DIET PROBLEMS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 160, 8 July 1937, Page 11

DIET PROBLEMS.

GROWING CHILDREN.

TECHNICAL COLLEGE MENU.

PROPERLY-BALANCED MEALS

"Some of the lunches which the children bring are dreadful," commented an Auckland educationist to-day when referring to the recent distention on children's diet. Reference lias lwcn made to school tuck shops, even to the extent of suggesting that a ban should be placed on them, but it appears that much of the diet trouble originates in the home as at Auckland educational institutions where cafeterias are run plain and wholesome food is provided. Some iV-hool authorities have gone as far as suggesting to parents the right kinds of food for their children, and particular attention has been drawn to the school lunch, which it is suggested should contain fresh fruit and wholemeal bread. Frying Pan Discouraged. The Seddon Memorial Technical College has conducted n cafeteria for the past 10 years, and the aim has always been to give the children a proper'lv balanced meal. The fact that the college has its own faint at Remuera enables daily supplies of fresh vegetables, milk and eggs to bo obtained, and as the cafeteria is not run for profit good meat at a very low cftarge are supplied. Fried foods arc not encouraged, and the trypan figures but little in the preparation ef the college meals. Apart from the good, plain food that the pupils receive for their mid-day meal, the cafeteria is also an excellent training ground for the girls who prepare the meals. The girls are not trained for domestic service, lint they receive a good grounding in a branch of domestic science which may readily lead to employment at a later .stage.

Miss A. Seay, head of the domestic science department at the college, has had the opportunity of making investigations in the United States. Britain and other countries. She urges that «<s many whole cereals as possible should be used, as well a.s wholemeal bread and ryebread, if procurable. She considers that one of the biggest mistakes is to allow young children to have meals with their parents. The proof of this, she says, is seen in the fact that Knglii-h children brought up in a nursery do not have the likes and (''•likes of the average; New Zealand child. She thinks that New Zea landers eat far too much fried food, and points out that grills should have preference. In the United States, she says, one seldom sees a frying pan.

The Technical College thus endeavours to assist in the very necessary reform of diet. Although much can be done in that direction, niwh more could f>e done if parents placed a restraining hand on pastry and sweets, and saw to it that the food of growing children was varied and abundant, with fruit, green vegetables, eggs, nuts and milk constituting a large portion of the diet.