Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Food and Fun for Daughter and Son


 
One of my hobbies is collecting vintage cookbooks, and not too long ago, I came across "Food and Fun for Daughter and Son." It's a pretty interesting read!


I know, I know, it was published in 1947. But it’s pretty amazing to think that most of the nutrition tips they give are the same ones that the USDA gives today. For example, I thought that all this talk about whole grains was relatively new—but nutritionists were emphasizing them almost sixty-five years ago.  

 
Though  I’m not sure what all the business with “the temperature of the stomach” is. And I don’t THINK they still artificially color sugar anymore to make it brown. That sounds totally crazy.

The lunch menus likewise aren’t just interesting for historical purposes, but they’re a pretty solid blueprint of what to pack for a child today: a protein, a starch, a vegetable, and a fruit. Along with some sauerkraut juice, apparently: 


How did they convince children to eat a combination of “radishes, olives, and celery? They really should have written a whole book on that.


Oh, wow. A raw beef sandwich?  I’m assuming they mean “raw” as in “uncooked,” not “raw” as in “raw sugar” (though I might be wrong? I hope?). In any case, I definitely wouldn’t recommend this center menu (though it does include all the food groups…). 

I’m also impressed with the “beef juice” menu item. It just seems like an ambitious lunch item for a child. Perhaps children had more adventurous palates back then.


This bacon sandwich menu sounds super tasty, although not very healthy. I’m intrigued by this “milk drink”!

 
THIS bacon sandwich menu doesn’t sound very tasty at all. Though again, it DOES include all the food groups. Perhaps bacon and peanut butter wouldn't taste so bad together. I'll have to muster up the courage sometime and give it a go.

Are there any recipes from “way back when” that still work for you? Share them in the comments section!

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