SPREADING THE FOOD RATION

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume 72, Issue 1, 15 January 1946, Page 103

SPREADING THE FOOD RATION

WORLD FACES ACUTE SHORTAGE

By

NORMA METSON,

Rural Sociologist, Wellington.

THE world shortage of food which is likely to continue for several years will be acute during 1946. Meats, fats, and sugar, which have been in shortest supply during the whole war period, are the foods still most urgently needed. Too little total food means that the body’s reserves are gradually used up, with consequent loss of weight, lack of energy, and lowered resistance to disease, leading eventually to starvation and death.

UP to a. point, different food groups can be substituted . for, each other in order to keep the food intake at a satisfactory level. For example, in their wartime diet the British people have more bread and potatoes and less meat and fats than they had before; but this cannot be carried too far without the risk of nutritional deficiencies. If there are extensive shortages, malnutrition is inevitable.

If there are not enough fats, which are a concentrated source of calories, it is very difficult for heavy workers to take sufficient food for their energy requirements and for ordinary people to keep warm in winter. Meat is a principal source of first class (animal) protein. Cheese, eggs, milk, and fish which provide similar food values are just as likely to be scarce. Vegetable proteins > cannot replace them completely. In adults, lack of protein causes the breakdown of body tissues; in children it means stunted growth. Sugar provides calories in the most readily available form, as well as a pleasing flavour. , In New Zealand, butter, meat, and sugar are rationed, and our original rations have been reduced. Figures supplied by the Economic Information Service, Wellington, show these cuts have meant that from New Zealand sources 1,700,000 more people in Britain can be provided with their weekly butter ration and 650,000 more with their meat ration. • Before, we were supplying butter rations for 39 million British people, and meat rations for 9|. millions. In response to appeals from people who wish to make anV additional personal contribution, - the Minister of Supply has recently announced a scheme for. the voluntary saving of food coupons. Every coupon handed in: under this scheme, or destroyed by

the holder without being used, means more food for Britain, where the need has never been more urgent, than now.

For housewives who have difficulty in spreading their rations to meet household needs, and for those who would like to support the “More for Britain” campaign by economising in their consumption of rationed foods, the following suggestions - for making rations go further should be useful.

Butter

1. For Spreading: Soft butter spreads more easily, and goes further than hard. If you keep the butter in a refrigerator or cooler during the warm weather, -. be sure to bring out sufficient ■ for the meal a short time before it is needed, and leave it in a warm place to soften. On a larger scale, butter for table use or sandwich spreading 7 may be “stretched” as follows: '■. , Make a milk jelly mixture by dissolving one heaped teaspoon of gelatine in hot water and adding to J-cup of warmed top milk. Beat this gradually into Jib. creamed butter, add a- pinch of salt and leave ,to set. Custard made with -J-cup top milk and one heaped teaspoon of unsweetened custard powder may be used instead of the gelatine mixture.

For sandwiches,. especially those with creamy fillings, butter only one slice of bread and spread the filling on the. other. - Suitable bases for such fillings are cottage cheese; grated cheese beaten to a paste with top milk, salad dressing, tomato sauce or tomato juice; fresh dripping seasoned with salt and pepper and vegetable or meat extract; liver, meat or. fish paste; and, of course, if you can get it, peanut butter. A creamed mixture •of butter and honey or golden syrup is good, for spreading on scones, pikelets, plain biscuits or bread, and goes much further than if the ingredients are spread separately. Putting butter straight on to the bread (instead of first on to the side ,of the plate) ■ and spreading a whole slice at a time are economical habits though they are contrary ,to the accepted code of table manners.

. 2. Butter Economy in Cooking: Most people by now have become accustomed to .using for cakes,biscuits, and puddings recipes which contain little butter. Housewives should not have much difficulty in finding such recipes. Home-made shortbread and other butter-consuming delicacies are just memories or things to be put only in a very special parcel for overseas. Small economies which help are:

(a) Never use butter for greasing dishes, or for frying. (b) Sprinkle grated cheese on the top of baked dishes, instead of dotting with butter. (c) Brush the tops of scones, etc., with milk instead of melted butter. _ (d) Use less butter when making sauces, and if the sauce is for a savoury dish, or to serve with • vegetables, use fat instead of butter. (e) Sometimes, make your hot “buttered” toast with dripping, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. 3. Fat for Cooking: Stores in the larger towns occasionally have stocks of a blended vegetable fat which is very suitable for cooking. Ordinary clarified dripping from roasts and so on is quite good for making mixtures such as spice biscuits and gingerbread in which plenty of flavouring is used, or for .- pastry for savoury pies. To clarify dripping of this kind, put it in a- ; heavy saucepan with , one small cup of cold water to each pound of fat. Heat carefully and allow to simmer for a few minutes, then strain through muslin and leave in a bowl to set. When the fat has set, lift it off ; the water and scrape the bottom of the lump. If a whole lemon is cut up and heated with the fat and water the fatty flavour will be' less pronounced. :

. For use in cakes and puddings with a more delicate flavour, satisfactory substitutes can be made by rendering

down fresh fats of the suet type. The fat should be cut in small pieces, put in a heavy pan with a little water and simmered gently for an hour or two until all the fat is extracted; Care should be taken to see that. the fat does not reach smoking temperature, or burn at the bottom of . the pan. Strain, and then if you wish to use the fat fairly soon, pour it into a bowl and when it begins to set beat in |- teaspoon of salt and J-cup of warm milk for each pint of fat. If you want to keep the fat for some time, allow it to set in the usual way and when you want to use it, add the milk and salt and reheat the fat carefully until it has melted. Allow it to cool and beat it up when it is cool enough to cream. - This treatment makes the fat more like butter because it adds salt and moisture (ordinary' butter has been salted, and is about 15 per cent, water; lard, dripping, and prepared vegetable fat have little or no moisture or salt). If plain clarified dripping, lard, or vegetable fat are being used to replace some or all of the butter in a recipe, better results win be obtained if:—

(a) A pinch of salt is added. (b) Slightly less fat is used than the amount of butter it is replacing, (I cup or 7oz. of pure fat is equal to 1 cup or Boz. of butter). (c) A little more liquid is added. When we eat less butter we cut down on one of our best sources of vitamin A, so we must be sure we get it in other foods. The fish liver oils we take for vitamin D contain liberal amounts of vitamin A also. Liver, eggs, cheese, green vegetables . (the, greener the better) carrots, and other yellow vegetables, fruits, and milk are all good. From this list the foods which are most easily obtainable at different times can be selected.

Fat for CORSO On behalf of UNRRA the New Zealand Council of Organisation for Re-

lief Service Overseas (CORSO) is appealing for fat to send to Europe for soap-making. Endeavours are being made to organise a national drive, and in the meantime individuals and local organisations (many of whom already have the matter in hand) are urged to save fat, and plan , ways in which it can be collected, rendered down and packed into containers such as oil drums suitable for export. Fat in such' containers should be marked “FAT FOR UNRRA” consigned to the nearest Ministry of Supply store at Auckland, Wellington, Lyttelton, or Dunedin, and notification should be sent at the same time to Box 11, Government Buildings P. 0., Wellington.

Meat

New Zealanders before the war were noted for the amount of meat they ate, and even with rationing consumption remains relatively high. Nevertheless, some people find it difficult to use less than they have been accustomed to and to keep within the ration scale.

Meat Substitutes: Here are the best meat substitutes. Often they have extra nutritional value not possessed by meat The daily intake of milk 1 pint for adults, l|-lf pints for childrensupplies good protein. , Fish,

cheese, and eggs are excellent sources, while peas, beans, lentils, and peanuts all provide valuable protein . supplements although they could not be relied on for the total requirement. •Cheese can be eaten uncooked as many people prefer it, or in cooked dishes (provided the cooking is for a short time, and at a low temperature, so that the cheese is not made hard and tough). Also try sprinkling grated cheese in white sauces for use in creamed dishes, or to serve with vegetables. Fresh peas and beans from the garden are delicious and are usually .eaten with relish. The dried forms are a little more difficult to serve attractively, but are much . higher in food value through loss of water., ' , -- / Soya beans which contain very good vegetable protein can be grown in the home garden, and if the pods of white runner beans are allowed to ripen the beans are a good substitute for imported dried beans which are not obtainable.

If dried peas, beans, or lentils are cooked until tender, strained and rubbed through a sieve, the puree can form the basis of many interesting dishes ' such as mock cutlets or sausages, savoury loaves, croquettes, and cream soups. Cheese, onions, chopped bacon, and other well flavoured foods in small amounts are usually included in such recipes. Dried skim and full cream milk have a good protein content and can be used frequently in cooking. Unrationed Meats: Titbits such as liver, kidneys, and tripe are not rationed, and if these are fully utilised the demand for ordinary meat which can be exported is lessened to some extent. Many people who are prejudiced against the use of liver because' of rejections through hydatid infection forget that liver, when not contaminated, is a very valuable food.

In country homes, rabbits, wild ducks, and venison may sometimes contribute to the larder while pot roasting and stewing can make the older and less tender fowls acceptable for eating. It may not be generally known that New Zealand has this year exported over two million rabbits to Britain but there should be sufficient rabbits for all. ■

Meat Extenders: Rationed meats can be made to go further by serving them in various ways. Grilled or fried steak and chops shrivel in cooking; a fair-sized piece when raw may look meagre when cooked. But steak and chops in casseroles and stews remain the same size, and give flavour and “body” to generous portions of vegetables and gravy. In addition, less expensive cuts of meat can be used. Steak and boned roasts can be stuffed with well seasoned breadcrumb mixtures, or served with dumplings

or balls of stuffing. Steak and kidney puddings can have more kidney and vegetables, and less steak, and if this dish and other meat and vegetable combinations include peas and beans, as mentioned previously, their protein value is lowered very little. Oatmeal, wholemeal, and other cereal products can also be used to mix with meat and make it go further. On farms where there is home killing, waste should be avoided by proper butchering and facilities for keeping the meat, and by efficient meat-sharing arrangements. ' ■ . ■ •

Sugar

Sugar is short because (1) European sugar beet crops have been drastically reduced; (2) it is needed in the manufacture of synthetic products, and (3) transport to non-producing countries is difficult. Sugar, while supplying no essential minerals or vitamins, provides calories which the body can use quickly and easily. In other words sugar does not' belong to the “protective” foods which we need each day for good health, but it is useful in the ■ “supplementary energyyielding” group. One of the most noticeable changes in the eating habits of the Western peoples in the last 100 years has been the increase in the use of sugar and the corresponding decrease in the consumption of cereals and potatoes. A good way to conserve sugar is to like less. Many people put sugar on and in everything almost automatically. They rarely bother for instance to taste a pudding before smothering it with sugar, and frequently they lose appreciation of any flavour but' sweetness. If foods have an interesting flavour — spices and essences are not so difficult to get now —there is less need and desire for sugar. Tea and coffee should not be stewed or made- too strong because that produces a bitter flavour and sugar in quantity is needed to counteract it. Sugar when it is put in a drink must be well stirred. One teaspoon of sugar properly dissolved has as much sweetening power as two or three left to lie at the bottom of the cup. . ■

Sugar is a food we can profitably learn to like less. Nutrition experts assure us that our diet will improve rather than deteriorate as a result. Sugar Substitutes; Golden syrup can be used for baking, and general sweetening. Separate recipes cannot be given but here are some general rules. They apply to. treacle and molasses as well, but these are not really suitable for use in light cakes. 1. Golden syrup is not quite as sweet as sugar. When used the product has less sweetness, but a more distinctive flavour. 2. Syrup is less concentrated than sugar. . In substituting, the same quantities should be used, that is one cup of syrup for one cup of sugar, but less liquid is needed i cup less for every cup of syrup used. In most recipes, the use of syrup up to .half the quantity of sugar is satisfactory. 3. Syrup contains a little acid which curdles milk when they are heated \ together. When using syrup to sweeten a sauce or boiled milk pudding, cook the mixture first and add the syrup afterwards. In a cake, for each cup of syrup used, _ J teaspoon of baking soda can be added to act with . the acid as a rising agent, and 2 ' teaspoons ,of baking powder can be omitted from the recipe.

Honey is seldom plentiful enough to use for cooking but some families have their own supplies. Good clover honey with a mild flavour is best for baking. Vanilla flavouring should not be used in honey cakes, and the amount of liquid needs to be reduced slightly. By volume measure about 5 cup honey is equivalent to one cup of sugar, but a weight of l%lb. of honey is necessary to supply the sweetness of one pound ’ of sugar. Strong flavoured honeys may not be

so favoured for baking but they are very good for sweetening fruit drinks and sauces. Honey may be used instead of sugar in preparing syrup for bottling fruit. One to two tablespoons to one pint of water is enough. Sugar beet is not grown in ... New Zealand on a commercial

scale, but some people who have small amounts for stock feed have experimented with making their own syrup from it. Others have even grown a little as a sugar crop only. All ripe fruits contain sugar and most are sweet enough when raw. . If the fruit must be cooked, put the sugar' in at the last moment, as this prevents the fruit acid from lessening the sweetness during cooking. Dried fruits have a high percentage of sugar, and if they are used in puddings, scones, etc., the sugar in the" recipe can be reduced. A number of wartime recipes reduce the amount of sugar to a minimum.

If these are used where possible and an effort is made to avoid the use of added sugar, considerable savings can be made. Conclusion What we can save of foods already rationed may seem a very small drop in the ocean of world need. But remember that the 2oz. cut in butter meant full rations for 1,700,000 more people in Britain and that a further ounce saved by everyone here would mean another 550,000 rations. With other foods the position is similar. Where much work and’ organisation were formerly devoted to . sending food and other comforts to. our forces and prisoners of war they are now in many instances devoted to civilian relief. Although people with relatives and friends in Britain are able to send parcels to them individually, wider help is obviously needed now.. We can all contribute by economising in our use of rationed goods. Data in the graphs reproduced in this article summarised from the New Zealand Official Year Book and “What Do They Eat in U.S.A.. Canada, and Britain Today?” lI.M. Stationery Office, 1944. .

Get thy spindle and thy distaff ready, and God will send the flax. —Matthew Arnold.

A GLAD NEW YEAR To leave the old with a burst of song, To recall the right and forgive the wrong, To dare to go forth with a purpose true To the unknown task of the year that’s new, To help your brother along the road To do his work and lift his load, To add your gift to the world’s good cheer Is to have and to give a glad New Year! Robert Beatty.

The Homely Things • Christ talked of grass, and wind, and rain, And fig-trees, and fair weather, - And made it his delight to bring Heaven and the Earth together. He spoke of lilies, vines, and corn, The sparrow and the raven, And words so natural, yet so wise, Were on men’s hearts engraven: , And yeast, and bread, and flax, and cloth, And eggs, and fish, and candles; See how the whole familiar world He most divinely handles: