Food Economics. Part 3

Description

This section is from the book "The Elements Of The Science Of Nutrition", by Graham Lusk. Also available from Amazon: The Elements of the Science of Nutrition.

Food Economics. Part 3

It is not possible to consider the details of the great amount of extremely valuable work accomplished by the scientific departments of the Washington Government and in the individual Agricultural Experiment stations in this country and abroad.

It may, however, be of interest to present the results of a study of the sale of food at the Childs restaurants1 in order to show this principle of caloric feeding, now adopted in hospitals and upon farms, that it may be worked out in the daily life of the people.

The Cost, Inclusive Of Restaurant Service, Of 2500 Calories In Foods Arranged In Order Of Their Increasing Price

(Note that when three portions furnish 2500 calories, one portion affords a good meal. When nine portions furnish 2500 calories, then three portions should form the meal).

Name or Food.	Nutritional Calories FOR Five Cents.	Per Cent. in Bread AND Butter.	Cost of 2500 Calories.	No. OF Orders to Make 2500 Calories.
Napoleon.......................	453.6		$0.28	6
Crullers ..............................	444.0		.28	6
Cabinet pudding and vanilla sauce. .	399.5		.31	6
Cocoanut pie ..........................	372.9		.34	7
*A - Roast beef sandwich with roll .......	357.8		.35	7
Bath buns .....................	357.5		.35	7
Bread custard ......................	355.4	....	.35	7
Pineapple pie .......................	347.4		.36	7
Corn muffins ....................	342.2		.37	7
Apple pie........................	337.2		.37	7
New England pudding with vanilla sauce.........................	330.7		.38	8

* Contains 15 per cent, or over of heat in protein. "A" contains the protein of meat, milk, eggs, or cheese.

1 Gephart and Lusk: "Analysis and Cost of Ready.to.serve Foods," published by "American Medical Association," 1915.

Name of Food.	Nutritional Calories FOR Five Cents.	Per Cent. IN Bread and Butter.	Cost OF Calories.	No. OF Orders to Make 2500 Calories.
Chocolate spiced cakes............	324.0	.........	$0.39	8
Walnut layer cake with marshmallow icing ................................	323.2	......	.39	8
Milk crackers....................	3I7.1	.....	.39	8
Bread pudding with vanilla sauce. . .	298.4	....	.42	8
Pumpkin pie.....................	296.1	. . . ...	.42	8
A - Lamb croquettes and mashed potatoes...........................	291.4	29.5	.43	3
Coffe cake ..............................	290.2	....	.43	9
Rhubarb pie.....................	286.8	....	.44	9
A - German meat cakes and French fried potatoes......................	284.5	27.2	.44	3
Old-fashioned molasses cake.......	281.9	.....	.44	9
Lemon pie.......................	279.7	....	.45	9
*A - Vienna roast with French fried potatoes ......................................	278.3	29.7	.45	3
Butter cake ........................	278.0	....	.45	9
Minced ham sandwich ................	277.3	63.8	.45	9
Pork and Boston beans............	276.6	27.1	.45	3
Cornmeal cakes with maple cane syrup ....................	275.2	......	.45	5
A - Ham croquettes..................	263.1	32.7	.47	5
Cold rice pudding ........................	263.1	....	.47	9
Ham sandwich with roll...........	261.8	..... . . ■	.48	10
Banana layer cake................	253.4	....	.49	10
*A - Cream chipped beef on toast.......	249.2	....	.50	3
Cocoa .........................	247.5	. . .	.50	10
*A - Roast beef cutlet with tomato sauce.	246.5	38.4	.51	3
*A - German meat cakes with lyonnaise potatoes......................	246.4	.......	.51	3
*A - Swiss cheese sandwich.............	244.0	59.6	.51	10
* - Boston baked beans...............	240.3	34.2	.52	5
A - Vienna roast, spaghetti and potatoes	236.3	34.0	.53	4
Chocolate cornstarch with cream. . .	231.6	....	.54	11
Wheat cakes with maple cane syrup.	231.1	. .	.54	5
Milk crackers and milk............	230.5	......	.54	5
*A - American cheese sandwich.........	230.2	....	.54	11
* - New York baked beans............	229.7	35.5	.54	5
Hot corn bread...................	228.6	.....	.55	6
*A - Country sausage..................	227.7	....	.55	11
Indian pudding with maple sauce. .	227.2	....	.55	11
*A - Minced tongue sandwich with tea biscuits .......................	225.6	.....	.55	11
Cream roll.......................	225.1	....	.55	11
A - Beef cakes with brown gravy and macaroni ......................	224.8	35.1	.56	4
* - New York beans, on the side.......	223.4		.56	11
Graham crackers .....................	223.3	....	.56	11
A - Broiled ham.....................	223.1	....	.56	3
A - Roast beef hash, browned.........	222.1	36.9	.56	4

Name of Food.	Nutritional Calo RIES FOR Five Cents.	Per Cent. in Bread and Butter.	Cost of 2500 Calories.	No. of Orders to Make 2500 Calories.
Oyster pie.......................	220.4		$0.57	4
*A - Minced chicken sandwich..........	220.3	73.0	.57	11
Apple tapioca pudding............	217.2	....	.57	11
Potato salad.....................	217.0	38.4	.58	6
Chocolate layer cake..............	212.4	....	,59	12
*A - Breaded veal cutlet and tomato sauce	211.9	33.0	,59	3
Egg-plant fried in butter..........	208.7		.60	4
Buckwheat cakes with maple cane syrup.........................	208.3		.60	6
A - Roast beef croquettes with macarcni	208.3	34.3	.60	4
A - Fried bacon with French fried potatoes ..........................	208.1		.60	3
A - Sardine sandwich.................	207.4	. .	.60	12
*A - Minced ham sandwich with olives...	206.8	...»	.60	12
*A - Ham and New York beans.........	206.6	40.2	.61	4
Vanilla cornstarch with cream......	206.5	....	.61	12
*A - Roast beef cutlet and mashed potatoes ..........................	205.7	38.3	.61	4
A - Lamb cutlet and mashed potatoes...	205.4	36.9	.61	4
Cocoanut cake...................	204.6		.61	12
Cream cheese walnut sandwich.....	201.5	....	.62	12
* - New York baked beans with tomato sauce ..........................................	201.5	34.8	.62	6
A - Ham and Boston beans............	201.3	44.6	.62	4
A - Liver and onions with French fried potatoes......................	200.1		.62	3
*A - Beef stew.......................	199.8	35.3	.63	4
*A - Pork and New York beans.........	198.7	38.5	.63	4
*A - Ham sandwich...................	198.3	73.2	•63	13
Rice croquette with bacon.........	196.2	43.4	.64	4
Baked apple with cream...........	196.0	....	.64	6
A - Frankfurters and potato salad......	195.9	42.5	.64	4
* - Baked beans with macaroni........	195.8	....	.64	4
Cup of coffee (containing cream and sugar)........................	195.2		.64	13
A - Mince pie.......................	194.1	....	.64	6
*A - Lamb stew......................	193.6	39.6	•65	4
*A - Broiled salt mackerel with mashed potatoes .........................................	192 .2	44.1	.65	3
Cherry pie.......................	191.5	....	.65	7
Pound cake......................	191.5	....	.65	7
A - Chicken cutlet and mashed potatoes.	191.2	57.6	.65	4
*A - Shredded wheat and milk..........	190.8		.66	7
Cream tapioca pudding............	189.6	....	.66	13
Soda crackers and milk............	188.6	....	.66	7
Strawberry pie...................	188.0	....	.66	7
Chocolate eclair..................	188.0	....	.67	13
*A - Baked lamb pie (individual)........	187.7	46.6	.67	4
*A - Corned beef sandwich.............	186.0	79.1	.67	13
A - Broiled bacon....................	185.3	34.3	.67	3

Name of Food.	Nutritional Calories for Five Cents.	Per Cent. in Bread and Butter.	Cost of 2500 Calories.	No. OF Orders TO Make 2500 Calories.
Rice cakes with maple cane syrup...	185.6		$0.67	4
A - Cold ham.......................	183.5	39.6	.68	5
A - Roast beef croquettes and spaghetti.	183.0	....	.68	5
*A - Chipped beef and scrambled egg....	182.7	36.4	.68	3
A - Minced ham with scrambled eggs. ..	181.9	35.5	.69	3
peach pie ..........................	181.8	....	.69	7
A - Baked macaroni and cheese........	181.6	40.5	.69	7
Huckleberry pie..................	179.7	....	.70	7
French toast with maple cane syrup.	179.2	....	.70	4
*A - Corned beef and New York beans. ..	179.1	....	.70	5
Blackberry pie...................	177.9	....	.70	7
*A - Veal pot-pie with dumplings.......	174.9	47.9	.71	5
*A - Creamed codfish on toast..........	174.7	46.3	.72	5
A - Vienna roast with stewed tomatoes..	174.7	31.3	.72	5
*A - Tomato omelet..................	174.4	55.3	.72	4
A - Small oyster fry..................	174.2	36.6	.72	4
Hot rice with cream .....................	173.3	....	.72	5
A - Plain oyster fry with bacon ...........	171.8	32.0	.73	4
*A - Hamburger steak.................	170.5	29.9	.73	4
A - Corned beef hash, browned in pan...	170.3	46.1	.73	5
A - Corned beef hash, steamed.........	169.3	55.8	.74	5
Cream..........................	168,7	....	.74	5
*A - Chicken wings on toast............	168.2	38.2	.74	4
A - Country sausage and French fried potatoes......................	167.2		.75	5
*A - Corned beef and Boston beans......	166.7	48.6	.75	5
*A - Two fried eggs...................	166.0	58.1	.75	5
*A - Ham omelet ...........................	165.6	35.5	.75	4
*A - Plain omelet.....................	165.5	47.2	.75	5
*A - Fried liver and mashed potatoes....	164.8	51.7	.76	5
*A - Creamed chipped beef.............	163.7	51.7	.76	5
A - Large oyster fry..................	161.8	35.1	.77	3
Apple fritters with fruit sauce......	161.7		.77	8
A - Fish cakes with tomato sauce.......	161.2	54.4	.78	5
French fried potatoes, extra order.. .	160.4	....	.78	8
Chocolate cornstarch with whipped cream.........................	159.6		.78	16
Shredded wheat and cream........	159.5	. . .	.78	6
A - Chicken croquette and French fried potatoes......................	159.3		.78	5
*A - Corned beef hash with poached egg..	158.9	35.5	.79	4
*A - Ham and eggs....................	158.3	29.8	.79	3
A - Ham and potato salad.............	158.1	31.1	.79	4
*A - Baked shad and dressing...........	157.7	....	.79	4
*A - Hamburger steak with Spanish sauce	157.4	33.7	.79	4
Charlotte russe ..........................	156.5	....	.80	16
*A - Creamed eggs on toast ....................	155.6	37.6	.80	4
A - Bacon and eggs...................	155.3	29.8	.81	3
Strawberry fruit jelly with whipped cream.........................	154.9	........	.81	16

Name of Food.	Nutritional Calories FOR Five Cents.	Per Cent. IN Bread and Butter.	Cost of 2500 Calories.	No. of Orders to Make 2500 Calories.
*A - Buckwheat cakes with country sausage.......................	154.7		$0.81	4
A - Oyster sandwich..................	153.8	46.3	.81	8
*A - Chicken giblets on toast...........	153.0	41.5	.82	4
Hot rice with butter...............	152.6	....	.82	8
Pimento olive cheese sandwich.....	152.3	87.0	.82	16
*A - Liver and bacon with lyonnaise potatoes.........................	151.0	29.7	.83	3
*A - Corned beef hash, browned, with two poached eggs...............	150.1	37.7	.83	3
Buttered toast...................	149.7		.83	8
*A - Liver and bacon..................	149.4	36.4	.84	3
*A - Chicken hash....................	146.9	46.3	.85	6
A - Tow scrambled eggs ....................	146.3	52.6	.85	6
*A - Milk............................	145.3	....	.86	9
Apple sauce with whipped cream..........	144.2	....	.87	17
Hot rice with poached egg..........	143.3	49.8	.87	6
*A - Corned beef with potato salad......	143.1	53.0	.87	6
Fish cakes with poached egg........	141.8	53.2	.88	4
*A - Cold roast beef...................	140.1	63.4	.89	. 6
A - Hot rice with milk................	139.6	....	.90	9
*A - Small steak......................	138.0	28.3	.91	3
Baked apple.....................	136.8	....	.91	18
Baked apple with ice cream........	136.0	....	.92	9
A - Two lamb chops..................	135.3	....	.92	3
A - Chicken salad sandwich...........	134.7	....	.93	9
*A - Corned beef hash, steamed, with poached egg...................	133.8	44.3	.93	5
* - Boston beans, on side.............	133.7	....	.94	19
Tomato sandwich.................	133.6	965	.94	19
A - Lamb chops, breaded, with mashed potatoes.......................	132.7	48.6	.94	5
*A - Maple flakes with milk............	132.6		.94	9
*A - Corned beef......................	132.4	45.8	.94	6
*A - Bulgarzoon......................	132.1	....	.95	19
A - Spanish omelet with French fried potatoes.......................	132.1	39.8	.95	4
Baked apple custard with whipped cream.........................	131.5		.95	10
Boiled rice, side order .................	130.8	....	.96	19
*A - Fried egg sandwich...............	129.6	64.7	.96	10
*A - Onion omelet....................	129.1	27.0	.97	5
*A - Baked weak fish with dressing......	128.9	45.0	.97	5
*A - Sirloin steak.....................	128.1	20.1	.98	2
Fresh cooked oatmeal with cream. ..	127.7	....	.98	6
*A - Fish cakes with macaroni..........	126.9	....	.99	5
Sliced bananas with cream.........	126.2	....	.99	10
* - Macaroni, side order..............	125.8	....	.99	20
*A - Roast sirloin of beef and mashed potatoes.......................	124.9	44.8	1.00	5

Name or Food.	Nutritional Calories for Five Cents.	Per Cent. in Bread and Butter.	Cost of 2500 Calories.	No. OF Orders to Make 2500 Calories.
A - Tomato omelet with potatoes.......	I2I.0	42.9	$1.03	4
*A - Two boiled eggs..................	I2I.6	....	1.03	7
*A - Fish cakes with spaghetti..........	120.6	54.0	I.04	5
*A - Macaroni omelet with tomato sauce.	119.1	38.5	1.05	4
*A - Small steak with onions............	118.3	25.8	1.06	3
*A - Fish cake sandwich...............	117.8		1.06	11
*A - Egg salad.......................	116.0	54.9	1.08	5
*A - Parsley omelet...................	115.2	53.1	1.09	5
Green split pea soup..............	114.1	59.4	1.10	11
Vanilla ice cream.................	113.8	....	1.10	11
*A - Tenderloin steak with onions.......	113.3	24.5	1.10	2
*A - Cornflakes and milk...............	111.1	....	1.12	11
Strawberry tart..................	111.0	....	1.13	11
*A - Tuna fish salad...................	110.9	43.0	1.13	5
*A - Sirloin steak with onions...........	110.0	20.1	1.14	2
Pineapple fruit jelly with whipped cream........................	109.8		1.14	23
*A - Cup custard.....................	109 .5	....	1.14	11
*A - Roast beef with potato salad.......	107.4	43.9	1.16	5
*A - Tenderloin steak..................	106.3	19.8	1.18	2
A - Milk toast.......................	105.6	. . .•	1.18	8
Strawberry cornstarch with whipped cream ...................................	102.2		1.22	24
Strawberry ice cream.............	102.1		1.22	12
*A - Clam chowder ..........................	100.6		1.24	6
* - Chicken soup....................	100.4	49.5	1.24	8
*A - Crab meat salad .....................	99.5	68.1	1.26	6
Vegetable soup .........................	98.1	79.6	1.27	13
Stewed rhubarb..................	93.9		1.33	27
*A - Creamed chicken on toast..........	92.9	37.5	1.35	7
Strawberries with cream...........	91.9	....	1.36	9
Strawberry short cake.............	91.8		1.36	9
*A - Chicken omelet...................	90.8	32.1	1.38	6
*A - Deviled crab.....................	00.7	64.1	1.38	7
Sliced bananas...................	89.9	....	1.39	28
*A - Spaghetti and cheese..............	88.0	....	1.42	14
*A - Fried ham.......................	86.8	49.6	1.44	6
A - Minced chicken sandwich with lettuce..........................	86.3		1.45	15
* - Bean soup with croutons...........	84.4		1.48	15
*A - Hot roast beef sandwich...........	81.5	....	1.53	10
*A - Club sandwich...................	81.4		1. 54	6
* A - Sliced chicken sandwich ...........	78.1		1.60	16
*A - Poached eggs on toast.............	65.6		1.91	10
Strawberries with ice cream ..........	65.0		1.92	13
* - Cream of wheat..................	63.0		1.98	20
Blackberries and cream...........	56.5		2.21	22
Stewed corn.....................	52.5		2.38	48
* - Creamed asparagus on toast........	49.2		2.54	13
Watermelon.....................	39.4		3.17	20

Name op Food.	Nutritional Calories for Five Cents.	Per Cent. in Bread and Butter.	Cost of 2500 Calories.	No. of Orders to Make 2500 Calories.
* - Tomato soup with rice.............	36.6		$3.42	34
Sliced pineapple..................	35.3		3.54	71
Grape fruit......................	25.8		4.85	32
*A - Raw oysters.....................	18.6		6.72	45
Sliced tomatoes with lettuce........	16.6		7.53	50
* - Sliced tomatoes..................	15.2		8.20	82
Tomatoes with lettuce dressing.....	13.5		9.26	47
Cantaloupe......................	12.1		10.33	69
Champagne†.....................	8.6		14.53	7

† Not purchased in the restaurant.

The main objection that has been encountered to the sale of food on the caloric basis has been the sensitiveness of the business world to the introduction of a new and unknown quantity. Why not leave well enough alone?

A more highly educated generation will, however, demand that its expenditure of thousands of millions of dollars for food shall not continue to take place in unfathomable depths of darkness.

For the purpose of dealing with the unintelligent masses in actual need of food the writer recommended to Dr. Haven Emerson, the local Commissioner of Health in New York City, that grocers be persuaded to prepare "Board of Health baskets" to provide 10,000 calories daily for a family of 5 at a minimum cost. The occasion was that of a general strike in the cloak.making trade. The baskets were reminiscent of the poorhouse fare in Finland (see p. 351) and should be understood as representing minima for a family out of work. Basket I is not to be commended for constant use over a prolonged period, though Basket II would probably suffice for maintenance and growth during many months.

Health Baskets

(Low cost meatless dietary for a family of 5 - two adults and three children over five years - designed to maintain efficiency for one day, June, 1916)

Articles Arranged in the Order of Increasing Cost or Fuel Value.	Basket I. Possible Minimum.			Basket II. Desirable Minimum.
	Pounds.	Calories.	Cost.	Pounds.	Calories.	Cost.
Cornmeal.............	l	1750	•03	I	1750	.03
Hominy..............	1
Oatmeal..............	1
Sugar................	I	1800	.08	I	1800	.08
Rice.................
Bread................	2¼*	2800	.09	2¼	2800	.09
Corn syrup or molasses.	1	500	.02	½	500	.02
Pork (fat)............
Beans (dried).........
Oleomargarin.........	½	1800	.11½	½	1800	.11½
Potatoes..............				3½	1000	. 10
Milk.................	4†	1270	.12	4	1270	.12
Apple ....................				2	500	.10
		9920	.45½		11,420	.65½

* Three loaves of 12-ounce day-old bread, 3 cents a loaf. Rice, 1½ pounds (2625 calories) costs 7½ cents and may in part be used instead of bread.

† Two quarts of milk at 6 cents a quart.

Notes on preparation of food:

Oatmeal contains valuable iron and calcium salts. Boil one-half hour.

Hominy

Soak in water over night. Boil one and one-half hours.

Cornmeal

Boil one-half hour.

Rice

Twenty-five minutes' rapid boiling.

Potatoes

Boil one-half to three-quarters of an hour.

Beans

High in protein and calcium. Soak over night and boil two to two and one-half hours.

Rubner1 has set forth his ideas of true reform with regard to the question of the nourishment of the masses. There should be less profit to middlemen. If food must be eaten outside the home, there should be cheap restaurants or public kitchens where nourishing food can be purchased. It is cheaper to cook in one's own kitchen provided the fire that is used for cooking is needed for heating. The personal ownership of a house and garden to the wide-spread extent of such ownership in America must be morally uplifting for a community. For this reason factories should be built in the country. Furthermore, children are more useful in the country than in the city. The cost of rooms in which to live bears an intimate relation to the amount of money available for food. Not only are quarters costly in the town, but many landlords classify children with cats and dogs as undesirable tenants.

1 Rubner: "Wandlungen in der Volksernahrung," Leipzig, 1913.

The housewife should know about cooking, and both she and her husband should know something of the value of food. The sum wasted for alcoholic beverages would frequently be sufficient to turn the scale in favor of the proper nutrition of the family. Cheaper milk for the babies of the poor and adequate nourishment for school children are important factors in the situation. Rubner regrets that the knowledge of biology, even among the educated classes, is so limited that the science of nutrition appears to them to be wholly useless.

Rubner's words were written in contemplation of a highly developed modern community and before the outbreak of the war. The story of the regulation and conservation of the food supply by the state under scientific direction is yet to be written. An enforced abstinence from alcohol cannot possibly be harmful, but whether the introduction each week of two or three "meatless days" into the regimen of adults, and especially of children, is for their permanent welfare cannot at present be determined. The psychologic factor alone is of too profound significance to give credence to the value of any personal opinion.

As this book goes to press it seems that America herself is certain to face a food shortage before very long. This can be remedied by increasing the number of milch cows and by reducing the livestock raised for meat. The latter would free arable land for the production of grain and potatoes and save, for human consumption, grain fed to steers. It is quite certain that meat in the quantity it is consumed today is entirely unnecessary, and it is susceptible of scientific proof (see p. 312) that mechanical work is more efficiently and economically derived from carbohydrate food than from meat.

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Food Economics. Part 3

Description

Food Economics. Part 3

The Cost, Inclusive Of Restaurant Service, Of 2500 Calories In Foods Arranged In Order Of Their Increasing Price

Health Baskets

Hominy

Cornmeal

Rice

Potatoes

Beans

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