MENUS
Before giving any menus, let me first of all impress upon the reader the importance of eating slowly, of good cheer, of light conversation during a meal, and of thoroughly masticating the food. Remember it is the foodASSIMILATED,which nourishes.
The following menus allow sufficient food for average conditions, when the vital organs are normal.
Fruit, as previously stated, contains a very small quantity of nutrition. It is more valuable for its diuretic effect; and to stimulate the appetite; for this reason it may well be eaten before a meal.
The citrous fruits tend to neutralize too strong acids of the blood, increasing its alkalinity. For this reason, also, they are best before a meal, particularly before breakfast; they have a more laxative and cleansing effect if eaten before the other food. The custom has been, however, toeat fruits after dinner for dessert and they are so given on the following menus.
Sedentary Occupation
The following diet is for one who has attained full growth and who walks a few blocks a day. The diet may seem light, but where one is sitting indoor most of the time, and has little outdoor exercise, less waste protein is oxidized and less starch, fat and sugar are required for heat and energy. If too much carbonaceous food is consumed, one will store up too much and become too large. If more protein is consumed than is oxidized and eliminated one is liable to neuralgic or rheumatic difficulties.
Every person at sedentary employment should, without fail, exercise each day as suggested on pages 104 to 107.
In nearly all of the following menus coffee and tea have been omitted because, as before stated, they are not foods, butstimulantsand the caffein and thein may overstimulate the nerves and the heart. They retard digestion. Some other warm drink should be substituted where there is digestive disturbance, or where the digestion is weak. They should never at any time be used strong. They are used for their pleasing flavor and where one hasdifficulty in governing the desire for them, sufficient may be used to flavor the water.
The following is a suggestive diet for one who is not active:
BREAKFAST
Fruit,Cereal or Toast Coffee,Dry toast (two slices), or two muffins or two gems.
Fruit,
Cereal or Toast Coffee,
Dry toast (two slices), or two muffins or two gems.
If one has taken brisk exercise, as suggested above, or is to take a brisk walk of a mile or two, a dish of oatmeal or some other cereal with cream and sugar, may be added.
LUNCH
Creamed soup, or pureé with crackers or dry toast.Sandwich and fruit, or two slices of bread and butter with fruit.Cup of custard or one piece of cake and milk or two cookies.A glass of milk or buttermilk.If pureé of peas or beans is used the sandwich may be omitted and one slice of bread is sufficient.
Creamed soup, or pureé with crackers or dry toast.
Sandwich and fruit, or two slices of bread and butter with fruit.
Cup of custard or one piece of cake and milk or two cookies.
A glass of milk or buttermilk.
If pureé of peas or beans is used the sandwich may be omitted and one slice of bread is sufficient.
DINNER
Meat, gravy, potatoes or rice.One vegetable, green peas, green beans, cauliflower, greens, corn. (Do not use dried baked beans or dried peas with lean meat.)Salad or fruit.Pudding, easily digested, such as bread, rice, tapioca, cornstarch or chocolate.
Meat, gravy, potatoes or rice.
One vegetable, green peas, green beans, cauliflower, greens, corn. (Do not use dried baked beans or dried peas with lean meat.)
Salad or fruit.
Pudding, easily digested, such as bread, rice, tapioca, cornstarch or chocolate.
The Young Child
After one year, the child should be given solid foodvery graduallyto develop his digestive functions as well as his teeth. The ferment, whichenables him to digest starches is beginning to form, and he needs some cereal. A piece of dry toast or a dry cracker will do. The year old child may also begin to drink cow’s milk. One or two glasses a day may be given, until the child is at least thirteen or fourteen years old.
The child must build muscle, bone and sinew and more protein is required as soon as he begins to walk. Milk, eggs and cereals will furnish this. The heavier protein diet is best given at eighteen months to two years, in eggs, cooked soft. These soft cooked eggs are best when mixed with broken, dry toast or broken crackers, because if dry food is served with them, they will be better masticated, hence more saliva be mixed with them. The habit of thorough mastication should be cultivated at this period.
Oatmeal, thoroughly cooked, and shredded wheat, with cream and sugar, ripe fruit, bread and butter, milk, soft cooked eggs (poached, baked or boiled) constitute a rational diet.
If the child is hungry between meals, he should be fed at a regular period, midway between breakfast and luncheon and between luncheon and the evening meal. The food should be dry (toast or a dry cracker)to require thorough and slow mastication.
Many object to “piecing” between meals, but if this piecing be done at hours as regular as his meal hour, and the food be dry and well masticated, it will readily digest and will not interfere with his meals. The growing child needs more frequent meals than the adult. His stomach is not so large, he is active in out door exercise, and eliminates waste freely. He also requires much heat and energy. The active child at outdoor play uses almost as much energy as the laboring man.
The growing child craves sweets.
Candy should not be taken at any time during the day, because the digestive system needs rest. It is quickly converted into heat and is best eaten immediately following a meal. Sugar may be spread upon bread for the four o’clock lunch or a little candy may be eaten at this time. Two to three pieces of candy an inch square are sufficient.
The Developing, or the Adolescent Period
This period begins with a girl, usually near the thirteenth year, and with a boy about fourteen. There is no time in life when a mother needs to be so watchful of the diet. Growth is very rapid andmuch easily digested protein is needed to build tissue, particularly to build the tissue of red corpuscles.
The red meats, eggs, spinach and all kinds of greens are important articles of diet at this time, because of the iron which they contain. They should be supplied freely, particularly for developing girls, or they may otherwise be inclined to anaemia, at this time. Butter and milk are valuable andregular exercises with deep breathing are imperative.
BREAKFAST.
Fruit.Oatmeal or some other cereal, well cooked, with cream and sugar.One egg, boiled, poached or baked (cooked soft), or chipped beef in cream gravy.Cereal coffee, toast coffee or hot water with cream and sugar.Buttered toast, shredded wheat biscuit or triscuit.
Fruit.
Oatmeal or some other cereal, well cooked, with cream and sugar.
One egg, boiled, poached or baked (cooked soft), or chipped beef in cream gravy.
Cereal coffee, toast coffee or hot water with cream and sugar.
Buttered toast, shredded wheat biscuit or triscuit.
LUNCH
Cream soup, bean soup, or pureé with crackers or dry toast.Bread and butter.Fruit and cake, or rice pudding, or bread, tapioca, cocoanut or cereal pudding of any kind, or a cup of custard.
Cream soup, bean soup, or pureé with crackers or dry toast.
Bread and butter.
Fruit and cake, or rice pudding, or bread, tapioca, cocoanut or cereal pudding of any kind, or a cup of custard.
DINNER
An ample portion of meat, (preferably red meat).Potatoes.Vegetables, preferably spinach, or greens of some kinds, or beets boiled with the tops.Graham bread.Fruit with triscuit, graham bread toasted or graham wafers.Candy. (small quantity)
An ample portion of meat, (preferably red meat).
Potatoes.
Vegetables, preferably spinach, or greens of some kinds, or beets boiled with the tops.
Graham bread.
Fruit with triscuit, graham bread toasted or graham wafers.
Candy. (small quantity)
A growing child is usually hungry upon returning from school, and it is well to take a little easily digested food regularly but not sufficient to destroy the appetite for the evening meal. An egg lemonade is easily digested and satisfying. If active and exercising freely, craving for sweets should be gratified, to a limited extent.
The Athlete
The young man, active in athletics, needs the same food as given for the adolescent, yet more in quantity. He needs to drink water before his training and at rest periods during the game. If he is too fat, he should train off the superfluous amount by exercise and by judiciously abstaining from much sugars, starches and fats. Diets for reductions must be governed by the condition of the kidneys and the digestive organs.
Deep breathing habits are imperative and he must be careful not to overtax lungs or heart.
The Laboring Man
The man engaged in muscular work requires plenty of food; he can digest foods which the professional or business man, or the man of sedentary habits, cannot. He will probably be able to drink coffee and tea without any disturbanceto nerves or to digestion. In his muscular work he liberates the waste freely and needs fats, starches and sugars to supply the heat and energy. This is especially true of men who work in the fresh air; the muscular action liberates waste and heat and the full breathing freely oxidizes the waste, putting it in condition to be excreted through lungs, skin, kidneys and intestines.
He should have more meat, eggs and nitrogenous foods, and he also needs more carbonaceous foods to supply heat and energy. Three hearty meals a day are necessary.
His muscular movements of the trunk keeps the circulation forceful and the vital organs strong so that his diet may be almost as heavy as that of the football player. Meat or eggs, two or even three times a day, with tea or coffee, and evenpiemay be eaten with impunity. He needs a good nourishing breakfast of bacon and eggs or meat, also potatoes, or a liberal allowance of bread and butter, corn bread, muffins, etc.
The Aged
The term aged is not governed entirely by years. If one stops physical and mental activity, the vital forcesrecede, muscles and vital organs become weak and inactive, the waste of the system is not fully relieved and such a man at fifty-five is physically and mentally older than the man who is in active business or is taking daily vigorous exercise, at seventy or eighty. The latter may follow the same diet which he follows at fifty, while the former should follow the diet of the old man who has stopped active work. It should be simple, easily digested and nutritious, and should be reduced in quantity.
BREAKFASTCereal, well cooked, with cream or sugar. Oatmeal is preferred because it is laxative.One egg, boiled, poached or baked (soft).One slice of toast.Cereal coffee.DINNERBouillon or soup.Meat—small portion.Potato (preferably baked).Vegetable.Cup custard, or bread, rice or cornmeal pudding with lemon cream sauce.SUPPERSoup.Bread and butter.Stewed fruit.Tea.
BREAKFAST
Cereal, well cooked, with cream or sugar. Oatmeal is preferred because it is laxative.
One egg, boiled, poached or baked (soft).
One slice of toast.
Cereal coffee.
DINNER
Bouillon or soup.
Meat—small portion.
Potato (preferably baked).
Vegetable.
Cup custard, or bread, rice or cornmeal pudding with lemon cream sauce.
SUPPER
Soup.
Bread and butter.
Stewed fruit.
Tea.
An old person needs little meat. The food should be masticated to a pulp. Tea and coffee are best omitted, but if used totea, one small cup, prepared by turning boiling water on the leaves and served immediately, may be included. The tea should not be strong and, for reasons given on page183, should never be allowed to steep.
If inclined to constipation, or if the kidneys are inactive, grapes or an apple, or some fruit may be eaten just before retiring.