DIET AND HEALTH

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXVI, Issue 144, 3 June 1936, Page 10

DIET AND HEALTH

Study Groups in Central Hawke’s Bay LAST WEEK’S WORK (To the Homo Alakers of Central H. 8.) Bear Homemakers, i Activities opened this week at Waipawa, where on Monday last the dressmaking group met for their second study period. This class was filled to capacity and time "passed quickly in cutting and fitting foundation patterns. In the afternoon an open meeting was held and to the somewhat limited audience an address on diet in relation to health was given, following the lines of last week’s article. In the evening I was the guest of the Business Girls’ Club for supper and I was pleased to have the opportunity of meeting some of our junior homemakers at this delightfully informal gathering, Aleal-planning was the subject of dis cussion on Tuesday morning when the diet class met at Airs A’Dean’s home. No other occupation allows for such good selection of food on a limited Income as farming. The farmer may not have much ready cash, but if he has good health, and practices good management, he can supply the world’s best food for him family in sufficient amount to act as the best health insurance for future years. Fresh milk, eggs, vegetables, fruits, butter and cream, which are the basic foundation of good nutrition, can be had for a fraction of the cost which a town dweller pays for even one of these items. In our Guide Chart for mealplanning, the foods have been grouped into different sections, and in each day’s meals we need to have some food from each group. Group 1 contains tho energy giving foods—these give power and keep the body warm, just as benzine does to a motor ear. If we cat too much of these, the extra amount is stored as fat. They do not build, or regulate, or protect. Examples of these foods arc starches, sugars aud fats.

Groups 2 and 3 are the body building and regulating foods, e.g. Alilk, eggs, cheese, fish, beans, nuts in group 2; and milk, cheese, carrots, cabbage (supplying lime), and liver, spinach, egg yolk, bran, whole cereals, greea vegetable.! (good sources of iron), and fish, Irisl- Moss, iodised salt (supplying iodire) in group 3. Gr.rap 4 consists of foods which regulate the body in another way and ensure that tl eie is a good elimination from the body of waste materials, e.g. French beans, cabbage, turnips, spinach, bran, whole cereals, etc.

Groiin 5 shows the sources of the four chief vramins, which stimulate growth, cnal ic the body to utilise its food materials, and build up vigour and ability to trust disease. Codliver oil, butter, milk, liver, yeast, fruits and vegetables supply the vitamins. A balance between different food elements fr.-m meal to meal, so that each member of the family in one day receives adequate quantities for his needs is one of the essential features of wellplanned meals. Diet charts may be obtained from our office at Massey UilIcge, Palmerston North —price ,3d, (posted). The same afternoon, Tuesday, another large study class decided to convert some surplus wool into an eiderdown. The wool having been teased, it was basted on to a butter-muslin foundation, in order to prevent any subsequent lumping. Mrs Bond was responsible for the artistic quilting design which decorated the gold satin cover, which was well towards completion by tho end of the afternoon.

Wednesday and Thursday were spent at Otnne, and during my stay there I was again the guest of Airs Roslyn Todd. On Wednesday two dressmaking classes were held—the morning period being given over to the making of dressmaking techniques, the final touches which give a “finish” to amateur dressmaking. In the afternoon, time was spent in adapting the foundation patterns to the making of a variety of pleated, flared and draped designs. Airs Serimegeour kindly put her kitchen at the disposal of the diet class on Thursday morning, when the place of natural foods in the diet was discussed. After an appetising lunch of wholemeal products, and fruit and vegetable salads, a homcmaking class was held at Airs Barry’s. The making of loose covers and box cushions kept all busy dur ng the afternoon period. Oa Friday a full day was spent at Omakere, dressmaking again being in

demand. The classes given showed tho uses of tho foundation pattern and the construction of dressmaking finishes. At the conclusion of tho day, I left for a hasty trip tv Palmerston, preparatory to visiting fresh groups at Wallingford and Waipukurau during the coming week, WHOLEMEAL FAMILY CAKE, Jib. butter. slb. sugar. X cup white flour. 3 cups wholemeal. 1} cups milk. IJ teaspoons cinnamon. 2 tablespoons cocoa. 1} teaspoons soda. J cup dates. i cup nuts, 3 tablespoons golden syrup. Method? Stir 1 cup milk, sugar, butter, and golden syrup in a saucepan until the butter melts. Dissolve soda jn the other X cup of milk. Mix dry ingredients and add the warm mixture, nuts, dates and lastly soda. Bake half an hour and allow to cool before turning outj ‘ Yours sincerely, HAZEL JOHNSON.