Kankakee Valley Post, Volume 9, Number 13, DeMotte, Jasper County, 16 February 1939 — WHAT to EAT and WHY [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

WHAT to EAT and WHY

C. Houston Goudiss Gives Some Timely Hints on How to Keep Up Fuel Value of Winter Diet; Discusses New Methods for Quick Baking

By C. HOUSTON GOUDISS

MIDWINTER weather calls for energizing breakfasts to get the day off to a good start . . . energizing midday meals to help keep children and adults functioning efficiently . . , energizing, but easily digested, evening meals to satisfy bodily requirements without over-taxing the digestive system. In addition to the need for supplying meals that are adequate as to energy values and other nutritional requirements,

the homemaker has two other important factors to consider; she must satisfy the appetites of various members of her family . . . and sire must keep within her food budget. Breadstuffs—The Staff of Life One of her greatest aids is bread in various forms. Breadstuffs, or

other foods made from grain, are undoubtedly the larg : est single in the dietary of the majority of people throughout the world. They appear in some form at almost every meal. And they are also highly satisfactory as a be-tween-meal lunch

for rapidly growing school children. Breadstuffs are notable for their energy values and for their ease of digestion. They contain some protein and minerals, and under some circumstances, they may .also jchrry other significant food values. j Bread and rolls combine well with milk, cheese, butter and meat. They make good eating and give a comfortable feeling of satisfaction afterwards. Such Simple combinations as bread and cheese, or rolls and milk, are highly effective in satisfying hunger. And they go a long way toward meeting nutritional requirements.

*'A Notable Food Team

Nutritionists have a high regard for the combination of bread and milk. Breadstuffs are generally regarded as a most economical source of energy and protein in the diet. Milk is our most.nearly perfect food- And the . proteins of milk supplement those found in the grains of which bread and rolls are made. Children especially should consume some form of bread, toast, or well-baked rolls at pvery meal. These easily digested foods supply the fuel values that most active youngsters require in abundance, Rolls and bread with a well-baked crust have the additional advantage of encouraging thorough mastication. During adolescence, the energy requirements are especially high. Boys sometimes eat more than their fathers, and it is desirable that the extra calories be provided in the form of such easily digested and wholesome foods as breadstuffs. This is also an advantage to the homemaker, from the point of view of economy, as breadstuffs rank as one of our most reasonably priced foods. Adolescent girls, on the other hand, frequently develop finicky appetites and strange food habits. They may wish to go to school without break-

fast—a practice which must be discouraged as it may lead to undernutrition from which “nerves” may develop. Adolescents Like Variety One way to help growing girls to be energetic is to encourage them to eat some form of bread at every meal. This will help to keep up the fuel value of the diet at very little expense. Mothers must, however, guard against loss of interest in breadstuffs by various members of their families, as a result of monotony. Luckily, there 1 is no reason why this should occur in any home. For it is possible to provide breadstuffs in such a variety that the same kind need not be served twice in succession within the space of one or two weeks. You can add variety to the diet by preparing bread from graham, whole wheat or rye flour. Rolls can be made from plain or sweet dough. Some of the more popular are Parker House rolls, sandwich rolls, finger rolls, cinnamon buns, butterscotch rolls and pecan rolls. A New Leavening Agent Some homemakers may feel that it is too costly to purchase such fancy breads outside the home. And they may feel that they cannot spare the time required for home baking. Such arguments might have been valid in the past. But not any more! Recently a new kind of yeast has been developed which makes it possible to prepare a variety of hot breads at home—more quickly than ever before. Thus, home bak-

ing follows the trend of the times and becomes quick-baking. One reason why modern homemakers have been reluctant to make bread and rolls at home, I believe, has been the difficulty of obtaining a leavening agent that was both quick-acting and possessed good keeping qualities. Yeast .is the most satisfactory leavening agent for bread and rolls. Heretofore, only two types had been available. Fresh, or compressed yeast, and dried yeast. Both of these products are composed of yeast plants combined with cereal. Fresh yeast has a higher moisture content, however, and because of this, spoils rapidly. Hence, it must be purchased fresh, kept well refrigerated, and used within a few days. Dry yeast keeps several weeks at room temperature and has, therefore, been regarded as more practical. Its great disadvantage has been that it acts less quickly, owing to the fact that some of the yeast plants are destroyed during the drying. Keeps and Is Quick-Acting But nowadays homemakers can buy a new kind of yeast. A new, fast, pure jyeast that combines the keeping qualities of dry yeast with speedy action. This product is a dry yeast that .comes in the form of small granules. It softens promptly in water, and is then ready for use. Moreover, it keeps its strength and activity for several weeks, so that it can be kept on hand at all times. Homemakers can bake whenever it is convenient. And what delicious bread and rolls they can make. Such wholesome combinations as prune bread, combining both white and whole wheat flour with seeded, uncooked prunes . . . refrigerator rolls, coffee cakes, raisin bread, wholesome raised doughnuts, waffles and buckwheat cakes. It cannot be denied that bread is one of the oldest foods known to man. But just to prove that even our most basic foods may be improved—along comes this revolutionary yeast to provide a leavening that is more satisfactory than ever before, perhaps, to homemakers all over the country. © W.NU —C. Houston Goudiss—l939—so.