WATKINS COOK BOOK

THE SCHOOL LUNCH BOX

More than half our children, rich and poor alike, are mal-nourished
to some degree, so the experts tell us. This is not always because they
do not eat enough, but it is always because they do not eat enough
of the right things.

The mother who sees to the packing of the school lunch box or
basket, realizes her responsibility, and tries to make sure that the
luncheon contains not only bread and meat and cake, but also a liberal
supply of fruit, vegetables and milk in one form or another. She
fits her neat box or basket with some kind of jar or glass and screw
top or tight cover, or at least with parchment paper cups, so that
moist foods can be carried.

She tries to arrange the more substantial parts of the lunch near
the top and the sweets nearer the bottom—no danger that they won’t
be eaten. She remembers the extra apple or Graham crackers or
cookies for recess.

Perhaps she saves her pin money to buy a good thermos bottle,
so that milk (or cocoa made with milk) can be really hot or really cold
at the luncheon hour. She uses plenty of oiled paper so that each
food may be kept fresh in its own separate wrapping, for who wants
sponge cake or cup custard that smells of tuna fish sandwiches or the
onion in the potato salad?

She knows how good sandwiches are made—evenly cut slices not
too thick or too thin, butter creamed so that it goes on evenly, and
spread on both slices so they will not soak up the filling.

Luncheons usually have to use the left-overs of other meals, but
special pains should be taken to make them particularly attractive.
Cold potato, baked beans, chicken, fish or meat scraps can have a
little celery, green pepper, pimento, cucumber, shredded lettuce,
hard-boiled egg, or a very little minced onion, olives, pickles or nuts
added to them, with a little good salad dressing, and a tasty salad
should result, which may be a truly artistic creation.

LUNCH BOX SUGGESTIONS

Fruits or vegetables, such as apples, oranges, peaches, lettuce,
tomatoes or celery, make a good combination with sandwiches.

Vegetable soups can be kept hot in a thermos bottle.

Vegetable salads, baked beans, potato chips or potato salad add
— to the lunch of the adult, but are not suitable for a child’s
lunch.

A bottle of milk should always be included in the lunch box of a
school child.

Plain cookies, date or raisin cookies, sponge cake, or light cup
cakes may be added as a dessert.

For the adult such things as pickles, doughnuts, pie, or rich cakes
a" sometimes used, but for the school lunch box it is well to avoid
them.

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