For children three years (first teeth all cut) to 8 years (second teeth partially cut) vegetables diced, whole cooked fruits.
During the first two years of second dentition (from 6 to 8 years) the missing teeth make chewing less adequate, and care is needed to provide easily divided food. After eight years enough of the permanent teeth have been cut to permit fibers of meat in the diet.
Cooking for Children. Before beginning the preparation of food, wash the hands thoroughly and clean the finger nails. See that all utensils are scrupulously clean, as well as dish towels with which they are wiped. Use agate or enamelware for all acid fruits and vegetables, and a double boiler for milk. Do not use aluminum ware for acids or eggs, or tin for acids, as poisonous compounds would be formed. Taste food before serving, using a clean spoon which is not replaced in the food but immediately washed. Keep food uncovered as little as possible.
Milk. In heating milk always use a double boiler and do not let the milk reach the boiling point. Boiling hardens the protein and makes it difficult of digestion.
To pasteurize milk: put in sterilized bottles, stoppered with non-absorbent cotton. Place bottles in kettle with cold water coming to height of milk in bottles. Put cloth or paper in bottom of kettle and between bottles, to prevent breaking. Milk is advisably pasteurized by bringing water to 145° F. and maintaining at exactly this temperature for thirty minutes, either turning fire low or removing kettle from fire, leaving bottles in water for half an hour, or placing the kettle in a fireless cooker, or covering tightly with newspapers. Cool bottles quickly by placing in lukewarm water, then in cold water, then on ice, or where temperature of 45° can be maintained.
Toast. Use stale bread. Make in the oven, drying hard throughout, the outside then lightly browned in gas oven or over coals or an electric toaster.
Dried fruits. Sort carefully, remove blemishes, wash thoroughly in colander. Soak overnight in water to cover; bring to boil, and let simmer with low fire or in fireless cooker until soft. Add no sugar to prunes, dates, figs, seedless raisins, and little to peaches, apples, apricots. California prunes should be used, as they are sweeter and less acid. Honey may be used, instead of sugar, for sweetening other fruits. Soda should be added to tart fruits, as apricots. For children one to three years, make pulp by removing pits and mashing through fine colander (not tin). For children over three, dates and figs may be served uncooked, after thorough washing, or sterilizing for ten minutes in a colander over steam and then drying.
Cereals. Cereals require a high degree of heat for the first five or ten minutes, to burst the covering of the tiny starch cells, then long cooking at a moderate temperature. This applies to oatmeal, barley, wheat cereals, corn meal, samp, rice, tapioca, sago. A double boiler should be used and, unless a coal fire is available for a long period, a fireless cooker. The latter can be made in a few hours at a cost of less than half a dollar, by using a wooden box with a hinged cover, sawdust for packing, and asbestos paper for lining.
In cooking any cereal, have the water boiling in both the upper and lower parts of the double boiler. Put the upper part directly over the heat and let the water boil violently for a minute. Add salt in the proportion of 1 tablespoon to one quart of water. Pour in the cereal very slowly, so the boiling does not stop. Let this boil five minutes, shaking gently, then place in boiler and put into fireless cooker, or over low fire.
Gruel or porridge: