In virtue of the world-wide scarcity of food, the work of the individual should be worthy of the food which he eats.
Tables showing the cost of various wholesome food-stuffs about July 1, 1917, are here reproduced for the benefit of the reader. The tables were prepared by Dr. F. C. Gephart and issued by the Department of Health of the City of New York in a leaflet edited by Doctors Holt, La Fetra, Pisek, and Lusk on the subject of food for children. If the world is seeking after energy in the form of food-fuel, the world is rightly entitled to understand the value of its purchases. It must be clearly understood that people are always destined to look with hopeful anticipation toward the enjoyment of a meal. They will instinctively "eat calories" just as they instinctively "eat pounds." They buy pounds of food, and they could buy more intelligently if they knew the energy value of what they buy.
| Cost of 1000 calories, cents | Price per pound, cents |
|---|
| Table 1—Cost of Fats. |
| Cottonseed oil | 7.3 | 31 |
| Oleomargarine | 8.5 | 30 |
| Peanut butter | 8.8 | 25 |
| Butter | 11.9 | 43 |
| Olive oil | 12.1 | 51 |
| Bacon | 13.8 | 37 |
| Bacon, sliced, in jars | 23.8 | 65 |
| Cream (extra heavy, 40 per cent.) | 37.7 | 65 (1 pint) |
| Table 2—Cost of Cereals. |
| Cornmeal, in bulk | 3.6 | 6 |
| Hominy, in bulk | 3.6 | 6 |
| Broken rice, in bulk | 3.7 | 6 |
| Oatmeal, in bulk | 3.8 | 7 |
| Samp, in bulk | 4.2 | 7 |
| Quaker Oats, in package | 4.4 | 8 |
| Macaroni, in package | 4.5 | 8 |
| Wheat flour, in bulk | 4.6 | 8 |
| Malt breakfast food, in package | 4.8 | 8 |
| Pettijohn, in package | 5.3 | 9 |
| Cream of Wheat, in package | 5.7 | 10 |
| Farina, in package | 5.9 | 10 |
| Cracked wheat, in bulk | 5.9 | 10 |
| Pearl barley, in package | 6.0 | 10 |
| Barley flour, in bulk | 6.1 | 10 |
| Whole rice, in bulk | 6.1 | 10 |
| Wheatena, in package | 8.1 | 14 |
| Table 3—Cost of Ready-to-serve Cereals. |
| Shredded Wheat Biscuit | 7.8 | 13 |
| Grape-nuts | 8.6 | 15 |
| Force | 9.4 | 16 |
| Corn Flakes | 11.7 | 20 |
| Puffed rice | 23.5 | 38 |
| Table 4—Cost of Vegetables. |
| White potatoes | 12.9 | 4.0 |
| Turnips | 20.0 | 2.5 |
| New beets | 27.6 | 5.0 |
| Onions | 29.3 | 6.0 |
| Spinach | 30.0 | 3.3 |
| Green peas | 39.2 | 10.0 |
| Lima beans | 39.2 | 10.0 |
| Cauliflower | 42.9 | 6.0 |
| Carrots | 50.0 | 8.0 |
| String-beans | 55.6 | 10.0 |
| Squash | 76.2 | 8.0 |
| Lettuce | 89.4 | 7.0 |
| Celery | 214.0 | 15.0 |
| Table 5—Cost of Breadstuffs. |
| Ginger-snaps | 6.3 | 12.0 |
| Graham bread | 8.2 | 10.3 |
| White bread | 8.5 | 10.3 |
| Rye bread | 8.7 | 10.3 |
| Graham crackers | 9.2 | 18.0 |
| Soda crackers | 9.4 | 18.0 |
| French rolls | 10.8 | 14.0 |
| Uneeda Biscuit | 12.4 | 24.0 |
| Table 6—Cost of Proteins. |
| Milk (Grade A) | 20.0 | 13.0 (1 quart) |
| Roast beef (rib) | 23.4 | 26.0 |
| Buttermilk | 26.5 | 9.0 (1 quart) |
| Lamb chops (loin) | 32.7 | 43.0 |
| Lamb chops (rib) | 34.9 | 38.0 |
| Young codfish (fresh) | 38.6 | 12.0 |
| Chicken (roasting) | 41.3 | 32.0 |
| Eggs | 44.7 | 45.0 (1 dozen) |
| Beefsteak (round) | 50.4 | 34.0 |
| Table 7—Cost of Fruit. |
| Fresh (in season): |
| Bananas | 23.0 | 6 |
| Apples | 23.7 | 5 |
| Oranges | 65.0 | 10 |
| Dried: |
| Prunes | 8.4 | 10 |
| Apples | 11.1 | 15 |
| Peaches | 12.5 | 15 |
| Apricots | 15.5 | 20 |