It is to be noted in the table that, ordinarily, for the same amount of money the most nutrients can be obtained in the form of milk, cheese, sugar, and beans, corn meal, wheat flour, oatmeal, and cereals in bulk. While meats supply protein liberally, they fail to furnish carbohydrates as the vegetables. As discussed in the chapter on Dietary Studies of Families, unnecessarily expensive foods are often used, resulting either in lack of nutrients or unbalanced rations.
EXAMPLES
1. Compute the calories and the amounts of protein, fat, and carbohydrates that can be procured for 25 cents in cheese selling for 18 cents per pound; how do these compare with the nutrients in eggs at 20 cents per dozen?
2. Which food furnishes the larger amount of nutrients, potatoes at 50 cents per bushel or flour at $6 per barrel?
3. How do beans at 10 cents per quart compare in nutritive value with beef at 15 Cents per pound?
4. How does salt codfish at 10 cents per pound compare in nutritive value with lamb chops at 15 cents per pound?
5. Compare in nutritive value cream at 25 cents per quart with butter at 30 cents per pound.
6. Calculate the composition and nutritive value of a cake made of sugar, 8 oz.; butter, 4 oz.; eggs, 8 oz.; flour, 8 oz.; and milk, 4 oz.; the baked cake weighs one and three fourths pounds.
Average Composition of Common American Food Products
(From Farmer's Bulletin, No. 142, U. S. Dept. of Agr.)