by the number of persons in the family, or, to be more accurate, by the fractional parts of a man's ra- tions, usually allowed for women and children, and we have an ample supply for one month for the fam- ily. If the larger quantity of potatoes has been used the smaller amount of flour would have been ample, while if eggs were cheap and two or more consumed by each person daily there should be a corresponding reduc- tion in the amount of meat and fish. Of the amount purchased there will be not far from Refuse and Waste 10 per cent refuse and waste. Refuse in the form of bones, skin, and parings, waste of what is1 left on in- dividual plates, and odd bits that are spoiled and are 136 PRINCIPLES OF COOKERY. A Day's Alowance Cost of Labor Prepared Food Buying thrown away. Much fat also is thrown away, but it should be remembered that fat is worth more than twice as much as the carbohydrates in keeping the body warm. Twenty-five cents a head a day is a fair allowance for an abundance and variety of wholesome, satisfying food. Life may be sustained on half that amount, while fifty cents daily cannot nourish more completely, but may provide luxuries and foods out of season. The actual cost of table board appears, from studies made under different conditions, to be about equally divided between the raw material and the labor re- quired for the preparation and service. It may be cheaper to' pay a little more for a prepared food than to use one's own strength or pay for service to get ready a less expensive article. The woman who has time and strength and no ' other way to earn should choose the cheaper grade of food. Cheapness does not always indicate mean- ness, it may mean an abundant supply or less human labor in preparation.

AI-modernized reading of the original text

When purchasing clothing we take note of its wearing qualities and the ability to keep us warm, but we seldom apply the same reasoning to our foods, although it is quite as necessary. Some one has estimated that in the average household one-tenth of the sum spent for food will go1 for flour, a tenth for butter, another for sugar, another for milk, one-fifth for meat, one-fifth for fruit and vegetables, and the remaining fifth for sundries. There are certain articles of which equal quantities will be used each week or month, and by an examination of previous bills it is easy to estimate the amount required for a given period. Many of these "constants"' like butter, sugar, and flour, can be bought in quantities sufficient for a month, then the housekeeper knows how to apportion her money for the variable supplies. It is not necessary for the housekeeper to attempt to estimate the proportion of food principles in every dish she serves, but once a month or a quarter, if her amounts are well kept, she can see how nearly she ap- FOOD FOR A DAY. 135 proaches such daily estimate as the one below for each member of her family : A DAY'S RATION Ounces Meat and fish 12 to 16 One egg 2 Butter 1 to 2 Milk, 1 gill to 1 pt 4 to 16 Sugar 2 to 3 Dry fruits 1 Legumes 1 Fresh vegetables and fruits 6 to 8 Potatoes , 8 to 12 Flour and grains 12 to 16 Multiply this by thirty and we have a fair' allowance for one person for one month. Multiply this by the number of persons in the family, or, to be more accurate, by the fractional parts of a man's rations, usually allowed for women and children, and we have an ample supply for one month for the family. If the larger quantity of potatoes has been used the smaller amount of flour would have been ample, while if eggs were cheap and two or more consumed by each person daily there should be a corresponding reduction in the amount of meat and fish. Of the amount purchased there will be not far from Refuse and Waste 10 per cent refuse and waste. Refuse in the form of bones, skin, and parings, waste of what is1 left on individual plates, and odd bits that are spoiled and are A Day's Alowance Cost of Labor Prepared Food Buying thrown away. Much fat also is thrown away, but it should be remembered that fat is worth more than twice as much as the carbohydrates in keeping the body warm. Twenty-five cents a head a day is a fair allowance for an abundance and variety of wholesome, satisfying food. Life may be sustained on half that amount, while fifty cents daily cannot nourish more completely, but may provide luxuries and foods out of season. The actual cost of table board appears, from studies made under different conditions, to be about equally divided between the raw material and the labor required for the preparation and service. It may be cheaper to' pay a little more for a prepared food than to use one's own strength or pay for service to get ready a less expensive article. The woman who has time and strength and no ' other way to earn should choose the cheaper grade of food. Cheapness does not always indicate meanness, it may mean an abundant supply or less human labor in preparation.

Principles of cookery