Wholesome Sweets[23]

Rational Dietary. A rational dietary for children should meet the following requirements:

1. Total calories per day, computed for the age, weight (normal); modified by the activity, season, health, of the individual child

2. Balance of protein, fat, carbohydrate: Protein 10-15 per cent; fat 25-35 per cent; carbohydrate 50-60 per cent.

3. Purin-free or low in purins

4. Minerals supplied, especially lime, phosphorus, iron, soda, potash

5. Vitamines supplied by some uncooked or fresh, slightly cooked foods

6. Laxatives furnished by cellulose, water, oils, sugars, vegetable acids

7. Hard foods, requiring gnawing and chewing

8. No irritants or artificial stimulants, e.g. pepper, mustard, vinegar, condiments, alcohol, beer, tea, coffee

9. Combination of food carefully arranged:

10. Cooking:

Table for Hours of Feeding

Differences of social, economic, and climatic conditions will naturally lead to differences of usual rising hour and general day’s régime. The above schedule is consistent with the environment represented in the daily schedule on pages 124, 125.

A special schedule should be made out for the individual child, according to his environment and special needs. Certain fundamental principles must be followed, in varying this schedule. (1) Regular times for meals; (2) intervals between meals; (3) heaviest meal at midday; (4) interval before bedtime; (5) interval before bath.

To make out a dietary for a given individual.

1. To compute the total calories required for one day, (a) take the normal weight for the age, sex, height (see appendix), and (b) multiply this by the calories required per pound of body weight. (Table, page 160.)

Use the minimum calories for youngest, maximum for oldest in each age group. A child of active temperament requires more calories than a phlegmatic child of same age and weight. Factors indicating a liberal allowance of calories are outdoor life, cold weather, vigorous exercise, or a child under normal weight. A smaller allowance is indicated by indoor life, little activity, hot weather, or a child over normal weight.

2. Compute the number of these total calories for protein (15 per cent. of total calories), fat (25-35 per cent.), carbohydrates (50-60 per cent.).

3. Make out a tentative day’s dietary, in 100-calorie portions, and add or deduct portions until the total of computed calories is approximated; a difference not to exceed 10 per cent. is allowable. (Table, page 160.)

4. Analyze these portions (see appendix), and compare with computed amounts (2 above) for balance of protein, fat, carbohydrate. Differences not to exceed ten per cent. are allowable. For compound foods, as custard, purée, analyze each of the ingredients.

5. Analyze for lime, phosphorus, iron.

6. Check for alkali-forming foods, vitamines, laxatives, hard foods.

7. Divide into meals. The heaviest meal should come in the middle of the day.

8. Note the method of preparation suited to the development and condition of the individual.

The making of a well-balanced and organized dietary for a day requires several hours of careful calculating. It is therefore the part of wisdom, as well as economy of energy, to carefully make out a dietary for six or seven days, that there may be balance in each day’s ration, and a wide range of variety from day to day; and to preserve these for reference. By measuring out 100-calorie portions of common foods for a few days, the student comes to recognize these quickly, and the assembling of a meal comes to have all the zest of a game.

Illustration of Method in Making out a Dietary.

1. Normal weight: 35 pounds; Calories per pound: 38; Total Calories: 1330

2. Estimated Calories: Protein, 200; Fat, 465; Carbohydrates, 665

3.-5. Analysis of Day’s Food

Typical Menus For Different Ages[24]

I. Twelve to Fifteen Months

Calculated for 21 pounds at 45 calories = 945 calories

Vitamines may exist in some degree in slightly cooked foods.

II. Fifteen to Twenty-Four Months

Calculated for 26 pounds at 42 calories = 1092 calories

III. Two to Four Years

Calculated for 35 pounds at 38 calories = 1330 calories

IV. Four to Six Years

Calculated for 40 pounds at 37 calories = 1480 calories

V. Six to Eight Years

Calculated for 47 pounds at 33 calories = 1551 calories

Care of Food. All food should be kept covered, protected from dust, bacteria, insects, odors, poisonous gases (from bad drainage in refrigerator or kitchen). Butter should be kept in oiled paper or covered by a salted muslin cloth.

Cooked foods should be quickly and thoroughly cooled, and then covered and kept in a cool place.

Milk requires the most painstaking care, as bacteria multiply in it very rapidly unless it is kept cool and clean. It should be kept in a seamless, non-rusting receptacle, covered from dust and insects (preferably with a clean, double muslin cloth that will admit air but keep out dust); and placed in a clean, odorless, ventilated place. If a refrigerator or clean, cool cellar, springhouse, or well is not available, a homemade refrigerator may be constructed, similar to the fireless cooker, that will require little ice. Or the bottle may be placed in a basin of cool running water and covered with a clean muslin cloth the edges of which absorb the water; if thus placed in a draft, the evaporation will keep the milk cool. In hot weather it should be pasteurized for children under six years, and at other seasons for children under four, unless certified.

Milk should preferably be bottled at the dairy for delivery. If delivered from cans it should be exposed as little as possible to the air and dust, the measures should be scrupulously clean, and it should be poured at once into bottles or jars that have been sterilized by boiling and that are covered from dust until filled. It should be immediately covered.

If milk is delivered in bottles, provision should be made for protecting these from dust, sun, and animals until they are brought into the kitchen. The bottles should be well washed in cool water, especially around the top and cover, before opening. The rim of the bottle should be wiped with a clean cloth and the cover replaced immediately after pouring.

Milk which has been warmed or which has stood uncovered outside the bottle should not be poured back or used again for the children to drink, as bacteria have multiplied in it very rapidly. It may be used for cooking.

Milk. The production of milk requires the greatest cleanliness. If a cow is kept, the dairy, utensils, methods of milking and caring for the new milk should conform to the standards set forth in the Federal and State Health Bulletins. If milk is purchased, inspection should, if possible, be made of the dairy and the methods of cooling and transportation. In the large cities, milk is now graded according to the degree of care and the cleanliness as indicated by the bacteria count. Certified or Grade “A” should be used for children under three years of age. Grade “A” is preferable, but Grade “B” can be used for children over two years. Grade “C” and loose milk are fit only for cooking.

The milk from a herd is more uniform from day to day than from a single cow. Holstein or Guernsey milk is preferable for children, especially for infants, as the lower fat content and softer curds make it more easily digested than Jersey milk.

Sterilized or condensed milk is less easily digested and less nutritious than raw milk, and is conducive to constipation. The high degree of heat to which they have been subjected has reduced the vitamines and affected the protein.

Milk may spoil even before it has soured. Pasteurizing delays souring but not spoiling. Unscrupulous dealers sometimes add preservatives to prevent souring. Such milk is dangerous. Clean, freshly soured milk is harmless, but should not be given to children under three except as buttermilk. With young children and babies, buttermilk can sometimes be retained and digested when sweet milk cannot be taken. The special tablets containing the Bulgarian bacillus should be used, and usually, with the whole milk, in making buttermilk for young children. These tablets may be obtained from the druggist.

Skimmed milk has all the value of whole milk except the cream. Whey contains the minerals, sugar and fats. Bottled commercial cream has a very high bacteria count and should never be used for children. Ice cream should be freshly made of fresh, pasteurized milk, with scrupulous cleanliness.

Principles of Cooking. Before food can be utilized by the body, it must be made soluble—changed into substances that are dissolved so they can pass readily through the walls of the food tube into the blood. In the digestive tract fats, carbohydrates, and protein must first be separated, as different digestive fluids are provided to act upon each of these. Cooking for children should (1) make foods easily soluble; (2) produce little mixture of protein, carbohydrates and fats; (3) improve the flavor, and (4) raise the temperature to about blood heat (98° F.), when served.

The degree of development of the digestive fluids, the stomach, and the teeth must be considered in preparing food for an individual child. In infancy the digestive system is undeveloped, lacking in digestive fluids, stomach small, and there is no provision for chewing.

Until nine months of age babies do not have digestive fluids for starch, or for protein except the curds of milk; their teeth are not yet serviceable for chewing, and solid food of any kind is so indigestible that it often causes convulsions, if given.

After nine months, starches thoroughly cooked and without cellulose may be given cautiously.

All food must be easily soluble until two years of age, that is, until enough of the first teeth have developed for adequate chewing of soft cellulose.

For children under 18 months, cellulose and fibers strained out of vegetables.

For children 18 months to 3 years (before first teeth are all cut) vegetables mashed or chopped fine; coarse cellulose removed.

At three years, all the first teeth (20) should be cut, and the child can chew the cellulose of vegetables and fruits.

For children three years (first teeth all cut) to 8 years (second teeth partially cut) vegetables diced, whole cooked fruits.

During the first two years of second dentition (from 6 to 8 years) the missing teeth make chewing less adequate, and care is needed to provide easily divided food. After eight years enough of the permanent teeth have been cut to permit fibers of meat in the diet.

Cooking for Children. Before beginning the preparation of food, wash the hands thoroughly and clean the finger nails. See that all utensils are scrupulously clean, as well as dish towels with which they are wiped. Use agate or enamelware for all acid fruits and vegetables, and a double boiler for milk. Do not use aluminum ware for acids or eggs, or tin for acids, as poisonous compounds would be formed. Taste food before serving, using a clean spoon which is not replaced in the food but immediately washed. Keep food uncovered as little as possible.

Milk. In heating milk always use a double boiler and do not let the milk reach the boiling point. Boiling hardens the protein and makes it difficult of digestion.

To pasteurize milk: put in sterilized bottles, stoppered with non-absorbent cotton. Place bottles in kettle with cold water coming to height of milk in bottles. Put cloth or paper in bottom of kettle and between bottles, to prevent breaking. Milk is advisably pasteurized by bringing water to 145° F. and maintaining at exactly this temperature for thirty minutes, either turning fire low or removing kettle from fire, leaving bottles in water for half an hour, or placing the kettle in a fireless cooker, or covering tightly with newspapers. Cool bottles quickly by placing in lukewarm water, then in cold water, then on ice, or where temperature of 45° can be maintained.

Toast. Use stale bread. Make in the oven, drying hard throughout, the outside then lightly browned in gas oven or over coals or an electric toaster.

Dried fruits. Sort carefully, remove blemishes, wash thoroughly in colander. Soak overnight in water to cover; bring to boil, and let simmer with low fire or in fireless cooker until soft. Add no sugar to prunes, dates, figs, seedless raisins, and little to peaches, apples, apricots. California prunes should be used, as they are sweeter and less acid. Honey may be used, instead of sugar, for sweetening other fruits. Soda should be added to tart fruits, as apricots. For children one to three years, make pulp by removing pits and mashing through fine colander (not tin). For children over three, dates and figs may be served uncooked, after thorough washing, or sterilizing for ten minutes in a colander over steam and then drying.

Cereals. Cereals require a high degree of heat for the first five or ten minutes, to burst the covering of the tiny starch cells, then long cooking at a moderate temperature. This applies to oatmeal, barley, wheat cereals, corn meal, samp, rice, tapioca, sago. A double boiler should be used and, unless a coal fire is available for a long period, a fireless cooker. The latter can be made in a few hours at a cost of less than half a dollar, by using a wooden box with a hinged cover, sawdust for packing, and asbestos paper for lining.

In cooking any cereal, have the water boiling in both the upper and lower parts of the double boiler. Put the upper part directly over the heat and let the water boil violently for a minute. Add salt in the proportion of 1 tablespoon to one quart of water. Pour in the cereal very slowly, so the boiling does not stop. Let this boil five minutes, shaking gently, then place in boiler and put into fireless cooker, or over low fire.

Gruel or porridge: