(3) At some seasons and in some localities dried fruits and vegetables are more economical than the fresh product, and may ' be made just as palatable if properly prepared. (4) The home garden is usually a means of reducing the cost of fresh fruits and vegetables in season, and the surplus canned, dried, or stored will furnish economical food out of season. It is not economy to entirely omit fresh fruits and vegetables from the diet as is often done. When it is remembered how important these foods are for proper nutrition, the housewife is justified in using them even at a comparativelj' high cost. The cost can be offset by cutting down on the amount of money spent on less essential foods. B. Group II. — Meat, poultry, fish, eggs, milk, and cheese : (1) When these foods are very expensive, many families can cut down on the amount used. Where there are young children, adequate amounts of milk must be supplied. (2) The amount of meat used by many families can easily be reduced without harm by using any other of the complete pro- tein foods. Economy in using meat may be practiced by select- ing less expensive cuts, preparing them so as to retain food value, and extending the flavor by the use of stews, etc. USE AND PREPARATION OF FOOD. 217 (3) Eggs are iisiialh' expensive, particularly at the colder sea- sons of the year. The cost may be redncecl by preserving them at home at a §eason Avhen they are plentiful and cheap. (See Unit IX. Lesson 9.) (4) Skimmed milk and cottage cheese are nsualh' among the cheaper forms of animal protein. These should be used more abundantly to take the place of more expensive protein foods. C. Group III. — Cereals and legumes: (1) As a rule the cereals are among our most economical foods, but the price varies according to the form in which they are bought. The ready-to-serve cereals are most expensive, some of them averaging 50 or 60 cents a pound. Cereals in the form of bread come next, while flours and meals and ground uncooked cereals are the most economical form. Unless fuel and time are important considerations, money can generalh' be saved by buy- ing uncooked cereals and preparing them at home. {'2) Cereals contain some of almost every substance needed b}' the body. For this reason, when cost is an important item, a very large proportion of the diet may be made up of cereals, and the amount of protein, fat, and sweets reduced. If, how- ever, cereals are scarce and it is desirable to use a small amount their place may be largely taken by foods from other groups. (3) The dried legumes are economical sources of food. The starchy legumes may be used as sources of fuel or they may be used for the sake of their protein as meat savers. Such legumes as soy beans and peanuts may be more correctly classed with Group II. D. Group IV. — Sugars and sirups: (1) The amount used ma}' be cut down, or may be omitted entirely, without injury to health. As generally used sirups are not economical substitutes for sugar, because, on account of the lower sweetening power, larger amounts are used than of sugar. The fruits from Group I, especially the dried fruits, may be dej^ended upon to supply some sugar. E. Group v.— Fats:

AI-modernized reading of the original text

(3) At some seasons and in some localities dried fruits and vegetables are more economical than the fresh product, and may ' be made just as palatable if properly prepared. (4) The home garden is usually a means of reducing the cost of fresh fruits and vegetables in season, and the surplus canned, dried, or stored will furnish economical food out of season. It is not economy to entirely omit fresh fruits and vegetables from the diet as is often done. When it is remembered how important these foods are for proper nutrition, the housewife is justified in using them even at a comparativelj' high cost. The cost can be offset by cutting down on the amount of money spent on less essential foods. B. Group II. — Meat, poultry, fish, eggs, milk, and cheese : (1) When these foods are very expensive, many families can cut down on the amount used. Where there are young children, adequate amounts of milk must be supplied. (2) The amount of meat used by many families can easily be reduced without harm by using any other of the complete protein foods. Economy in using meat may be practiced by selecting less expensive cuts, preparing them so as to retain food value, and extending the flavor by the use of stews, etc. (3) Eggs are usually expensive, particularly at the colder seasons of the year. The cost may be reduced by preserving them at home at a season when they are plentiful and cheap. (See Unit IX. Lesson 9.) (4) Skimmed milk and cottage cheese are usually among the cheaper forms of animal protein. These should be used more abundantly to take the place of more expensive protein foods. C. Group III. — Cereals and legumes: (1) As a rule the cereals are among our most economical foods, but the price varies according to the form in which they are bought. The ready-to-serve cereals are most expensive, some of them averaging 50 or 60 cents a pound. Cereals in the form of bread come next, while flours and meals and ground uncooked cereals are the most economical form. Unless fuel and time are important considerations, money can generally be saved by buying uncooked cereals and preparing them at home. (2) Cereals contain some of almost every substance needed by the body. For this reason, when cost is an important item, a very large proportion of the diet may be made up of cereals, and the amount of protein, fat, and sweets reduced. If, however, cereals are scarce and it is desirable to use a small amount their place may be largely taken by foods from other groups. (3) The dried legumes are economical sources of food. The starchy legumes may be used as sources of fuel or they may be used for the sake of their protein as meat savers. Such legumes as soy beans and peanuts may be more correctly classed with Group II. D. Group IV. — Sugars and sirups: (1) The amount used may be cut down, or may be omitted entirely, without injury to health. As generally used syrups are not economical substitutes for sugar, because, on account of the lower sweetening power, larger amounts are used than of sugar. The fruits from Group I, especially the dried fruits, may be depended upon to supply some sugar. E. Group v.— Fats:

Use and preparation of food