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Quantities of Food Demanded by the System
(b) CHEAP FOOD, SUFFICIENT TO SUPPORT AN ADULT IN GOOD HEALTH:s. d.
Bread ... 690 ... ... *50 ... ... 1 lb. ... 02 Potatoes ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 2 " ... 0 11 Peas or beans ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 4 oz. ... 00 Dripping or lard 4 02 ... ... ... まこき ... ... ११ ...
Cabbage or greens ... ... ... ... 1 1b. ... 01 Cheese ... ... ... ... ... 3 oz. ... 01 09 This amount of aliment, if properly managed, may be made very tolerably palatable. The peas or beans should be well boiled, and then fried in a part of the dripping with the potatoes and cabbages, which will make a savoury mess. Part of the bread is to be eaten with this, dividing the whole into two meals; and the remainder of the bread, with the cheese, makes the third meal. This diet, with a pint and a half of malt liquor, which, if brewed at home, need not cost more than 1d., will keep a man accustomed to such fare in good health; but there can be no doubt that it would disagree with those brought up to the use of meat, fish, and poultry. (c) CHEAP FOOD FOR CHILDREN, SUITED TO THE COUNTRY:--- s. d.
Oatmeal ... ... ... ... ... ...
Potatoes and greens ...
Milk Treacle... ... ...
Bacon ... ... ... 01 lb. ... 01 ... ... ... ... 1 01 ११ ... ... ... ... ... ... 1 pint 2 oz. ... 01 ... 0 2 01 ... ... ... ... 05 The oatmeal should be boiled in water for about half an hour, or longer if very coarse; then add the milk, and this will serve for breakfast and supper with the treacle. The potatoes and bacon make the dinner. 17. THE ABOVE CALCULATIONS are based upon the absolute amount of food which the human machine demands in order to supply its wants, and makes no allowance for changes required by the stomach, nor for the many other accidental circumstances which will always interfere with the cost. But this will show upon what a small quantity of food health may be supported, and will serve to explain the fact, that large families are often maintained upon sums which, by others, are considered inadequate to find food for a single individual not very far removed from them in social position. It is truly astonishing how much is wasted by overfeeding, and how unfortunately it happens that when this practice has long been continued, it is next to impossible to leave it off. But though these limited quantities of plain food are sufficient to support life and health, yet there can be no doubt that, by proper management and cookery, the same sums, or very nearly so, which will purchase their rude materials, will suffice to procure much more savoury dishes. Compare a dish of plain boiled potatoes and salt with the same articles fried and flavoured only with a single herring and a little lard; and even if they are reduced in weight sufficiently to pay for the extras, they will be much more palatable, and also more serviceable to the system. This is merely a single illustration, but many others might be adduced, depending generally upon the gratification of the instinctive desire for nitrogenous food. In catering for a man with a strong appetite, it matters little what its nature may be, so that either fish, flesh, fowl, milk, pulse, or mushroom, will serve to afford nitrogen in large quantities, and at the same time act as flavouring matter; but for delicate stomachs the effect will vary greatly, and the choice must then be confined to such well-cooked kinds as are found by experience to afford this nourishment, while, at the same time, they present a proper stimulus to the stomach. CHAP. II.-ON THE ADVANTAGES OF A PROPER PREPARATION