FAMILY
FARE
food management
and recipes

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE · HOME AND GARDEN BULLETIN NO. 1

CONTENTS

Prepared by
Human Nutrition Research Division
and
Consumer and Food Economics Research Division
Agricultural Research Service
Acknowledgment is made to Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Department
of the Interior, for contributions to this publication.

Washington, D.C.

Revised April 1968

For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office
Washington, D.C. 20402—Price 30 cents

FAMILY
FARE
food management and recipes

Whether you are just learning the skills of food management and good cooking or are an experienced hand in the kitchen, this booklet—prepared by USDA food and nutrition scientists—can serve you well.

It combines good eating and good nutrition. It packs the results of years of food and nutrition research into a ready handbook for everyday use. It tells how to get the nutrients you need from a variety of foods—then translates this knowledge into taste-tested recipes and well-balanced meals.

Feeding your family well takes less time and work than it used to. Today’s foods can have built-in convenience. Meals can be more varied because more food choices are available.

In this publication you’ll find—

• A daily food guide—a simple, workable presentation of the kinds and amounts of foods to have each day.

• Tips on meal planning.

• Helpful information on buying, storing, measuring, and using foods.

• A selection of recipes—main dishes, vegetables, salads, soups, sauces, breads, sandwiches, desserts—plus variations of some of these recipes.

• Menu suggestions.

• A list of cooking terms.

NUTRITION....
Food At Work For You

Nutrition is the food you eat and how the body uses it.

People differ in how much they want to know about nutrition, but everyone needs to know a few facts about food and health as a basis for selecting the foods to eat.

You need food to get energy for work and play, to move, to breathe, to keep the heart beating—just to be alive. Children and youths need energy from food for growth.

Food also provides a variety of substances—nutrients—that are essential for the building, the upkeep, and the repair of body tissues, and for the efficient functioning of the body.

Everyone needs the same nutrients throughout life but in different amounts. Proportionately greater amounts are required for the growth of a body than just for its upkeep. Boys and men need more energy and nutrients than girls and women. Large people need more than small people. Active people require more food energy than inactive ones. People recovering from illness need more than healthy people.

You and your family can get all the nutrients you need from foods, but no one food contains all the nutrients in the amounts required for growth and health. Only a variety of different kinds of foods will supply all you need.

A guide to eat by

Nutrition scientists have translated knowledge of the nutrient needs of people and the nutritive values of foods into an easy-to-use guide for food selection.

This Daily Food Guide, on pages 4 and 5, sorts foods into four groups on the basis of their similarity in nutrient content. Each of the broad food groups has a special contribution to make toward an adequate diet.

Here are some of the reasons different food groups are emphasized in the guide and the names of some of the nutrients these foods provide.

Meat, poultry, fish, and eggs from the meat group and their alternates—dry beans, dry peas, and nuts—are valued for their protein. This is needed for the growth and repair of body tissues—muscle, organs, blood, skin, and hair. These foods also contribute iron and the B-vitamins—thiamine, riboflavin, and niacin.

Vegetables and fruits from the vegetable-fruit group are valuable sources of vitamins and minerals. In the guide, this group is counted on to supply most of the vitamin C and a large share of the vitamin A value in the diet. Choices are directed toward the citrus fruits and some other foods that are among the better sources of vitamin C; and toward the dark-green and deep-yellow ones for vitamin A value.

Vitamin C is needed for healthy gums and body tissues. Vitamin A is important for growth, normal vision, and a healthy condition of the skin and other body surfaces.

Foods from the milk group are relied on to meet most of the calcium needs for the day. Milk is the leading source of the mineral calcium, which is needed for bones and teeth.

Milk also provides protein, riboflavin, vitamin A, and many other nutrients. Cheese and ice cream also supply these nutrients, but in different proportions.

The bread-cereal group, with its whole-grain and enriched bread and other cereal products, furnishes important amounts of protein, iron, several of the B-vitamins, and food energy.

Fats, oils, sugars, and sweets are not emphasized in the guide because they are common in every diet. Some of the fats and oils provide certain of the vitamins, and some furnish essential fatty acids, but the chief nutritional contribution of these foods is energy value.

How to use the guide

Homemakers who follow the guide will find it flexible enough to use in choosing foods for families.

Food choices within the groups are wide enough to allow for a variety of everyday foods. Meals can be planned to include family favorites, foods in season, and foods to fit the family budget.

The size of servings can be suited to the needs of family members—small servings for children and for those wanting to lose weight; extra large servings (or seconds) for very active adults, teenagers, and those wanting to gain weight. Pregnant and nursing women also need more food.

Foods from the Daily Food Guide fit easily into a three-meals-a-day pattern of eating. Foods from each group often appear in each meal—but this isn’t essential. The important thing is that the suggested number of servings from each food group be included sometime during the day.

Many people want and need more food than the minimum servings suggested from the four food groups. To round out meals and satisfy appetites, you can include additional foods from the four groups as well as other foods not listed in these groups.

A Daily Food Guide

MEAT GROUP

Foods Included

Beef; veal; lamb; pork; variety meats, such as liver, heart, kidney.

Poultry and eggs.

Fish and shellfish.

As alternates—dry beans, dry peas, lentils, nuts, peanuts, peanut butter.

Amounts Recommended

Choose 2 or more servings every day.

Count as a serving: 2 to 3 ounces of lean cooked meat, poultry, or fish—all without bone; 2 eggs; 1 cup cooked dry beans, dry peas, or lentils; 4 tablespoons peanut butter.

VEGETABLE-FRUIT GROUP

Foods Included

All vegetables and fruits. This guide emphasizes those that are valuable as sources of vitamin C and vitamin A.

Sources of Vitamin C

Good sources.—Grapefruit or grapefruit juice; orange or orange juice; cantaloup; guava; mango; papaya; raw strawberries; broccoli; brussels sprouts; green pepper; sweet red pepper.

Fair sources.—Honeydew melon; lemon; tangerine or tangerine juice; watermelon; asparagus tips; raw cabbage; collards; garden cress; kale; kohlrabi; mustard greens; potatoes and sweetpotatoes cooked in the jacket; spinach; tomatoes or tomato juice; turnip greens.

Sources of Vitamin A

Dark-green and deep-yellow vegetables and a few fruits, namely: Apricots, broccoli, cantaloup, carrots, chard, collards, cress, kale, mango, persimmon, pumpkin, spinach, sweetpotatoes, turnip greens and other dark-green leaves, winter squash.

Amounts Recommended

Choose 4 or more servings every day, including:

1 serving of a good source of vitamin C or 2 servings of a fair source.

1 serving, at least every other day, of a good source of vitamin A. If the food chosen for vitamin C is also a good source of vitamin A, the additional serving of a vitamin A food may be omitted.

The remaining 1 to 3 or more servings may be of any vegetable or fruit, including those that are valuable for vitamin C and for vitamin A.

Count as 1 serving: ½ cup of vegetable or fruit; or a portion as ordinarily served, such as 1 medium apple, banana, orange, or potato, half a medium grapefruit or cantaloup, or the juice of 1 lemon.

MILK GROUP

Foods Included

Milk—fluid whole, evaporated, skim, dry, buttermilk.

Cheese—cottage; cream; Cheddar-type, natural or process.

Ice cream.

Amounts Recommended

Some milk every day for everyone.

Recommended amounts are given below in terms of 8-ounce cups of whole fluid milk:

Part or all of the milk may be fluid skim milk, buttermilk, evaporated milk, or dry milk.

Cheese and ice cream may replace part of the milk. The amount of either it will take to replace a given amount of milk is figured on the basis of calcium content. Common portions of cheese and of ice cream and their milk equivalents in calcium are:

BREAD-CEREAL GROUP

Foods Included

All breads and cereals that are whole grain, enriched, or restored; check labels to be sure.

Specifically, this group includes: Breads; cooked cereals; ready-to-eat cereals; cornmeal; crackers; flour; grits; macaroni and spaghetti; noodles; rice; rolled oats; and quick breads and other baked goods if made with whole-grain or enriched flour. Bulgur and parboiled rice and wheat also may be included in this group.

Amounts Recommended

Choose 4 servings or more daily. Or, if no cereals are chosen, have an extra serving of breads or baked goods, which will make at least 5 servings from this group daily.

Count as 1 serving: 1 slice of bread; 1 ounce ready-to-eat cereal; ½ to ¾ cup cooked cereal, cornmeal, grits, macaroni, noodles, rice, or spaghetti.

OTHER FOODS

To round out meals and meet energy needs, almost everyone will use some foods not specified in the four food groups. Such foods include: unenriched, refined breads, cereals, flours; sugars; butter, margarine, other fats. These often are ingredients in a recipe or added to other foods during preparation or at the table.

Try to include some vegetable oil among the fats used.

Maintaining desirable weight

It is best to maintain desirable weight for one’s height at all ages, even during childhood. Here are two principles that you can use—

• Reduce food intake as you become less active. Exercise and activity use up energy—or calories. If you cut down activity but not food, you are providing more energy than the body needs. The excess is stored as fat.

• Reduce food intake as you—as an adult—get older. As adults grow older, less energy is needed to keep the body functioning.

To reduce food intake without shortchanging the body of essential nutrients, follow the pattern of choices suggested by the Daily Food Guide. Weight watchers need the same types of food for health as everyone else. Crash diets and food fads are not the answer and may be dangerous to health.

Cut down on food, but don’t cut out any important kinds of foods.

Snacks are counted as a part of the day’s total food. Sensible snacking can help meet nutritional needs, but indiscriminate eating between meals usually leads to more calories than are wanted, less of some nutrients than are needed.

Specific information on controlling weight is given in Home and Garden Bulletin 74, “Food and Your Weight.” It includes basic weight-control facts, suggestions for reducing or gaining weight, meals and menus, and calorie values of common foods.

Tips on meal planning

Keep these points in mind when you plan meals for your family:

• Include a variety of foods each day and from day to day. Introduce a new food from time to time.

• Vary flavors and textures. Contrast strong flavor with mild, sweet with sour. Combine crisp textures with smooth.

• Try to have some meat, poultry, fish, eggs, milk or cheese at each meal.

• Make a collection of nutritious recipes that the family enjoys and serve them often.

• Brighten food with color—a slice of red tomato, a sprig of dark greens, or other garnish.

• Combine different sizes and shapes of food in a meal, when possible.

Servings and Pounds

If you are a thrifty food shopper, you learn to buy the kinds and amounts of food that your family will use—with a minimum of waste. To avoid waste and to make the most of your food dollar, you also need to know how many servings you get from a market unit, such as 1 pound of fresh carrots or a 10-ounce package of frozen peaches.

Information in this section can help you decide how much to buy to feed your family.

The amount of meat, poultry, and fish to buy varies with the amount of bone, fat, and breading.

Meat, poultry, and fish

FOOTNOTES:

[1] Three ounces of cooked lean meat, poultry, or fish per serving.

Vegetables and fruits

For this table, a serving of vegetable is ½ cup cooked vegetable unless otherwise noted. A serving of fruit is ½ cup fruit; 1 medium apple, banana, peach, or pear; or 2 apricots or plums. A serving of cooked fresh or dried fruit is ½ cup fruit and liquid.

FOOTNOTES:

[2] As purchased.

[3] Bought in pod.

[4] Bought without tops.

[5] Bought untrimmed.

[6] Bought prepackaged.

FOOTNOTES:

[7] As purchased.

Smart Buying

Meat

Your best guides for selecting meat are the U.S. Department of Agriculture grades. Federally graded meats carry a purple grade stamp—a shield enclosing the letters “USDA” and the grade name. These stamps divide the wide range of meat quality into several groups.

Grade stamps appear on most retail beef, veal, calf, lamb, and mutton cuts. Pork is not usually graded. Some meat packers, wholesalers, and retailers use their own brand names to designate the quality levels of their products.

USDA Prime, the top grade, is used largely by hotels and restaurants. USDA Choice and USDA Good are the grades most commonly found in retail markets. USDA Standard and Commercial grades are not often sold at retail.

USDA meat inspection marks.

Another purple stamp that may appear on fresh retail meat cuts is the circular mark of Federal meat inspection (below, left). This shows that meat is inspected and passed for wholesomeness, and that it is processed under strict sanitary conditions. A round mark of Federal meat inspection (below, right) also appears on processed meat products to show they are made from wholesome meat, are processed under sanitary conditions, and are truthfully labeled. All fresh or processed meat products that are shipped from one State to another must bear a mark of Federal inspection.

Not all meat is federally inspected. Some States and cities have their own regulations for locally produced meats. However, the Wholesome Meat Act of 1967 will ultimately assure consumers that all meat is inspected by either the Federal Government or an adequate State system.

Meat and your money

At the meat counter, consider the amount of cooked lean meat you will get for the money you pay.

The prices for a pound of beef chuck roast, pork rib roast, ground beef, and beef liver may be about the same at your store. In many instances, a pound of these roasts will provide only about half as much cooked lean meat as a pound of ground beef or beef liver. The other half of the pound of roast is bone, excess fat, and drippings.

So it would take twice as many pounds—and twice as much money—to feed your family the roasts as it would the ground beef or liver, even though the price per pound is the same.

Poultry

In retail markets, ready-to-cook poultry is available chilled or frozen, whole or cut up. Processed poultry products are also on the market in canned, frozen, dehydrated, and other convenient forms.

USDA poultry inspection and grademarks.

Look for both the round U.S. Department of Agriculture inspection mark and the shield-shaped grademark on the poultry you buy.

The round USDA inspection mark (above, left) means that poultry and poultry products have been officially inspected for wholesomeness, are truthfully labeled, and are not adulterated. USDA inspection is required in plants that produce poultry products for sale across State lines or in foreign trade.

The shield-shaped grademark (above, right) shows that the poultry has been officially graded for quality. Poultry must be USDA-inspected before it can be federally graded. The U.S. grades for poultry are based on meatiness, freedom from defects, and general appearance. The best grade of poultry is marked “USDA Grade A.”

Chicken, turkey, duck, and goose are common forms of poultry. Guinea is available in some markets. The label may suggest suitable cooking methods and indicate the age of the poultry—for chicken: “broiler or fryer,” “roaster,” “stewing chicken;” for turkey: “fryer-roaster,” “young hen,” “young tom,” “mature turkey.”

Types of poultry

Broilers, fryers, roasters, capons, and Rock Cornish game hens are young chickens with tender meat. Stewing chickens, hens, and fowl are mature chickens with less tender meat. Turkeys labeled fryer-roaster or young turkey are young birds with tender meat. Most ducks are marketed young as ducklings—broilers, fryers, and roasters. Most geese and guineas are marketed as young geese and young guineas.

Ready-to-cook chickens are sold chilled or frozen—whole or cut into parts. Most ready-to-cook turkeys are marketed frozen whole, in a wide range of sizes; some are available chilled. Frozen turkey halves, quarters, or parts are sometimes available. Ducks, geese, and guineas—like turkeys—are generally marketed frozen whole. Ducklings are also available as cut-up parts.

Frozen poultry, stuffed and ready for the oven, is available in many markets. Boneless poultry roasts and rolls—so convenient—are also on the market.

Fish

Today there are about 240 commercial species of fish and shellfish marketed in the United States. They may be fresh, frozen, or canned.

Fresh fish are generally available by the pound in these forms—whole, dressed, and in steaks, fillets, and chunks. Most fish dealers will clean, dress, or fillet your fish for you. They can also tell you what fish are in season and what fish are a good buy.

Frozen fish are usually packed during the season when they are plentiful and are held in freezer storage until distributed. This means that you can buy most fish throughout the year. Frozen fish come whole, dressed, and in steaks, fillets, chunks, portions, and sticks.

Canned fish and specialty items containing fish are ready to serve or use as bought. Canned tuna, salmon, mackerel, and Maine sardines are widely available.

Market forms

Familiarize yourself with these market forms of fish:

Whole.—Fish marketed just as they come from the water. Ask your dealer to scale, eviscerate, and remove head, tail, and fins.

Dressed or pan-dressed.—Fish with scales and entrails removed, and—usually—head, tail, and fins removed. Small fish are called pan-dressed and are ready to cook as purchased. Large dressed fish may be cooked as purchased, but often are filleted or cut into steaks or chunks.

Steaks.—Cross-section slices from large dressed fish cut ⅝ to 1 inch thick. Steaks can be cooked as purchased.

Fillets.—Sides of the fish cut lengthwise away from the backbone. They may be skinned or the skin may be left on. Fillets are ready to cook as purchased.

Chunks.—Cross sections of large dressed fish. A cross section of the backbone is the only bone in a chunk. They are ready to cook as purchased.

Raw breaded fish portions.—Portions cut from frozen fish blocks, coated with a batter, breaded, packaged, and frozen. Raw breaded fish portions weigh more than 1½ ounces. They are ready to cook as purchased.

Fried fish portions.—Portions cut from frozen fish blocks, coated with a batter, breaded, partially cooked, packaged, and frozen. Fried fish portions weigh more than 1½ ounces. They are ready to heat and serve as purchased.

Fried fish sticks.—Sticks cut from frozen fish blocks, coated with a batter, breaded, partially cooked, packaged, and frozen. Fried fish sticks weigh up to 1½ ounces. They are ready to heat and serve as purchased.

Inspection and grading

The U.S. Department of the Interior provides an official inspection service that enables you to identify high-quality seafoods. Such products may be identified by the official USDI grade or inspection shields that appear on the label. Fishery products that display these shields have been processed under continuous in-plant inspection and have met definite quality, processing, and packaging requirements.

Eggs

Buy graded eggs in cartons at a store that keeps them in refrigerated cases. Federally graded eggs are identified with a shield-shaped grademark that indicates the quality at the time of grading. If they have been properly handled since grading, there should be little loss in quality.

Quality.—U.S. Grade AA (or Fresh Fancy) and Grade A eggs are excellent for all purposes, but are especially good for poaching and frying where the appearance of the finished product is important. Grade B eggs are satisfactory for use in cooked dishes.

The grade of the egg does not affect its food value; lower grades are as high in nutrients as top grades. Buy either white or brown eggs. The color of the shell does not affect the nutritive value or quality of the egg.

Size.—Eggs are also classified by size according to weight per dozen. Size is independent of quality; large eggs may be of high or low quality and high-quality eggs may be of any size. Common market sizes of eggs and the minimum weight per dozen:

U.S. Extra Large—27 ounces.
U.S. Large—24 ounces.
U.S. Medium—21 ounces.
U.S. Small—18 ounces.

The substitution of one size egg for another often makes little difference in recipe results. However, in some recipes—for example in sponge and angelfood cakes—the proportion of egg to other ingredients is very important. For these recipes, it may be necessary to increase the number of eggs if you are using a smaller size.

Fresh fruits and vegetables

Fresh fruits and vegetables are usually best in quality and lowest in cost when in season.

Whatever fruit or vegetable you are buying, look first for freshness. Pointers on selecting some fruits and vegetables follow on page [12].

Fruits

Apples.—Good color usually indicates full flavor.

Bananas.—Bananas should be firm, fresh in appearance, and unscarred. Yellow or brown-flecked ones are ready for immediate use. Select slightly green-colored bananas for use within a few days.

Berries.—Select plump, solid berries with good color. Avoid wet or leaky berries. Blackberries and raspberries with clinging caps may be underripe. Strawberries without caps may be too ripe.

Grapes.—Grapes should be plump, fresh in appearance, and firmly attached to the stems. Red or black varieties should be well colored for the variety. Most white or green varieties should have a slightly amber tone.

Melons (except watermelons).—Ripe cantaloups have a yellowish surface color; honeydews, a creamy color; crenshaws, a golden-yellow color mottled with green; casabas, a yellow color; and persian melons, a dull gray-green color. Ripe melons of these types usually have a fruity aroma and a slight softening at the blossom end. A ripe cantaloup has no stem; other melons may have stems attached.

Oranges, grapefruit, and lemons.—Choose those heavy for their size. Smooth, thin skins usually indicate more juice. Most skin markings do not affect quality. Oranges with a slight greenish tinge may be just as ripe as fully colored ones. Light or greenish-yellow lemons are more tart than deep-yellow ones.

Peaches.—Best quality peaches are fairly firm, not bruised, with yellow or red color over the entire surface.

Pears.—Some pears, especially winter varieties, are marketed when slightly underripe and need to be ripened at home—at room temperature. Pears are ripe and ready to eat when they yield slightly to moderate pressure.

Pineapples.—Pineapple varieties vary greatly in color. Ripe pineapples have a fragrant, fruity aroma. Usually, the heavier the fruit for its size, the better the quality. Avoid pineapples that have decayed or moldy spots.

Watermelons.—Ripe watermelons have a somewhat dull surface and a creamy color underneath. The interior should be fully red and firm, and should have few immature seeds.

Vegetables

Asparagus.—Stalks should be tender and firm; tips should be close and compact. Choose the stalks with little white—they are more tender. Use asparagus promptly—it toughens rapidly.

Beans, snap.—Choose slender beans with no large bumps (bumps indicate large seeds). Avoid beans with dry-looking pods.

Broccoli.—Look for small flower buds on compactly arranged heads with good green color. Avoid yellowing, soft, or spreading heads.

Brussels sprouts.—The heads should be firm with good green color. Yellowing outer leaves and softness indicate aging. Smudgy, dirty spots may indicate insect damage or decay.

Cabbage.—Choose heads that are firm and heavy. Outer leaves should be fresh, green, and free from worm-holes.

Cauliflower.—Choose heads that are compact, firm, and white or creamy white. Avoid discolored heads and those with soft spots.

Celery.—Best-quality celery is fresh and crisp. It is clean and has leaves that appear fresh; stems do not have black or brown discoloration. Avoid pithy, woody, or very stringy celery.

Corn.—Good-quality fresh corn has husks that are fresh and green. The ears are well filled with plump, firm, milky kernels. Immature ears of corn have small, undeveloped, watery kernels. Overmature ears have very firm, large, starchy kernels, often indented.

Cucumbers.—Choose firm, slender cucumbers for best quality. Avoid yellowed cucumbers and those with withered or shrivelled ends.

Lettuce (head).—Select heads that are green, fresh, crisp, and fairly firm to firm. Head lettuce should be free from rusty appearance and excessive outer leaves.

Onions (dry).—Size and color do not affect flavor or quality of dry onions. Clean, hard, well-shaped onions with dry skins are usually of good quality. Moisture at the neck may be a sign of decay. Mild-flavored onions, which are often large, may be elongated or flat. Stronger-flavored onions are usually medium size and globe shaped.

Peas and lima beans.—Select pods that are well filled but not bulging. Avoid dried, spotted, yellowed, or flabby pods.

Potatoes.—Best-quality potatoes are firm, smooth, and well shaped. They are free from cuts, blemishes, and decay. To judge quality more easily, look for potatoes that are reasonably clean. Avoid potatoes with wasteful deep eyes. Potatoes with green skins may be bitter. If you plan to buy a large quantity of potatoes, buy a few first to see if they are the kind you want. Early-crop potatoes, harvested in spring and summer, tend to be less mealy when cooked than those harvested later.

Root vegetables.—Choose smooth, firm vegetables. Very large carrots may have woody cores; oversized radishes may be pithy; oversized turnips, beets, and parsnips may be woody. The size and condition of the tops on root vegetables do not necessarily indicate the eating quality.

Sweetpotatoes.—Choose sweetpotatoes that are clean, smooth, well shaped, and firm. Damp or soft spots may indicate decay. There are two types of sweetpotatoes. The moist type has soft, moist, orange-colored flesh and bronze or rosy skin. The dry type has firm, dry, somewhat mealy, yellow-colored flesh and yellow or light-brown skin.

Tomatoes.—Choose tomatoes that are plump, firm, and uniformly pink, red, or yellow in color. They should be free from growth cracks, scars, and bruises. The best flavored tomatoes are ripened on the vine.

For more information, see Home and Garden Bulletins 141, “How to Buy Fresh Fruits,” and 143, “How to Buy Fresh Vegetables.”

Canned and frozen foods

Canned.—You may want to choose the highest quality for salads, or for serving “as is.” But second quality may do for combination dishes such as stews, casserole dishes, soups, and fruit puddings, where uniform size, shape, or color is not important.

Frozen.—Buy only packages that are frozen solid. Avoid partially thawed packages that feel soft or are stained. Thawing and refreezing lower quality.

Wise Storing

Meat, poultry, and fish

All meat should be promptly refrigerated.

The transparent wrap on prepackaged meat, poultry, or fish is designed for refrigerator storage at home for 1 or 2 days.

Meat or poultry wrapped in meat paper when brought from the store—or prepackaged roasts and steaks that may be stored in the refrigerator for 3 to 5 days—should be unwrapped, placed on a platter or tray, and loosely covered before refrigerating. Wrap and store fish separately from other foods. Poultry giblets should also be wrapped and stored separately.

Keep cooked meat, poultry, and fish, and the gravy or broth made from them, in covered containers in the refrigerator. Use within 1 or 2 days.

Cured and smoked meats.—ham, frankfurters, bacon, sausage—can be stored in their original containers in the refrigerator. Mild-cured hams are similar to fresh meats in keeping quality. Use whole hams within a week, half hams and slices within 3 to 5 days. For best flavor, use bacon, franks, and smoked sausages within a week.

Eggs

To help maintain quality, store eggs in the refrigerator promptly after purchase—large end up.

For best flavor and cooking quality, use eggs within 1 week if possible. Eggs held in the refrigerator for a long time may develop off-flavors and lose some thickening and leavening power.

Cover leftover yolks with cold water and refrigerate in a tightly covered container. Refrigerate leftover egg whites, too, in a tightly covered container. Use leftover yolks or whites within 1 or 2 days.

Fresh fruits and vegetables

Fresh fruits should be ripe when stored in the refrigerator. Some unripe fruits will ripen if left for a time at room temperature—preferably in a cool room between 60° and 70° F.

Keep bananas at room temperature. They will turn dull brown if refrigerated. Sort berries and cherries; then refrigerate, unwashed. Use promptly. Refrigerate ripe pineapples.

Sweet corn keeps best if refrigerated uncovered in husks; use it promptly. Removing tops from carrots, beets, and radishes reduces wilting. Storing potatoes in a cool, dark place prevents greening.

STORAGE GUIDE FOR FRUITS AND VEGETABLES.

Hold at room temperature until ripe; then refrigerate, uncovered:

Apples
Apricots
Avocados
Berries
Cherries
Grapes
Melons, except watermelons
Nectarines
Peaches
Pears
Plums
Tomatoes

Store in cool room or refrigerate, uncovered:

Grapefruit
Lemons
Limes
Oranges

Store in cool room, away from bright light:

Onions, mature
Potatoes
Rutabagas
Squash, winter
Sweetpotatoes

Refrigerate, covered:

Asparagus
Beans, snap or wax
Beets
Broccoli
Cabbage
Carrots
Cauliflower
Celery
Corn, husked
Cucumbers
Greens
Onions, green
Parsnips
Peas, shelled
Peppers, green
Radishes
Squash, summer
Turnips

Refrigerate, uncovered:

Beans, lima, in pods
Corn, in husks
Peas, in pods
Pineapples
Watermelons

Fats and oils

Refrigerate lard, butter, margarine, drippings, and opened containers of cooking and salad oils. You can store most firm vegetable shortenings (those that have been hydrogenated), covered, at room temperature. Refrigerate opened jars of salad dressing; do not freeze.

Canned, frozen, and dried foods

Canned foods.—Store in a dry place at room temperature (not above 70° F.).

Frozen foods.—Can be stored in freezing unit of refrigerator up to 1 week. For longer storage, keep in a freezer at 0° F.

Dried foods.—Store dried fruits in tightly closed containers at room temperature (not above 70° F.). In warm, humid weather, refrigerate.

Store nonfat dry milk in a closed container at a temperature of 75° F., or lower. Because of its higher milkfat content, dry whole milk does not keep as well as nonfat dry milk. Keep dry whole milk in a tightly closed container in the refrigerator. Refrigerate reconstituted dry milk as you would fresh fluid milk.

Ingredients and Measurements

About ingredients

Ingredients that may be used in place of other ingredients are listed on the next page.

Recipes in this bulletin were tested with the ingredients listed. Sometimes a choice of ingredients is given in the recipe or under Variations of the recipe.

“Flour” refers to all-purpose flour, unsifted. In a few recipes, where “cake flour” is specified it is also unsifted. Recipes in this bulletin are not intended for use with either instantized or self-rising flour.

“Baking powder” refers to double-acting baking powder that leavens during mixing and again during baking. Quick-acting baking powder (containing cream of tartar) is single-acting; it can be used most satisfactorily in foods that are mixed and baked immediately. (See One Ingredient For Another, p. [17], for amounts.)

“Fat or oil” refers to any type—butter, margarine, shortening, lard, or any kind of vegetable oil. In recipes specifying a particular type of fat—“butter or margarine,” for example—you’ll have best results with the fat suggested. Recipes in this bulletin are not intended for use with whipped fats.

Measuring foods

All measurements given in this bulletin are level.

Frequently used food measurements are given below.

1 tablespoon = 3 teaspoons
1 fluid ounce = 2 tablespoons
¼ cup = 4 tablespoons
⅓ cup = 5⅓ tablespoons
½ cup = 8 tablespoons
⅔ cup = 10⅔ tablespoons
¾ cup = 12 tablespoons
1 cup = 16 tablespoons or 8 fluid ounces
1 pint = 2 cups
1 quart = 2 pints or 4 cups

Part of cup.—Use tablespoons or small measures-½, ⅓, ¼ cup—for greater accuracy.

Brown sugar.—Pack firmly into cup or spoon and level off top with straight, thin edge of spatula or knife.

Solid fats.—Pack fat firmly into cup or smaller measure and level off top with straight, thin edge of spatula or knife.

To measure less than 1 cup, you can also use the water method: Partly fill a cup with cold water, leaving enough space for the amount of fat needed. (To measure ¼ cup of fat, for example, fill cup with water to ¾ mark.) Spoon fat into cup, push under water until water level reaches 1-cup mark. Drain thoroughly before using fat.

For solid fat in sticks or pounds, cut off amount needed. A 1-pound form measures about 2 cups; a ¼-pound stick of butter or margarine measures ½ cup.

Flour.—Spoon flour lightly into measuring cup until measure is overflowing. Do not shake or tap cup. Level off top with straight, thin edge of spatula or knife.

Fine meal, fine crumbs.—Stir lightly with fork or spoon. Measure like flour.

Baking powder, cornstarch, cream of tartar, spices.—Dip spoon into container and bring it up heaping full. Level off top with straight, thin edge of spatula or knife.

Dry milk.—Pour dry milk from spout or opening in package, or spoon lightly, into measuring cup until measure is overflowing. Do not shake. Level off top with straight, thin edge of spatula or knife.

ONE INGREDIENT FOR ANOTHER

Note: Seven-eighths cup equals 1 level cup minus 2 tablespoons.

Main Dishes

Foods that abound in protein—meat, poultry, fish, eggs, and cheese—make satisfying main dishes. Thrifty main dishes often combine these protein-rich foods with vegetables and cereals—beef stew with vegetables or dumplings, chicken with rice, fish with stuffing, cheese with macaroni.

Dry beans and peas are also economical choices for main dishes.

If the main dish is not high in protein, you can supply additional protein with other foods in the meal. If, for example, a pound of meat is to serve eight persons, you might combine it with vegetables or cereal in a casserole or stew, have milk to drink, and serve cheese-topped apple pie for dessert.

Meat

Meat cooked at low to moderate temperatures is more tender, juicy, and flavorful than meat cooked at high temperatures. There is more meat to serve because there is less shrinkage at low temperatures.

Beef may be cooked rare, medium, or well done. Lamb is enjoyed either medium or well done, but veal and pork are usually cooked well done.

Broiling, pan-frying, and roasting are recommended for tender meats only. Less tender cuts are more satisfactory if braised, pot-roasted, or simmered. For suggested methods for cooking, see guide on [page [19]].

Frozen meat need not be thawed before cooking, but extra cooking time will be required if it is not thawed first.

Roasting ... beef, veal, lamb, pork

Place roast, fat side up, on a rack in a shallow pan. Do not add water; do not cover. Season either before or after cooking.

Check the timetable (p. [20]) for approximate roasting times. The quality of the meat, its size and shape, and its temperature at the start of cooking will affect the roasting time. Times given here are for meats at refrigerator temperature. Frozen roasts may take 1½ to 2 times as long to cook as unfrozen roasts of the same weight and shape.

If you are using a meat thermometer, insert it so the tip is at the center of the thickest part of the roast, and not touching bone or fat.

Broiling ... beef, lamb, cured ham

Slash fat around edge of meat to prevent curling. Place meat on cold broiler grid.

Broiling temperature can be regulated by the distance meat is placed from heat source and whether the door is open or closed during broiling. Because broilers vary widely, follow the manufacturer’s directions. If you like meat well done, place it farther from the heat source than for medium or rare meat—to avoid burning the outside before the center is cooked. Place thicker cuts farther from the heat source than thin ones, for the same reason.

MEAT COOKING GUIDE

TIMETABLE FOR ROASTING MEATS

FOOTNOTES: