Science in the Kitchen

Chapter 99

Fresh Fruit Graham Mush with Dates Snowflake Toast Graham Bread Toasted Wafers Whole-Wheat Puffs Baked Apples Stewed Fruit

DINNER

Black Bean Soup Mashed Potato Kornlet and Tomato Macaroni baked with Granola Farina Graham Bread Crescents Cream Rolls Stewed Fruit Cracked Wheat Pudding

SABBATH

BREAKFAST

Fresh Fruit Rolled Oats Blackberry Toast Pulled Bread Buns Beaten Biscuit Baked Chestnuts Citron Apples Stewed Fruit

DINNER

Canned Green Pea Soup Broiled Potato Macaroni with Egg Sauce Steamed Rice with Raisins Buns Beaten Biscuit Toasted Wafers Stewed Fruit Farina Pie

COUNTING THE COST.

The expense of the menus given will vary somewhat with the locality and the existing market prices. The following a.n.a.lysis of several similar bills of fare used in widely different localities will serve to show something of the average cost. The first of these were taken at random from the daily menus, during the month of January, of a Michigan family of seventeen persons, grown persons and hearty, growing children, none younger than six years. In the estimates made of the cost of material, wherever fractions occurred, the next higher whole number was taken. No b.u.t.ter was used, a small pitcher of cream for each individual supplying its place. The milk used for cooking was not counted, since in this case most of the cream had been removed, and its cost reckoned at the entire cost of the milk itself, or twenty cents a quart, allowing four quarts of milk at five cents a quart for one quart of cream.

BILLS OF FARE.

BREAKFAST

Fresh Apples Toasted Whole-Wheat Wafers Rolled Wheat with Cream Grape Toast Whole-Wheat Puffs Toasted Wafers Baked Sweet Apples Stewed Prunes Cream Hot Milk

_Cost:_ Apples (fresh and baked), one half peck, 10c.; one lb. rolled wheat, 5c.; one and one half lbs. zwieback for toast, 15c.; one pint of canned grape pulp for toast, 12c.; puffs (for which beside milk, three eggs at 25c. per doz., and one and one half lbs. whole-wheat flour at 5c. per lb. were used), 14c.; two and one half lbs. of California prunes, 37c.; two qts. cream, an amount quite sufficient for moistening the toast and supplying a small cream cup for each individual, 40c.; two lbs. of toasted whole-wheat wafers, 20c.

--making the entire cost of breakfast $1.53, or exactly nine cents per person.

DINNER

Lima Bean Soup Baked Potato with Cream Sauce Scalloped Vegetable Oysters Graham Grits Whole-Wheat Bread Whole-Wheat Wafers, Toasted Canned Cherries Citron Apples with Whipped Cream Cream Hot Milk

_Cost:_ One and one fourth lbs. Lima beans, 9c.; one half peck of potatoes, 12c.; one lb. Graham grits, 5c.; 1 loaf whole-wheat bread, 10c.; 2-1/4 lbs. whole-wheat wafers, 23c.; canned cherries, 25c.; apples and citron, 10c.; 3 bunches vegetable oysters, 15c.; cream (1 cup for the soup, one for the cream sauce, and one for whipped cream, beside three and one fourth pints for individual use), 50c.; flour and sugar for cooking, 10c.

Total, $1.69--a little less than ten cents each.

BREAKFAST NO. 2

Bananas Oatmeal Gravy Toast Graham Gems Toasted Wafers Apple Sauce Cream Hot Milk

_Cost:_ 1 1/2 doz. bananas, 45c.; toast, 15c.; cream for gravy, 5c.; material for gems (Graham flour, milk, and a small portion of cream), 8c.; apple sauce, 10c.; wafers, 20c.; cream for individual use, 30c.; sugar, 5c.

Total, $1.46, or a trifle more than 8 cents apiece.

DINNER NO. 2

Tomato and Macaroni Soup Boiled Potato with Gravy Mashed Peas Pearl Barley with Raisins Whole-Wheat Bread Toasted Wafers Canned Berries Apple Tapioca with Cream Cream Hot Milk

_Cost:_ For the soup was required two cans of tomatoes at 10c. each, 2 oz. macaroni at 15c. per lb., and one cup of cream, 27c.; 1/2 peck of potatoes, 12c.; 1 1/2 lbs. peas, 6c.; 1 lb. pearl barley, 5c.; 1/3 lb. raisins, 5c.; 1/2 lb. tapioca, 3c.; apples, 20c.; cream, 50c.; canned fruit, 25c.; flour and sugar, 4c.

Total, $1.70--ten cents apiece for each member of the household.

The following bills of fare were used by an Iowa family of six persons.

The prices given were those current in that locality in the month of March.

BREAKFAST

Apples Rolled Oats Tomato Toast Toasted Wafers Graham Gems Patent Flour Bread Dried Apple Sauce Cream Hot Milk

_Cost:_ One sixth peck of apples, 3 1/3c.; one third lb. rolled oats, 1 2/3c.; three fourths lb. whole-wheat wafers, 7 1/2c.; one half can tomatoes, 5c.; bread for table and for toast, 10c.; material for gems, 3 1/2c.; dried apples, 6c.; sugar, 2c.; cream and milk, 15c.

Average cost for each person, 9 1/2 cents.

DINNER

Canned Corn Soup with Croutons Scalloped Tomato Parsnip with Egg Sauce Graham Mush Buns Whole-Wheat Bread Cup Custard Cream Hot Milk

_Cost:_ One can of corn, 10c.; tomatoes (using the half can left over from breakfast), 5c.; bread for the table, for the scalloped tomatoes, and for croutons for the soup, 10c.; parsnips, 5c.; buns, 5c.; four eggs, 6 1/2c.; milk and cream, 15c.; sugar, 2c.; Graham flour, 1c.

Average cost, 10 cents apiece.

The material for the bills of fare given on the next page was reckoned at prices current in a city in northern West Virginia, in the autumn, and was for a family of six persons.

BREAKFAST

Browned Rice Graham Crisps Whole-Wheat Puffs Dried Peach Sauce Cream Hot Milk

_Cost:_ One half doz. bananas, 10c.; one half lb. rice, 5c.; puffs, 5c; crisps 2-1/3c.; one lb. dried peaches, 8c.; 2 qts. milk, 10c.; sugar, 1-1/2c.

Total, 42 cents, or 7 cents for each individual.

DINNER

Tomato Soup with Croutons Baked Potatoes Mashed Peas Rolled Wheat Whole-Wheat Bread Orange Rice Cream Hot Milk

_Cost:_ One half peck tomatoes, 7-1/2c.; one fourth peck potatoes, 5c.; one half lb. rolled wheat, 2-1/2c.; one fourth loaf of bread to make croutons, 2-1/2c,; whole-wheat bread, 5c.; one half doz. oranges,12-1/2c.; one half lb. rice, 5c.; two qts. milk, 10c.

Total, 60 cents, or exactly 10 cents apiece.