OUR BABIES

Grey River Argus, 14 August 1937, Page 12

OUR BABIES

By Hygeia. Published under the auspices of the Royal New Zealand Society for the Health of Women and Children Plunket Society). “It is wiser to put up a fence at the top of a precipice than to maintain. an ambulance at the bottom.” PLANNING CHILDREN’S MEALS. METHODS OF COOKING. And now, planning the children’s meals is not so much extra trouble after all. It is more a matter of method and management than actual work—-more head than hand work. If the general family meals are plain and nutritious the same foods should be suitable for the older child. Where the small child’s dinner has to be cooked wholly or partially separate from the general meals, steaming is a most economical and convenient method of cooking. A steamer may be bought to fit saucepans of standard size, and is a purchase which will pay for itself many times over in different ways. A potato, a piece of cauliflower, a young carrot, an onion, of whatever vegetables are the order of the day, may be cooked together in the steamer, having been slightly sprinkled with a little salt. There they can go on cooking merrily over boiling water, or perhaps over something which is cooking for the family meal. Cooking in this manner allows the vegetable to retain the mineral salts which are so necessary for the maintenance of good health and nutrition. Cooking vegetables in the ordinary method of boiling allows the most valuable substances to be more or less lost into the water used. All that is needed is a little common sense experimenting in regard to the length of time necessary for the thorough cooking of the various foods. Generally speaking, wnen steaming food, about half as long again as for ordinary boiling is required, but constant watching is not necessary, as a longer time does not mean spoiling of the food in the event of unforeseen delay. Fish also may be cooked in the steamer —say, placed in a saucer with a tablespoon of milk, a tiny dab of butter, and a pinch of salt. This can be placed in the steamer beside the potato or other vegetable. If a joint is being cooked for the family dinner it is easy to select and save a specially tender little piece for the child, but if it is preferred not to give meat, the gravy or good stdck should be saved. Made gravy, consisting of flour only slightly coked, is not suitable for children. If sauces are being used with fish or vegetables, they must be very well cooked and free from lumps. If the vegetables have to be boiled instead of steamed, save the watei* and use in the making of the sauce.

Of course, baking in the jacket, is the ideal way of cooking good potatoes, as it is just under the skin tne minerals and vitamins are found. If the oven is in use many foods may be most satisfactorily cooked “en casserole”.—that is, in a well-covered dish or pot of earthenware or pyrex. Meat, fish, or chicken are commonly cooked this way, but it is not so generally realised that fruit and vegetables may be cooked in the same way. Vegetables should be sliced on top of meat, or they may be cooked alone with a very little water, a sprinkle of salt, and perhaps a small piece of butter. Fruit should be sliced and placed in a dish with a little water and sugar if necessary. The casserole should be placed in a hot oven at first, though a slow oven is quite suitable, when a milk pudding may be cooked at the same time.

The following table may be of use to the mother in thinking out a properly balanced diet. At least one food out of each of the groups should be included in the days diet:— FOODS DEPENDED ON FOR MINERAL MATTER. Fruits. —Apples, pears,' oranges, dates, raisins. Vegetables.—Salad: Lettuce, celery, cabbage, raw carrot, and swede turnip. Green leafy vegetables, as spinach, turnip tops. Potatoes and root vegetables. Green peas and beans. Tomatoes. FOOD DEPENDED ON FOR PROTEIN. Milk, eggs, meat, poultry, fish and fish roe. Dried peas, beans, lentils, nuts. FOOD DEPENDED ON FOR CARBOHYDRATES Starches. —Cereal grains—rice, sago, etc. Wheatmeal, oatmeal, bread granose, etc. Potatoes, carrots, etc. Sugars.—Honey, dates, syrup, treacle, sugar. FOODS DEPENDED ON FOR FAT. Butter, cream, “top-milk,” good dripping. IMPORTANT POINTS TO REMEMBER IN THE FEEDING OF OLDER CHILDREN. 1. Cultivate a taste for simple foods, well cooked, but not over-cooked, with sufficient variety to prevent distaste arising from monotony. 2. Regularity. Three meals a day, no pieces of any sort or milk between meals; only water or fruit juice to drink between meals. 3. The importance of ample exercise for jaws and teeth, and consequently the great need for giving a large part of the diet in the form of hard, dry, or tough foods. Give the dry food stuffs in the dry state and the fluids as drinks rather than combine the two to make pap-food. For instance, oat cake and brown bread and butter with milk to drink is better for health and digestion than gruels and bread and milk. 4. The importance of the daily use of fresh fruit and vegetables, especially of some uncooked fruits and green vegetables such as spinach and lettuce. 5. A child who is having a wellbalanced diet does not need an unlimited amount of milk. From threequarters to one pint daily is ample, including that used in cooking, the amount varying according to whetner meat, fish, or eggs have been given as well. 6. Tea and coffee are as harmful to children as ample pure water is necessary and good. 7. Light meats, such as chicken, mutton, brains, etc., may be given in small quantities from 18 months, but there is a general tendency to give too much too early. Ample fleshforming food can be given in the form of milk, eggs, and fish. 8. The undue use of preserved and! tinned food is damaging to health. 1

9. The practice of sweet-eating must- be wholly condemned as Peing ruinous to teeth and digestion. MEALS FOR THE TODDLER Last week we brought our baby up to the 15 months stage in the matter of food. Now to proceed. Between 15 and 18 months all that is required is gradual progress in / amount and variety of food along the same lines as before. Give only three meals a day, with a drink of milk and water or fruit juice on waking and drinks of water between meals. The milk mixture should consist of 20oz of milk scalded and diluted with soz of water. Set aside this pint of milk when the milkman comes, and see that so much is really used for baby. This amount includes that used in puddings, sauces etc., and on porridge. Fish.—A little light fish well steamed or boiled may be given at this stage—say once or twice a week at the mid-day meal. Give about a teaspoonful at first, and later give up to about a level tablespoonful. Chicken. —A very little chicken, steamed or boiled, may also be given occasionlly if desired. The ideal way is to let baby have a bone with a little meat on it. The subsequent proceedings may not be in accordance with the accepted code of party manners—indeed, they may be a little primitive, but how good it would be for the child if some habits would be a little more primitive and a little less sophisticated. Just watch baby gnawing a bone; how it seems to bring every muscle of the jaws and cheeks into play; how it must develop and strengthen teeth and jaws and tongue; and how the healthy, heartv youngster enjoys this primitive exercise! Fortunately cheeks and hands are made of good material for washing.

Continue to give as much as possible of the day’s allowance of food in a form which requires chewing, and see that it is chewed. If there is difficulty, give the dry foods first before hunger loses its first edge. Especially avoid pappy food at tea time. At the same time beware of underfeeding if the child does not take hard foods well.

Gradually discontinue straining porridge altogether if not already done; also use a larger proportion of wholemeal instead of all white bread as you find baby can take it without showing any sign of irritation. The same applies to oatcake. After taking his porridge unstrained the child will probably be able to digest oatcake. But one needs to beware of setting up indigestion and diarrhoea by going too fast in this direction. From 18 months to 2 years continue along the same lines. Give one pint of milk a day with meals, and extra water or fruit drinks between meals. Increase the allowance and variety of vegetaoies, including young root and green vegetables of all sorts, onions, etc. Give some raw fruit daily—apples and oranges are safest and best. Most other fruits should be given only in strict moderation, and. provided they are

sound and Iresh, an.v of the ordinary fruits may be allowed. If given in too great a quantity, or if not perfectly sound, fruit is liable to cause irritation, fermentation, and diarrhoea. This applies especially to fruits with seeds—raspberries, strawberries, blackberries. Tomatoes are risky if there is any unsoundness. Bananas should be both ripe and sound, and, .if used at all, should be the thoroughly mashed with a fork to prevent bolting in lumps. Here are a few alternative suggestions for meals suitable for children between IS months and 2 years. ■ Suggested meals for child from 18 months to 2 years:— Early Morning Drink.—-Water or diluted fruit juice, 4oz to soz. Breakfast.—l. Porridge (unstrained), 10 to 12 tablespoonsful; top milk or whole milk, 2 to 3ozs; milk drink, 5 to 6ozs. Or 2. Oatcake and butter or dry cereal food with fruit juice or top milk; toast or twice-baked bread and flutter; milk drink, 5 to 6oz; piece of raw apple. Dinner.—Steamed fish, 1 dessertspoonful; white sauce (well cooked), 1 to 2 tahlespoonsful; or melted butter, 1 teaspoonful; potato, 2 or 3 tablespoonsful, or cauliflower or oilier vegetable; junket, 2 tablespoonsful; baked or stewed apple or other fruit, 1 or 2 tablespoonsful; twice-baked bread, 1 to 2 fingers; milk drink, 4 to sozs; piece of raw apple. Or 2. Vegetables, two or three kinds—say, spinach, French beans (or other green in season), marrow, etc.; potato baked or boiled in jacket; butter, 1 teaspoonful, or meat gravy or sauce made with vegetable water and milk; custard, 1 or 2 tablespoonsful; stewed fruit, 1 to 2 tablespoonsful; twicebaked bread, 1 to 2 fingers: milk drink, 4 to sozs; piece of raw apple. Or ‘ 3. Mutton broth made with vegetables, 3 to 4ozs; twice-baked bread, 2 to 3 fingers: baked apple, semolina, or ground rice pudding, 2 to 3 tablespoonsful; top milk, 2oz; milk drink, 3 to 4ozs; piece of raw apple. Or 4. Poached egg with spinach; baked apple, twice baked bread, milk drink, 3 to 4ozs; piece of raw apple. Note.—lf the child has a good appetite and takes all foods well, it is not necessary to give milk to drink at dinner. Tea.—l. Wholemeal bread and butter with-tomato or lettuce as sandwiches; milk drink, 5 to Gozs; raw apple. Or 2. Oatcake and butter; bread and butter with a little Marmite. or honey; milk drink, 5 to Gozs; raw apple. Or 3. Coddled egg (when not meat, fish, or egg has been given for dinner) ; brown bread and butter or toast and butter; milk drink, 5 to Gozs. ’ ’ ■ Suggested meals for child from 2 to 5 years:— Breakfast.—l Porridge and milk, crisp toast and butter or twice-baked bread with butter, drink of milk and water, piece of raw apple. Or 2. Oatcake and drink of milk and water (milk 3 parts, water 1 part),

brown bread and butter, niece of raw apple. Dinner.—l. Little light meat and god gravy with fresh cooked vegetables, simple pudding, piece of raw apple. Or 2. Egg (on spinach when available) and brown bread and butter, stewed fruit and top milk, piece of raw, ripe apple. Or 3. Vegetable milk broth and twicebaked bread, custard and fruit, piece of raw apple. Or 4. Steamed fish and baked potatoes, junket, an orange. Tea.—l. Toast and butter, baked apple, drink of milk, piece of raw apple. Or 2. Brown bread and butter or dripping, drink of milk and water, piece of raw apple. Or 3. Simple pudding or stewed fruit, twice-baked bread and butter, drink of milk, piece of raw apple; lettuce, cress, tomatoes, Marmite, honey, dates raisins, or nuts with bread and butter or as sandwiches.