IMPORTANCE OF SCHOOL LUNCH.

King Country Chronicle, Volume XXVI, Issue 3445, 19 March 1932, Page 7

IMPORTANCE OF SCHOOL LUNCH.

When a child is away from home all day its midday meal becomes a very important matter in the eyes of the wise mother. If' a nourishing and suitable meal is to be provided it should be prepared at home, rather than purchased by the child with pennies that may be invested in cheap sweets or unripe fruit. In winter, however, if hot pies or cups of soup are served at the school tuck shop, they may be used to supplement the food brought from home, states a writer in an exchange. A well-balanced school lunch contains a fair amount of starchy and sugary food to satisfy a child's energy requirements. This is obtained from bread and cake. There must also be body-building food, such as eggs, cheese, fish, meat, beans or nuts and something moist to make the lunch more palatable. Something raw should, be provided to supply the necessary vitamins. This will be included in the fruit, which also contains roughage and minerals. Something crisp, such as buttered roles and fresh scones, will be a welcome change from the sandwich, and some fillings, such as the raisin and lemon peel, for which the recipe is given below, may be spread between sweet biscuits. Butter, which is such a valuable part of the child's diet, must be generously spread on bread, roll, scone or biscuit.. Examples of badlybalanced lunches are bread and jam sandwiches, pastry for both the sweet and savory courses, an "all-fruit" lunch for the growing child, *r pickles and highly-seasoned foods. Packing the lunch is also important. • If greaseproof paper, covered by stout paper or a clean cloth, is used, there is no need for a speciai lunch tin or container.

The following fillings and cakes are both nourishing and inexpensive: Liver and Bacon Sandwich: Fry liver and bacon together, put through a food chopper while hot, and mix with enough bacon fat to make a sandwich spread. Bacobean Sandwich: Mix half cupful of mixed bacon, half cupful of baked beans and one tablespoonful of tomato sauce. Moisten with mayonnaise and spread on buttered brown bread.

Scrambled Egg Sandwich: Scramble eggs, break up with a fork, add a very little mayonnaise or melted butter, and spread on buttered white bread.

Raisin and Lemon Sandwich: Put one cup of seeded raisins and half cupful of candied peel through the food chopper. Mix to a paste with lemon juice and spread between buttered white bread cut thinly, or buttered sweet biscuits.

Cheese Scones: Half pound flour, 2oz. grated cheese, 2 teaspoonfuls cream of tartar, one teaspoonful bicarbonate sode, pinch of cayenne, pinch of salt, 1 tablespoonful butter, iy 2 gills water. Sift flour, cream of tartar, soda and salt. Add cheese. Rub in butter with finger tips. Mix into a soft dough, using nearly all the water. Turn on a floured board, pat into smooth shapes. Roll lightly thick, put on floured oven slide, and brush over with milk or egg. Put into hot oven and cook seven to ten minutes.