OUR BABIES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23004, 6 October 1936, Page 17

OUR BABIES

By Hyqeia. Published under the auspices of th» Royal New Zealand Society for th» Health of Women and Children (Plunket Society). "It is wiser to put up a fence at the top of a precipice than to main, tain an ambulance at the bottom." PLANNING THE CHILDREN'S MEALS We shall resume our notes with a list of suggested meals for the child from two to five years. —Breakfast. — 1. Porridge and milk, crisp toast and butter, or twice-baked bread with butter, drink of milk and water, piece of raw ripe apple. Or 2. Oatcake and drink of milk and water (milk three parts, to water one part), brown bread and butter, piece of raw apple. —Dinner. — 1. Little light meat and good 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 apple. Or 3. Vegetable milk broth and twicebaked bread. Custard and fruit. Piece of raw apple. Or 4. Steamed fish. Baked \potato. Junket. An orange. —Tea 1. 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. Or 4. Lettuce, cress, tomato, marmite, honey, dates, raisins, or nuts with bread and butter, or as sandwiches. METHODS OF COOKING And now planning the children's meals is not so much 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 food should be suitable for the older child. Where the small child's dinner has to be cooked wholly or partly 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, or 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 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 in the water used. All that is needed is a little commonsense experimenting in regard to the length of time necessary for the thorough cooking of various foods. Generally speaking, when 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 case of unforeseen delay. Fish may also be cooked in the steamer—say, placed in a saucer with a tablespoonful 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 preferred not to give meat the gravy or good stock should be saved. Made gravy consisting of flour only slightly cooked is not suitable for children. 'lf sauces are used with fish or vegetables they must be very well cooked and free from hard lumps. . „ Of course, baking in the jacket is the ideal way of cooking good potatoes, as it is just under the skin the 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 can 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 very little water and sugar if necessary. The casserole should be placed in a hot oven at first, then a slow oven is quite suitable, when a milk pudding may be cooked at the i same time. A PROPERLY BALANCED DIET The following list may be of use to the mother, in thinking out a properly balanced diet, One food out of each group should be included in the day's diet:— —Foods Depended Upon for Mineral Matter.— Fruits: Apples, pears, etc., oranges, raisins. Vegetables (salad): Lettuce, celery, cabbage, etc. Green vegetables (especially spinach)* Green peas, beans, etc. Tomatoes. —Foods Depended Upon for Protein.— Milk, eggs, meat, poultry, fish, fish roe, dried peas, beans, lentils, and nuts. —Foods Depended Upon for Carbohydrates.— Cereal grains, rice, sago, etc. Wheatmeal, oatmeal, etc. Bread, granose, etc. Potatoes, and other starchy vegetables. —Foods Depended Upon for Sugar.— Honey, sugar, dates, syrup, raisins. —Foods Depended Upon for Fats.Butter and cream, good dripping, top milk.