Nutrition Programs for the Elderly: A Guide to Menu Planning, Buying, and the Care of Food for Community Programs

              ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
This publication was prepared by the Agricultural Research Service at the
request of the Administration on Aging, Social and Rehabilitation Service, U.S.
Department of Health, Education, and Welfare. The text was developed from
material prepared by Irene H. Wolgamot under contract with the Agricultural
Research Service, and from information drawn from many sources including pub­lications
of the U.S. Department of Agriculture; the U.S. Department of Health,
Education, and Welfare; the National Council on the Aging; and Meals on Wheels,
Inc. Mary M. Hill, Consumer and Food Economics Research Division, was respon­sible
for preparing some sections of the publication.
i
PREFACE
Concern for the well-being of the Nation's elderly has focused attention
on their need for adequate nutrition. Community programs that provide nutri­tious
meals for older persons help to meet this need. Such programs often
combine the professional skills of persons in nutrition, education, psychology,
social work, and recreation with those of both paid and volunteer community
workers.
To assist persons working on these programs, this publication offers
information on meal patterns with sample menus, and suggestions for menu
planning, buying and storing foods, conserving the nutrients in food, keeping
foods safe to eat, and packaging meals for home delivery.
Meals delivered to the homebound can contribute to the health of the aged
and enable them to live at home. Meals served to groups in a central location
can help satisfy both nutritional and social needs.
Paid and volunteer workers, in addition to providing meals, should work
with professional community resource persons to motivate program participants
to eat with enjoyment the assortment of foods provided and to supplement them,
as needed, with other meals that can lead to an adequate daily intake.
ii
CONTENTS
Food is important
Group meals ....................................... .
Home-delivered meals
Sample meal patterns
~
l
3
4
5
Planning meals • . . . . . . . . . . • . . . . . . . . . . . • . . . . . . . . • . • . • 15
Buying foods • . . . • . . • . • • . . . • . . • • . • . • . . . . . . • . . • . . • . • • 26
Storing foods • . . . . . • . . • • • • • . • . • . . . . . . . • . . . • • . . • . . . • 29
Protecting foods from nutrient loss •.•..•.•.•.••..• 31
Keeping foods safe to eat • • . . . . . . . . . . . . • . • . . . . . . • • • 32
Packaging meals for home delivery •...•.•••.•....•.• 34
A guide to common can s1zes •.....•................. 36
Cost of a 3-ounce serving of lean meat •...•..•..•.• 36
Cost-weight table
References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
iii
NUTRITION PROGRAMS FOR THE ELDERLY
A Guide to Menu Planning, Buying, and the
Care of Food for Community Programs
By Louise Page
Consumer and Food Economics Research Division, Agricultural
Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture
FOOD IS IMPORTANT
Food is basic to good nutrition. Nutrition means how your body uses the
food you eat for yo1E well-being, health, and vigor.
Food furnishes a complete variety of substances--nutrients like protein,
vitamins, and minerals--that are essential for building, upkeep, and repair of
the body and for keeping it running in an efficient, orderly way. Food, also
supplies energy for work and leisure-time activities .. and to keep alive and
going.
Everyone, throughout life, needs the same nutrients but in varying
amounts. Older persons need the same nutrients as younger persons. They can
get all the nutrients they require from foods, but no one food contains all
the nutrients in needed amounts. Thus, a variety of different kinds of foods
must be eaten.
Food is important for other reasons, too. It has a deep, personal
meaning to people throughout life. Beginning in infancy, persons associate
food with comfort, security, and a sense of belonging. Elderly people link
food with memories of earlier years, and usually prefer familiar foods prepared
and served in accustomed ways. Because food is an important part of each
person's life experience, it can play a major role in helping one to feel
comfortable, secure, and happy.
Need for Meal Service Programs
Elderly persons dependent on their own resources often do not get the
k.inds of meals they need to maintain their nutritional health for many reasons.
• Those who live alone may have little int.erest in preparing food and
eating it by themselves. This is true both of older women who have spent
years cooking for a family and of older men who are reluctant to take on the
responsibility of planning and preparing their own meals. Even those who are
interested may find planning meals and buying and preparing food difficult.
• Money for food may be limited.
1
• Food shopping may be a problem because of lack o~transportation,
inability to carry heavy groceries, and difficulty in choosing from the
bewildering variety of foods in today's markets.
• Some elderly persons do not have adequate equipment at home for
storing and preparing foods.
A prime need for many of the elderly is to have a good assortment of
foods made available to them--the aim of meal-service programs. Even provid­ing
one meal a day can mean supplying a substantial share of the day's food
needs if the meal is carefully planned to furnish a variety of foods in
reasonable amounts.
Meals for the elderly are usually served to groups in a community setting,
or they are delivered to the home. Experience shows that group meal programs
can lead to involving the elderly in social activities and in community
responsibilities, thereby helping to prevent their isolation from other people.
For this reason, group meals have an obvious advantage over home-delivered
meals. For those who are homebound and have no one to prepare meals for them,
however, home-delivered meals are an answer.
In some programs, meals are delivered at home to regular participants of
groups meals who are temporarily ill. In fact, the same program can routinely
provide both group and delivered meals. Menus can be essentially the same for
both types of meals, and the food can be prepared in the same kitchen. Modi­fications
for home-delivered meals, if needed, are usually the result of
problems of packaging and transporting the food.
Need to Reach the Elderly
Making meals available is no assurance that everyone who needs them will
take part in meal-service programs. Constant and conscious effort must be
made to reach the elderly. Try reaching them through--
• Newspapers, flyers, radio, and TV announcements
• Health and welfare agencies
o Voluntary agencies
• Physicians
• Public health nurses
• Social workers
• Participants already involved in meal-service programs
Experience shows that usual channels for informing people--newspapers,
flyers, radio, and TV announcements--are not sufficient by themselves. Special
inducements are often needed. These are best provided by the person-to-person
approach. For example, regular participants in community meal programs can
help by--
• Encouraging other older persons to come to centers for food and social
activities.
• Making newcomers to the program feel comfortable and part of the group.
2
• Visiting the homebound who receive meals and encouraging them to come
to the centers for their meals, if this is physically possible.
Need for Food and Nutrition Education
Participants need to understand the importance of eating the meals they
receive. They also need guidance in making wise food choices for other meals
eaten during the day not provided by the program. For these reasons, many
meal-service programs include food and nutrition education activities as a part
of their program.
Professional persons who can help with education activities are available
in many communities. These include both retired and working dietitians, public
health nutritionists, extension nutritionists, home economists in utility
companies, and teachers of food and nutrition in nearby colleges and secondary
schools. Learning experiences should be built around the following ideas--
• A good assortment of food is important to the health and well-being of
older persons.
• Many combinations of food provide a good assortment. Familiar and
favorite foods can be included in these combinations.
• Older persons can enjoy tasting new foods and foods prepared by
unfamiliar methods.
• Each older person participating in the group meal or meal-delivery
program has responsibility for making good food choices for other meals
eaten throughout the day. To learn how to make good choices is easy.
A special guide adapted to the needs of older persons has been developed
and can be used in education programs. Single copies of "Food Guide for Older
Folks" G-17 can be obtained without cost from the Offi~e of Information,
U.S. Depar.tment of Agriculture, Washington, D. C. 20250. Include your ZIP
number with your request.
GROUP MEALS
Nutritious meals served to older persons in groups can meet many needs of
the elderly. They contribute to better nutrition and health. They give
opportunity for companionship. They provide a new interest, a reason for
getting out of doors, and a place to go.
Meals served.--Programs vary, with the noon meal most commonly served.
More than one meal a day may be furnished. Some programs supply an evening
snack meal to carry home in addition to a hot meal at noon, and some provide
take-home meals on Friday for the weekend.
Participants must make their own arrangements for the other meals during
the week not provided by the program, and for weekend meals if food is served
only 5 days a week.
3
Type of meal service.--Either family-style or cafeteria-style food service
can be used. Cafeteria-style service has the advantage of offering an oppor­tunity
for better control over serving size and food selection. If foods are
served cafeteria style, everyone has a chance for the same amount of food, if
they want it . Some persons may be more willing to eat a food if it is served
to them. Persons serving themselves family style, on the other hand, may
ignore several foods on the menu, or those served first may take more than
their share, shortchanging others.
If some participants have difficulty going through a cafeteria line, the
two types of food service might be combined. They could pick up the main part
of their meal in the line, but the beverage, and perhaps dessert, could be
served to them at the table. Some older folks find beverages, in particular,
hard to handle when carrying foods to the table.
Tables for four to eight seem to best promote sociability. However, other
seating arrangements may be successful in some programs.
HOME-DELIVERED MEALS
Many homebound elderly persons can cope with all the demands of everyday
living except foodshopping and meal preparation. They cannot prepare or obtain
adequate meals. They cannot afford or do not want to move into an institution.
A home-delivered meal service contributes to their health, comfort, and dignity
by enabling them to remain at home, whether in a house, apartment, or room.
Meals served.--Most meal-delivery programs provide either a hot lunch or
a lunch (or supper) and a dinner, one of which is delivered hot. Some programs
furnish breakfast and lunch, and some provide all three meals. Meal service is
usually offered 5 days a week -with some programs making deliveries 6 or 7 days
a week . Not all programs, however, deliver meals on legal holidays. Partici­pants
must make arrangements for meals other than those delivered.
Home facilities.--The elderly need instructions on safe care of food if
meals are not eaten soon after delivery. Refrigerator storage is essential to
keep readily perishable foods safe to eat, if meals are held in the home before
eating. Thus~ if persons do not have ·a refrigerator, ready access to one, or
other means of adequately keeping food cold, a system other than home-delivered
meals should be sought to provide meals. Unless, of course, some arrangement
can be made to deliver meals just before the time they are to be eaten. Lack
of adequate facilities in the home severely limits the kinds of foods that can,
with safety, be included in meals intended to be eaten several hours after
delivery. A range, hot plate, or other means of heating food in the home is
also desirable.
Emergency food supply.--Participants must maintain in their homes an
emergency shelf of food in case meal delivery is cancelled because of weather
or other reasons. Persons should be made aware of this need before they enter
4
a meal delivery -program. A list of suggested foods for them to keep on hand
follows; y
CaP-ned juice such as citrus and tomato
~~ole or nonfat oxy milk or evaporated milk
Canned or dehydrated soups (including instant soups)
Instant or ready-to-eat cereal
Canned meat or fish
Canned vegetables
Dried fruits such as prunes, figs, dates, raisins
Peanut butter
Crackers and cookies (enriched, if available: chect
labels to be sure)
Jam, jelly, marmalade
Instant coffee, tea, chocolate, or cocoa
Salt, pepper, sugar, coffee whitener (if desired)
Suggest that participants pu!'cha,se foods in indiviCl.ual s~rying slze
containers if proper home storage of ·:.mused portions cf food will be a pi·oblem
once a container is opened. Opened canned food should b~ kept refrigerated.
Foods such as canned juices, soups, meat, !J.sh, and vegetables·, a~J.d reai'ty-'to­eat
cereal are available in small containers.
Check to see if participants are able to obtain the foods needed for their
emergency supply. If they are not able to do so, arrar~e for the meal-delivery
program to get the food for them or see that a relative or friend obtains the
food.
Caution participants to keep their emergency shelf full and replace
as they are used. If the meal-delivery program takes responsibility for
emergency supply, instruct participants to notify you when fo0d. is used.
may use items at times other than when meal delivery is cancelled.
items
the
·rhey
Food sta.mps.--Older citizens with low-income using Federal fcod stamps ca.n
take advantage of home-delivered meal service. Ne>-r regulations perroi t elderly
food stamp participants who are unable to prepare their meals to use food stamps
to pay for home-delivered meals from nonprofit delive~J services authorized to
redeem the coupons.
SAMPLE MEAL PATTERNS
way to help assure lvell-balanced meals is to follow a meal pattern in
planning menus. A sample meal pattern is given below that can be used for
lunch (supper) or dinner for either home-delivered meals or group ~eals. These
are the two meals most often served in programs prov5.ding meals for the elderly.
Both the kinds of foods and the mini~um amountc of foods to include in meals
are suggested. Additional food can be served, if desired.
y Adapted from a list used by Meals on Wheels, Inc.
5
Sample Meal Pattern I
Food
Meat or alternate
Vegetables and fruits
Bread or alternate
Butter or margarine
Dessert
Milk
Amount
3 ounces cooked lean meat
(without bone )
2 or more servings to
total 3/4 cup
l slice
l teaspoon
l/2 cup
l/2 pint
Note.--Suggested alternates and amounts to serve are given
on pages 8 to 14.
The pattern provides a framework for planning meals that are intended to
furnish, on an average, at least one-third of the Recommended Dietary Allow­ances
for older adults as established by the Food and Nutrition Board,
National Academy of Sciences-National Research Council. Broad food choices are
possible within the pattern so that cultural, ethnic, and religious food
practices of participants can be considered in meal planning.
Each type of food in the pattern makes a special contribution towards a
well-balanced meal. For this reason all types of foods listed should be
included when meals are planned. Equally important is the amount of food
served if the nutritional quality of meals is to be safeguarded. Serve at
least the amounts suggested if possible.
Some of the nutritional reasons why the different foods are included in
the pattern are given on pages 8 to 14, along with other information about
the foods. Certain key nutrients are emphasized, although most foods furnish
many different nutrients.
Not all the food listed for a meal needs to be eaten at one time. In some
situations, some food may be provided for a meal that can be saved and eaten
later--for example, fresh fruit, cookies, speciality breads, rolls. Such food
should be a boon to persons with small appetites who like several small meals
a day rather than fewer large ones.
Meals for both types of programs--group meals and home-delivered meals-­can
be prepared in the same kitchen. If the sample meal pattern is not used
in planning menus, professional assistance in planning is advisable. Consul­tant
help, if needed, is often available from local dietitians, nutritionists,
6
and home economists. Contact the public: h~alth depa:rtment, hospitals (d.ietary
department), extension serv-ice (home demonst:-atlon agents), 1-rel::'are agen(!ies,
Red Cross, Dej_ry Council, secondary schools, colleges, or local dietetic and
home economics associations for assistance in locating qualified. persons i'.rho
might be int~rested. in helping with your program.
Sample Meal Pattern II
Often lunch (or supper) is a smaller meal than the main Il!.eal of the day.
You may 'iva.nt to use the meal pattern below, if a. sm10.ller meal is wanted.
Food
Meat or alterna.te
Vegetables and fruits
Bread or alternate
Butter or rnarga.rine
Dessert
Milk
Amount
2 ounces cooked lean
meat (wi~hout bcr..e)
l or more se:rving -co
total l/2 cup
1 slice
1 teaspccn
l/2 cup
l/2 pint
Note. --Suggested alternates and amounts t'J serve are given
on pages 8 to 14 .
.Minimum amounts suggested for meat ancl for vegetables and fru.:i .ts are lei:ls
than amounts shown in Meal Pattern I. Cutting d.ow-n on the~e foods· a.ffects the
level of nutrients provided so that meals planned following this pattern may
not furnish as much as one-third. of the Recommended Dietary Allowances for older
adults. Hm·rever, if two meals a . day are served by a. :program--one planned fol­lowing
ME:al Pattern I and one planned follo'Yring Meal Pattern II, the two m~als
together probably 1v-ill furnish, on -.the avera.ge, as much as two-thirds of the
allowances .
When only one meal a day is offered in a meal-service program, use Meal
Pattern I as the guide. It provides more f0od and thus is a better safeguard
for meeting food needs than Meal Pattern II .
. ·.
7
About the Foods in the Pattern
Meat or alternate
• Foods included
Meat, poultry, fish, variety meats like liver, heart,
kidney, luncheon meats, eggs, cheese.
Cooked dried beans or peas and peanut butter can be
used occasionally for variety.
• Nutritional importance
These foods are valued for their protein, which is
needed for growth, maintenance and repair of body
tissues--muscle, organs, blood, skin, and hair.
Protein also helps form antibodies to fight infection.
Besides protein, many of these foods supply considerable
iron, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, other minerals and
vitamins, and variable quantities of fat.
• How to serve
Meats or alternates can be served by themselves or
combined with other foods in casseroles, loaves, patties,
croquettes, stews, soups, salads, sandv..riches.
• Amounts to serve
The 2 and 3 ounces suggested as rn:Lnlmum amounts in the
patterns refer to cooked lean meat. The weight does
not include bone and fat. (Buying guides listed on
page 42 will help you determine how much cooked lean
meat you get from meats served with the bone in, such
as chicken parts and pork chops.)
One egg, l ounce of hard cheese such as cheddar and
swiss, 1/4 cup cottage cheese, 1/2 cup cooked dried
beans or peas, or 2 tablespoons peanut butter can be
used to replace l ounce of cooked lean meat.
Combinations of two or more foods can be used to provide
the suggested 2 or 3 ounces of cooked lean meat or equiva­lent
amount of an alternate food. To illustrate:
8
For 3 ounces--
cheeseburger (2-ounce cooked beef pattie
plus 1-ounce slice of cheese)
OR
bologna (1 ounce) a.nd cheese (1 ounce)
sandwich plus 1 deviled egg.
For 2 ounces--
Vegetables and fruits
• Foods included
1/2 cup baked beans plus 1 ounce ham
OR
pineapple-cottage cheese salad (1/4 cup
cottage cheese) plus beef stew containing
1 ounce of cooked lean meat per serving.
All vegetables and fruits
• Nutritional importance
Vegetables and fruits are valuable for the vitamins and
minerals they contain and for the roughage they provide.
Dark-green and deep-yellow vegetables and deep-yellow
fruits are noteworthy for vitamin A, necessary for general
health. This vitamin is needed for healthy skin, including
the inner linings of the body. It also influences the
ability of the eye to adjust to limited amounts of light.
Citrus fruits are a leading source of vitamin C, which is a
vital part of the material that helps to hold body cells
together and therefore is of importance to healthy growth
and maintenance of teeth, bone, tissues, and vessels.
Several other fruits and vegetables, listed below, are also
reliable sources of vitamin C.
• Ho"I'T to serve
Vegetables--
Raw or cooked. Alone or mixed with other vegetables,
or combined with other foods in soups, stews, casseroles,
salads. As a juice.
9
Fruits--
Raw or cooked. Alone or mixed with other fruits,
or combined with other foods in salads, appetizers,
desserts. As a juice.
• Amounts to serve
,,
For Meal Pattern I (page 6)--
Two or more items to total 3/4 cup. For example .•
1/2 cup peas plus peach-cottage cheese
sala.d containing 1/~- cup sliced peaches
OR
3/8 cup carrots plus 3/8 ~up spinach
OR
1/2 cup cole slaw plus 1 cup beef stew
containing 1/4 cup vegetables per serving.
For Meal Pattern II (page 7)--
One or more servings to total 1/2 cup. For example ••
1/2 cup apple, celery, raisin salad
OR
1/2 cup corn
OR
1/4 cup waxed beans plus 1/4 cup asparagus.
• Other points to consider
To help make sure that meals provide their share of vitamin
C and vitamin A, try to include •••
--A serving of a source of vitamin C in at least
one meal each day.
10
Cantaloup
Grapefruit or juice
Guava
Honeydew melon
Lemon
Mango
Orange or juice
Papaya
Strawberries (raw)
Tangerine or juice
Watermelon
Choose from--
Asparagus
Broccoli
Brussels sprouts
Cabbage
Cauliflower
Collards
Garden cress
Green pepper
Kale
Kohlrabi
.lfru.stard greens
Potatoes and sweetpotatoes
(cooked in jacket)
Rutabagas
Spinach
Sweet red pepper
Tomatoes or juice
Turnip greens
--A serving of a source of vitamin A in three or more
meals each week. .
Apricots
Cantaloup
Mango
Persimmon
Choose from--
Broccoli
Carrots
Chard
Collards
Cress
Kale
Pumpkin
Spinach
Sweetpotatoes
Turnip greens and other
dark-green leaves
Winter squash
COUNT AS A SERVING: 1/2 cup or 1 piece of fruit or
vegetable as ordinarily served~ such as 1 medium
orange or potato or 1/2 of a medium grapefruit.
Rice, spaghetti, macaroni, and noodles are not vegetables.
Fruit served as a dessert should be counted only as
if the meal patterns are followed in menu planning.
counted twice--both as dessert and as a part of the
amount of vegetables and fruits--meals may be short
11
dessert
If
suggested
in food.
J<'ru:l.t drinks, fruit-juice drinks, and fruit.-flR.vored
punches a!'e not 100 percent fruit juice. Come of these
types of products contair~ little fr·uit; ,iuice. For th::..s
:eason it is a good idea not to use them to ccunt towards
the suggested 3/4 cup or 1/2 cup of f~~its and vegetables.
However, you may want to serve them occasiol!ally in
addition to other foods in the meal pP-ttern. CHECK THE
LABEL TO SEE WK4T THE PRODUCT IS.
Brea1 or alternate
• Foods included
Enriched or whole-grain--
Bread, biscuits, muffins, rolls, sandwich buns,
and cornbread and other hot breads.
Macaroni, spaghetti, noodles, and rj(!e.
• Nutritional importance
These food.s furnish worthwhile amm.:.nt .-:: c1' thj_amin, niacin,
iron, and protein, and also help out v.ith other vitamins
and minerals and with food energy.
• Amounts to serve
1 slice bread; l biscuit, muffin, roll, or sandwich bun;
1 portion -cornbread or other hot br·.=c..d,
1/2 to 3/4 cup of cooked macaroai, spaghetti, noodles, or
rice can be used in place of tl1e bread for variety, if
desired. Or they can be used in addition to the bread.
Butter or margarine
~ Nutritional importance
These foods supply mainly energy (calorj~s) and vitamin A.
• How to se1-ve
Butter or margarine ean be used as a spread for the bread
o~ in food prepa!'ation including seasoning vegetables.
Dessert3
• Foods included
1'~1 f:r.ui ts.
12
Milk
SimpJ_e desserts such as puddings, gelatin desserts,
ice cream, ice milk, sherbet.
Cake, pie, cookies, and similar foods.
• Nutritional importance
Th·~se foods round out a meal in a number of ways. Their
main contri" ... l.lJvion u.sually is energy (calories). They also
supply varying amounts of protein, vitamins, and minerals.
• How to serve
F~it may be served raw or cooked.
• Amounts to serve
1/2 cup o~ 1 9iec8 of fruit as ordinarily served, such
as 1 medium apple, orange, banana, l/2 of a medium grape­fruit.
1/2 cup of puddivgs, gelatin desseTts, ice cream, ice
milk, sherbet. A s~oop or two of the frozen desserts,
depending on ~he size of tbe scoop. A slice of brick
ice creem.
2 ?r 3 snail cookies or l oT 2 large cookies; 1 porti0n
of pie or l!ake.
• Other points to cons~der
Cakes, ~ookies, B.nC!. pie shell::: made with enriched flcur
are m?re nutritious than those :rr..&.de with unenriched white
flour.
• Foods included.
~ilk, cheese, ice milk, ice cream.
e Nutritional importance
1-:I:i.lk is a leading source of calcium: essential for the
:t'orma.tion of bones and teeth and ±'or helping keep bones
strong. Calcit~ is also required for the proper function­ing
of muscles a.n.d nerves and f'or the normal clotting of
blood.
In addition, milk is an important contributor of riboflavin
and high-quality protein and also provides many other
vi ta..rnins and minerals, as well as carbohyd.ra tes and fats.
13
Cheese and ice cream supply the same nutrients as milk does,
but in different proportions.
• How to serve
· As a -oeverage ..
Combined with other· foods--in cream soups, creamed meat
dishes, creamed vegetables; and in desserts--custards,
milk puddings, tapioca, rice pudding, junket.
- -
In the form of cheese, ice cream, ice milk.
• P~ounts to serve
1/2 pint (l cup) of milk in a meal.
l ounce of cheddar-type cheese can be used in place of
2/3 cup of milk.
1/2 cup of cottage cheese, ice cream, or ice milk can
be used in place of 1/3 cup of milk.
• Other points to consider
--Try to serve vitamin D fortified milk to participants
who are homebound.
If people are not able to get out of doors and into the
sunlight, they may not be getting enough vitamin D. One
source of this vitamin is through the action of sunlight
on a cholesterol-like substance in the skin, which is
changed into vitamin D. ,
--If milk in the form of cheese is used to replace the
meat in a meal or if a dessert made with milk is
served, try to ..•
Serve milk as a beverage, too.
OR
Serve more food than is suggested in the
meal pattern •.. larger servings or additional
food.
Otherwise the meal might not provide enough food
because the cheese and dessert are counted twice-­as
a replacement for milk and as a meat alternate
or dessert.
14
Use of ready-to-heat-and-eat foods
Some programs will want to purchase ready-to-heat-and-eat foods such as
frozen or canned main dishes and frozen meals (combinations of main dish and
vegetables). If you are using the meal pattern as your guide to menu planning,
you will need to ~now how much meat and vegetables the portions provide. If
this information is not on the label or is not available from the processoT or
supplier, individual servings can be checked from to time time to determine
amounts 'furnished. Individual servings of meat can be weighed and individual
servings of vegetables can be· measured. If the product is a mixture, separate
the meat and vegetables; weigh the meat and measure the vegetables.
You may find "Standards for Meat and Poultry Products: A Consumer
Reference List" helpful. This list is published by the U.S. _Department of
Agriculture and shows the percentage of meat, poultry, and certain other
ingredients in a number of products. Single copies of the list can be
obtained wi tho\.lt cost frorr1 the Information Division, _APHIS, U.S. De:paTtment
of Agriculture, Washington, D.C. 20250. Include your ZIP number with your
request.
About Other Foods Used in Preparing and Serving Meals
Fats
Salt
• Try to include some vegetable oils among the fats used.
Most vegetable oils are a good source of linoleic acid, a
polyunsaturated fatty acid that is an essential nutrient•
Margarines, salad dressings, mayonnaise, and cooking oils
are .made from vegetable oils. Soft margarines are higher
in linoleic acid than ,regular margarines. Many vegetable
oils are worthwhile sources of vitamin E.
• Iodized salt is a good choice for use in food: preparation*,
at the table, or ''lith home-delivered meals for persons who
can have salt added to food.
Iodine is an essential mineral needed for proper functioning
of the thyroid gland.
PL..tililiTNG MEl!.LS
Careful planning is essential if you want to pr0vide meals that are
appealing, that provide for nutritional needs, and that fit within the food
budget. Here is a suggested plan to follow:
15
Plan Menus Ahead or· Time
• Plan meals at least one week ahead of time.
You may find that planning two to four week ahead--or even further
ahead--works best for you.
• Consider the use of cycle menus.
Cy~le menus repeat a set of menus over a period of time. The
cycle may cover only the main di sh, or it may include the entire
meal. A fairly long cycle, covering at least a month or month
and a half, is desirable to avoid repeating menu items frequently.
This is especially important if the cycle includes menus for the
the entire meal. Unless the cycle is for several weeks, persons
re~eiving the meals may find eating the same combinations of foods
monotonous :i.f they get them every week or so.
One factor in determining the number of days in a cycle is the
r.umber of days each week meals are served. The cycle should be
planned so that the same menus do not always fall on the same day
of the week. For example, if meals are served 5 days each week,
Monday through Friday, and the number of days in the menu cycle
are nivisible by 5--such as 20 or 25 days--then menus 1, 6, 11,
16, and 21 would always be used the same day of' the -vreek. With a
cycle of 21,- 22, 23, or 2~- days, this problem would not occur.
Sometimes cycle menus are planned for each season. This allovrs
for use of fresh foods that are available during only a part of
the year.
Use of cycle menus can save time in menu planning; ordering food,
and scheduling food preparation.
Cycle mer.us or other menus planned ahead c~~ be changed as neeued--
--To allow for Sundays, holidays, and other special occasions.
--To make possible the use of a meat or other food available at
a special price.
--To replace items that become unpopular or too costly or that are
no longer available.
Follow a Meal Pattern
• Use a pattern, such as the ones shown on pages 6 and 7 as a
guide to planning menus. This way you will not leave important
kinds of foods out of meals.
16
Select the Foods
Many factors need to be taken into account when planning meals. These
include--
• Nutritional needs of persons served.
A device used to help protect the nutritional quality of meals is
the meal pattern that specifies both the kinds and amounts of foods
to serve. I<'or example, the pattern shovm on page 6 provides a
framework for planning meals that are intended to furnish, on an
average, at least one-third of the Recommended Dietary Allowances
for older adults.
• Ethnic, cultural, and religious backgrounds of participants.
Elderly persons from different ethnic, cultural, and religious
backgrounds can be expected to participate in meal-service programs.
Often these different backgrounds are characterized by special
dietary practices. Learn about the background of the participants
in your program and any special dietary practices they may have.
Keep these practices in mind when planning menus.
• Food likes and dislikes of persons served.
I<'ood preferences of participants may be determined in a number
of ways:
--Obtain information on food likes and dislikes as participants
enter the program.
--Use selective menus that offer choices among menu items.
--Listen to comments about food served in a group setting and
ask for comments from the homebound.
--Check the kind and amount of food left on the plate (group
meals).
--Ask for menu suggestions.
--Work with a committee of participants selected to help with
menu planning.
Experience shows that the process of assembling ·meals cah be expensive
and time-consuming when individual food preferences are catered to.
Tne increased expense is due largely to the need for more help to get a
meal ready. Thus, to consider individual preferences may not be
practical if a large number of persons are served. However, omitting
foods disliked by a number of persons--or serving them only
occasionally--and including popular foods frequently should be possible.
17
E.x:pe:ricnce alsc indic5.tes that the elderly t.a.king part in meal-service
programs like farniliar foods ths.t or..e or two persons J.i ving alone can­r..
ot prepa1:·e economically or ;.ri th ease. Roasts are ail example. Too,
the elderly shuw a ;.rillingness to try new foods v1hen eating in a group
situation.
• AvailabHity of foods.
Foods are generally less expensive when thEy are in season and are in
plentiful supply. ~uality· of fresh fruits and vegetables is likely to
be at its pea~ at this tL~e.
• Variety
Plan fo? variety in food selection .••
--From day teo day
Monday
'I'uesday
Hed.nesday
--From week to week
First lvionday
Second Monday
Third Monday
--From time to time
THIS
Roast beef
Fried chicken
Fr an..l.cfurter
and bean soup
THIS
Macaroni
and cheese
Meat loaf
Pork chops
NOT THIS
Frankfurter and baked beans
Frrulkfurter on a roll
Frankfurter and bean soup
NO'r THIS
Meat loaf
Meat loaf
Meat loaf
I!ltroduce a new· food. Serve a small amount of the ne;.r food
along with popular foods for better acceptance.
Plan for variety in food preparation ..•
--I:n the srune mesJ. THIS
Oven-roasted
potatoes
Creamed spinach
18
NOT THIS
Creamed potatoes
Creamed spinach
--Of the same food THIS NOT THIS
Prepare in different
ways •.• Potatoes--baked, Potatoes mashed each time
fried, mashed, potatoes are served
scalloped, oven-roasted,
creamed,
etc.
Plan for variety in sizes and shapes of food .••
--In the same meal THIS
OVen-roasted
potatoes
Sliced beets
Fruit cocktail
Casserole
Green string beans
Lettuce wedge
't\ri th French
dressing
• Taste and appearance of food
Use a combination of food flavors ••.
--Bland foods with
stronger flavored
or tart foods
--Foods with different
flavors in the same
meal
THIS
Baked white fish
with creole sauce
Mashed potatoes
Broccoli
THIS
Tomato juice
cocktail
Waldorf salad
Banana cream pie
19
NOT THIS
Diced potatoes
Diced beets
Fruit cocktail
Casserole
Mixed vegetables
Combination vegetable
salad
(ALL MIXTURES OF FOODS)
NOT THIS
Baked white fish
Mashed potatoes
Carrots
NOT THIS
Fruit cup with bananas
Banana-nut salad
Banana cream pie
Use a combination of food textures .•.
--Crisp, firm foods
with soft, chewy
ones 'IHIS
Creamed eggs
Green peas
Fresh vegetable
salad
--Limit the n~ber of
"starchy" foods in a
meaJ. lliiS
:Macaroni
Stewed tomatoes
Noodles
Asparagus
Sw·eetpotatoes
Steamed cabbage
NOT THIS
Creamed eggs
Mashed potatoes
Cottage cheese salad
~ y~·v
NOT THIS
Potatoes
Macaroni
Noodles
Corn
Sweetpotatoes
Rice
Use a pleasing combination of food colors •.•
--Have one or two color­ful
f'oods in a meal THIS
--Limit the number of
foods of the same
color in a meal
Sliced white meat
of turkey
Broccoli
Yellow corn
THIS
Spaghetti with
tomato sauce
Summer squash
Chocolate cup cake
·_-se garnishes to brighten meals •••
NOT THIS
Sliced white meat )
of turkey
Rice
Steamed cauliflower
NOT THIS
Spaghetti with tomato
sauce
Harvard beets
Fruited raspberry
gelatin dessert
--A slice of radish or cucumber, stuf~ed olives, a tomato wedge,
sieved egg yolk, a bit of brightly colored fruit, chopped parsley,
a dash of paprika--as examples.
20
• Equipment
Plan meals that can be prepared with the equipment at hand--
--Keep in mind the oven space, top of range cooking space, and
refrigerator.space that is available.
--Keep in mind the ~umber and kinds of tools, small equipment,
and dishes for preparing and serving meals that are available.
• Personnel
Plau meals that can be prepared by the help available in the
scheduled time. Take into account--
--The need for last minute preparation.
--The possibility for advance preparation, if it can be done
without sacrificing nutritional or eating quality of the food.
--The scheduling of the work load from day to day so the help
will not be overworked one day and have time on their hands the
next day.
--The use of partially prepared or ready-to-eat foods to reduce
the work load, if the price is right.
--The training and experience of the food service workers. Be
sure they are familiar with preparation methods required for
all menu items.
• Cost
Check to see if your program is eligible to receive free food from
the United States Department of Agriculture, if food money is limited.
--A number of foods used regularly in quantity food service are
available to eligible nonprofit institutions. Such foods
include flour, nonfat dry milk, butter, salad oil, shortening,
rice. Their use can cut food costs substantially.
--States differ in the agency authorized to distribute the
nonated foods. Contact your State Office of Aging to find
out the proper agency for your State.
Check on the following if food costs are high--
--Meat selections.
The main dish item is usually the most expensive part of the
meal. Compare costs of equal-sized servings of various types
and cuts of meat to find which are the bette~ buys. (See table
1, page 38, for help in making cost comparisons.)
21
--Fruit and vegetable selections.
Some fruits and vegetables--for example, fresh produce out
of season--can be quite costly. To find the best buys, you
need to compare costs for a single serving. You can fig~re
the cost of a serving by dividing the price of a pound, or
a can, or a package by the number of servings the pound, can,
or package provides. Keep in mind, though, the amount of
labor required to prepare the vegetable or fruit for eating.
Unless you have volunteer help, this can add to the expense
of preparing a meal.
--Quality of foods purchased.
Use of foods of unnecessarily high quality for the intended
use adds to the cost of meals--Grade AA eggs in baking; tender
cuts of meat for stew; fancy-pack fruit for fruit cup, pies,
or cobblers.
--Variety of foods in meals.
It may cost less to prepare and serve larger amounts of a
few foods than smaller amounts of a greater number of foods.
For example, costs may be less if only two foods are used to
provide the suggested 3/4 cup of vegetables and fruits in
Meal Pattern I than if three foods are used.
--Food waste.
Excessive food waste may reflect the purchase of poor quality
food, poor food preparation practices, use of untested recipes,
serving too much food, or serving unpopular foods. Check to
learn the cause of the high waste and take measures to correct
the situation.
• Special considerations
Dental problems--
--Some older folks have dental problems that make chewing foods
difficult. If several persons in your program have such
problems, try to include foods in.meals that they can handle
without too much difficulty.
MOdified diets--
--Some programs provide modified (special or therapeutic) diets
to participants whose doctors have prescribed such diets. If
modified diets are offered, they should be planned by and
prepared under the supervision of a qualified dietitian. If
a dietitian is not on the staff of your program, you might be
be able to arrange with a hospital, nursing home, or home for
the aged that has appropriate staff to prepare the modified
22
diets. Or you might be able to obtain consultant help from
a local dietitian. (See pages 6-7 for suggestions on how to
locate a dietitian.)
If modified diets are to be provided--
--Obtain written orders from the physician for the
special diet.
--Limit the variety of diets offered.
If several types of modified diets are needed, try to
use one d.iet for all participants. For example, food
can be prepared without salt, making meals suitable for
persons on a mild sodium restricted diet. Persons not
on this diet can add salt at the table. Mild diabetics
may be able to have the same menu as other participants
if fresh or unsweetened fruit is offered in place of
sweetened desserts.
--Check with the physicians prescribing diets before a
ge~eral modified diet, such as the one described above,
is used to see if they feel such a diet is suitable for
their patients.
Write the Menus Down
Write the menus down as you plan them. This way you are less likely to
omit important kinds of foods from meals. It is a good idea to have a special
form for writing menus and a special file or book where they can be kept.
These written menus are the basis for your market list and for scheduling food
preparation.
Steps in writing menus are given on the next page. The example makes use
of Meal Pattern I (page 6) for planning a dinner menu. However, the same
general procedure could be used in planning lunch (or supper) menus. The basic
principle is to start with the main dish in a meal and plan the rest of the
meal around it. The main dish for lunch or supper might be a hearty soup,
stew, or salad or a sandwich or casserole. It usually includes meat or an
alternate. Some people like to plan the main dish for all menus first, whether
they are planning for one >veek or longer. They feel it is easier to plan for
variety in meals this way.
Keep in mind the points about food selection mentioned earlier (pages
17 to 23). Also, check the written menus against the meal pattern to see if
all the suggested foods are included.
After the menus have been used, add comments about acceptability of the
food, quantities of food purchased, amount of food left over, number of people
served, and so forth, and file the menus away, Such information is helpful if
any menu items are used again or if the entire menu is reused, such as with
cycle menus •
23
1\)
+=-
Steps
1. Choose a main dish
2. Select vegetables and fruits
to go with the main dish
3. Choose a bread
4. Select a dessert
5. Plan ways to include milk
6. ~- --~u other foods as needed
t o roundout meals, to add
eye appeal, and to create
interest
Steps in Writing a Menu
Samp.le menu selections for dinner
(Food pattern)
Sample 1
(Meat or alternate) Baked chicken
(Vegetables and fruits) Mashed potatoes
Broccoli
.(Bread or alternate) Bread (enriched)
(Dessert) Angelfood cake
(Milk) Cream gravy
Ice milk
(Butter or margarine) Butter or mru.~garine
Tomato wedge
Coffee or tea
Sample 2
Baked ocean
perch fillets
Parslied carrots
Creamy coleslaw
Muffin (enriched)
Vanilla pudding
Milk (to drink)
Butter or margarine
Rice (enriched.)
Spanish sauce
Currant jelly
Coffee or te .....
Menu l
Baked chicken with cream gravy
Mashed potatoes
Broccoli Tomato wedge
Bread
Butter or margarine
.A_"lglefood cake
Ice milk *
Coffee or tea
Menu 2
Baked ocean perch fillets with Spanish sauce
Rice
Parslied carrots Creamy cole slaw
Muffin
Butter or margarine
Vanilla pudding, currant jelly
Milk to drink
Coffee or tea
* Substitute milk to drink for a home-delivered meal, if ice
milk cannot be kept frozen during deliver.
25
BUYING FOODS
A market list based on planned menus is a key to the orderly buying of
foods. Suggested steps to follow in making out a list are:
1. Refer to written menus.
2. Decide on the size of serving you intend to use for each food.
3. Estimate the number of servings for each food you will need.
Include in the count food service and other personnel if they
eat meals at the program. Allow for second servings if the
policy of the program permits "seconds." Sometimes seconds
are p~rmitted for some foods but not for others.
4. Select recipes for those foods that will be prepared in the
kitchen.
5. List the foods needed to prepare all meals for the time the
order is to cover. Include all ingredients in the recipes.
6. Decide on the quality of product you want to buy.
Marzy foods are available in different grades--for example,
meat, poultry, fish, eggs, car.ned fruits and vegetables. ·
Generally, top-graded foods cost more. To save money, choose
lower grade foods when they meet your needs.
7. Figure the amounts of foods you need.
• T~ke into account the serving sizes you pl~~ to use and
number of servings of each food you will need (items 2
and 3 above).
• Estimate the number of servings from a market unit of
various foods.
For example, you can generally get fo1rr 1/2-cup servings
of cooked carrots from a pound of fresh carrots bought
without tops. If you want 100 1/2-cup servings, you would
need to buy 25 pounds of the carrots. Food-purchasing
guides are available that you may find useful. Check the
references listed on page 42 .
8.- Check food supplies on hand to see if you already have some
of the foods you will need.
If you plan to use food at ha.~d for meals for which you are
preparing the market order, be sure that it will be available
for those meals in the quantity that you need. Some of the
supply may be scheduled for use before then.
26
9. List the foods you want ·to buy and the amounts needed on separate
market orders according to where you plan to buy them.
For example, if baked goods are purchased at a bakery rather than
at a grocery store, prepare a separate market order for them.
10. Specify graje, size, quality, and other descriptive information for
a food on the market order to help assure that you w~ll get the
product you want.
Other Points to Consider
Where to buy
• Compare food prices and services ·offered by different suppliers.
You"may w-ant to contact both retail and wholesale suppliers.
Choose suppliers that offer reasonable prices and other features
that are important--a variety of foods, good-quality foods, credit
(if desired), dependable delivery of foods.
• Check delivery schedules.
Choose stores with schedules that best suit your needs if delivery
is required.
When to buy
• Establish a schedule for ordering and buying foods.
Ordering on a weekly basis for most foods may be practical for
you. However, you may need to have delivery every day or two for
some foods--milk and fresh produce, for example.
You may want to place larger orders for some foods--such as flour,
sugar, shortening, canned goods--less frequently if you have adequate
storage space for them.
How to buy
• Read the labels.
Studying labels will help you get your money's worth when you buy
foods. Look for information on ingredients, grades, enrichment or
fortification, quantity of food provided in terms of weight, measure,
or numerical count. Not all this information will be found on every
label.
27
• Compare prices.
Compare costs of a serving of fooo or some other specified am9unt
such as an ounce, pound, or dozen. Tables and guides, such as those
shown on pages 37 to 41, may be helpful in making cost comparisons.
Some suppliers have a unit pricing system that simplifies comparing
costs of a food in various sized containers and of various grades
and brands.
• Buy in quantity when the price is right and food can be stored and
used without waste.
Food in large containers often costs less than ~ne same amount bought
in small containers. If your supplier does not have unit pricing,
table 2 (pages 39 to 41) can be used to find the cost of a pound of
food when purchased in different sized containers. Buy the size
container with the lowest cost per ounce or pound if the size is
practical.
Take advantage of sales and seasonal variation in prices.
If money ~s limited, do not tie up a lot of money i~ food supplies.
• Check the U.S. Department of Agricultur~'s ~lentiful food lists.
The Department of Agriculture lists each month foods that a.re in
plentifUl supply. These foods are often good buys. Some newspaper8
prjnt the lists. Look in the food section. So~et~es grocery
store ads contain the lists and sor.1et:i.mes the lists '3rc displayed at
the stores.
• Look for freshness in foods.
Appearance of some foods, like certain fresh :fruits a..'"ld vegetables,
is an indication of freshness. Otber f~)ods, such as fresh milk and
bread, may carry a date or code that indica·(:;es freshness. Ask your
food supplier to help you learn hovr to use these dates or codes to
be sure the foods you buy are fresh .
• Buy and use safe foods.
All canr1ed food used should be sommercially carilled. Do not b~~ cans
with bulging ends or that are rusted or show signs of f'ood leakage.
Buy only pasteurized milk and mi.L~ products.
Buy inspected meat, poultry, and seafood when possible. Check with
the supplier to be sure the food is inspected if you do not see an
inspection stamp on it. Not all products carry a stamp even though
they may have been inspected. For example, each retail cut of meat
from an inspected carcass may not carry a stamp. The Federal meat
28
and poultry inspection stamp is circular; the seafood stamp is a
shield. Some products may be inspected locally or by the State
instead of undergoing Federal inspection. Products are generally
inspected for wholesomeness and to see that they are processed
under sanitary conditions.
• Visit stores regularly to keep up to date on new food products.
• Consolidate orders if it is to your advantage.
Placing large orders with a few suppliers instead of several small
orders with a number of suppliers may be to your advantage. Credit
and delivery service are more likely to be available from a supplier
if the order is large.
Leaflets giving pointers on what to look for in buying several kinds of
foods have been published by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and are avail­able
from the U.S. Government Printing Office. (See page 42.)
STORING FOODS
Proper storage of foods helps retain food value and eating quality and
also helps keep them safe to eat. Keep the following points in mind when
storing foods.
General points
• Check with State or local health department about regulations
dealing with food storage, including temperature requirements.
• Check temperatures in the refrigerator and freezer regularly,
using a thermometer, to see that recommended or required tempera­tures
are maintained.
• Use food in storage in order of purchase--arranging foods in the
storage area so the older foods are used first.
• Store nonfood items such as cleaning supplies and insecti.cides
away from food.
Refrigerator storage
• T,T.pes of food to refrige;ate.
Refrigerate promptly readily perishablP. foods such as fresh, fluid
milK, cream; fresh and cooked meat, poultry, fish; eggs; most fresh
vegetables and fresh .ripe_ fruits; opened canned foods.
29
• Temperatures to use.
Maintain the temperature in the refrigerator at the temperature
specified in the health department regulations. If no tempera­tures
are given, a good rule is to keep the temperature at about
4oo F.
Use the following temperature ranges as guides if separate
refrigeration is available for different types of foods:
Dairy products
Vegetables and fruits
Meat and poultry ·
38° - 45° F.
44° - 45° F.
33° - 36° F.
• Arrange foods in the refrigerator so that air can circulate
around them.
• Place hot food in shallow pans for a short time to facilitate
cooling.
• Cover prepared food to protect it from contamination and to
prevent it from drying out.
Freezer storage
• Store frozen foods at 0° F., or below.
• Place frozen foods in the freezer as soon as they are received.
Other storage
• Store canned fruits and vegetables and other foods that do not
need refrigeration or freezing in a cool, dry place that is well
ventilated.
--Group similar kinds of food together to make tha~ easier
to find.
--Store dry bulk foods such as flour and sugar in glass, metal,
or plastic containers with tightly fitting covers.
--Store nonfat dry milk in a closed container if the package has
been opened. Refrigerate reconstituted milk as you would fresh
milk.
--Store foods such as potatoes and onion~ on racks to keep them
·off the floor.
30
PROTECTING FOOD FRCM NUTRIENT LOSS
' Providing for n~tritious meals only begins with the selection of foods
and their proper--and prompt--storage. Care is also needed in their prepara­tion
for eating to conserve the nutrients they contain. Here are some tips
on how to save food value.
• Use a sharp blade when trimming, cutting, or shredding fresh
vegetables or fruits. Vit~~n losses occur when tissues are
bruised.
• Keep leafy green vegetables refrigerated after cleaning and
trinnning until served. They ~eep their nutrients best if
placed in a crisper or moistureproof bag that keeps moist air
around them.
• Cover and refrigerate diced or grated vegetables and fruits
immediately after preparation if they are ~ot to be eaten
right aWfi.y. This will minimize loss of vitamins.
• Cook vegetables only until tender. If vegetables are boiled,
use only as much water as is needed to give an acceptable
product--and use a tight-fitting lid.
• Cook vegetables just before serving time, if possible. If
serving time is long, cook small batches as needed to minimize
holding time. ·
Holding foods at warm temperatures ca~ses loss in food value.
Cooking foods in small batches as needed--instead of cooking
all the food that you need for a meal at one time--cuts down
on the amount of time the food has to be kept hot.
• Boil or bake potatoes in the skins some of the time. Cooking
potatoes in their skins helps conserve nutrients.
• Save the excess liquid on canned and cooked vegetables and use
it in soups, gravies, or in other ways, rather than throwing
the liquid away. Some of the nutrients originally in the
vegetables end up in the cooking or canning liquid.
• Use meat drippings (remove fat if desired) in gravies or pour
over the meat. Meat drippings contain some vitamins an1 other
nutrients from the meat.
• Prepare cooked enriched rice, macaroni, spaghetti, and noodles
without rinsing or using excessive amounts of water. Rinsing
and using excess water wastes those nutrients that dissolve
in water.
31
KEEPING FOOD SAFE TO EAT
Foods can cause illness even though they were safe to eat when purchased
or first prepared. Poor sanitation, insufficient cooking, and improper
storage can allow bacteria in food to increase until the food becomes dangerous
t o eat. Some bacteria produce substances, called toxins, that cause illness
when food is eaten. To help prevent illness of this type, anyone handling
food should--
' Know and follow local and State health regulations concerned with
food and food handlers.
• Be free from infectious disease and from infected cuts or other
skin infections.
• Work with clean hands, hair, fingernails, and wear clean clothing.
• Wear a hairnet or cap or other effective hair restraint.
• Wash h~~ds with soap and water--
--Before working with food.
--After going to the restroom.
--After smoking or blowing the nose.
~-After touching raw meat, poultry, or eggs.
• Avoid using hands to mix foods when clean utensils or disposable
plastic gloves can be used.
• Use clean utensils and equipment or plastic gloves to handle foods
to be eaten without further cooking, such as ready-to-eat foods.
Do not use the same utensils, equipment, or gloves used in the
preparation of other food because of the possibility of spreading
contamination, if any exists.
• Keep hands away from mouth, nose, and hair.
• Cover coughs and sneezes with disposable tissues.
• Do not return spoons used to taste a food to the pot or bowl
contai ning the food. Put them aside to be washed.
When preparing foods--
• Keep hot foods hot and cold f oods cold.
Foods may not be safe to eat if held for more than 3 or 4 hours
at temperatures between 450 F. and 1400 F. The holding time
includes all time during preparation, storage, and serving.
32
REMEMBER--Hot foods hot (above 140° F.) and cold foods cold
(below 45° F.).
• Cool hot foods quickly.
Speed cooling of large amounts of food by refrigerating ~n a
shallow container, if they are not to be served ho·J-
• Take special precautions with certain foods.
--Refrigerate cream, custard, or meringue pies and food with
custard fillings, including cakes, cream puffs, or eclairs.
Do not allow them to stand at room temperature once they have
cooled slightly.
Follow the s&~e precautions with salads and sandwiches made
with salad dressings containing eggs or milk products and
little or no vinegar or other acid foods such as lemon juice.
As a further precaution, use chilled ingredients in making
salad and sandwich mixtures.
--Use only clean eggs with sound shells in any recipe in which
eggs are not thoroughly cooked, such as in egg-milk drinks,
scrambled eggs, omelets, uncooked salad dressings, meringues,
or puddings cooked on top of the range.
Use dried or frozen eggs only in foods that are to be
thoroughly cooked.
• Cook fresh pork thoroughly.
The recommended internal temperature for fresh pork loin is
l70°F. Use a meat thermometer to check the temperature. Or
make small cuts next to the bone and into the thicker part of
the meat. If the juice is still pink, the pork is not done.
• Do not partially cook meat or poultry one day and complete the
cooking the next day.
• Thaw frozen raw meat, poultry, or fish in the refrigerator or
place the watertight package in cold, running water.
Frozen meat, poultry, and fish can be cooked without thawing,
but additional cooking time is needed to be sure the center of
the meat is properly cooked. Allow at least one and a half
times as long to cook as required for unfrozen or thawed
products of the same weight and shape.
• Thoroughly cook such foods as croquettes and fish cakes.
Searing on the outside may leave bacteria in the center that
can multiply rapidly.
33
• Follow directions on packages of corr®ercially prepared or
partially prepared foods. Heating the specified time assures
that the food will be safe to eat.
• Thoroughly clean all dishes, utensils, and work surfaces with
soap and water after each use.
Bacteria can be destroyed by rinsing utensils and work surfaces
with chlorine laundry bleach in the proportion recommended on
the package. Cutting boards, meat grinders, blenders, and can
openers particularly need this protection.
• Wash fresh fruits and vegetables thoroughly to help remove
pesticides.
Other points to consider
• If canned. food shows any sign of spr.)ilage--bulging can ends,
leakage, spurting liquid, off-odor, or mold--DO NOT USE IT ...
DO NOT EVEN TASTE IT •.• DESTROY IT. DO NOT USE HO:tviE-C.A.NNED
FOODS.
• Use dishvrashing procedures approved by the local or State
health department.
• Avoid touching rims of glasses or cups or eatj_ng or cutting
surfaces of knives, forks, and spoons to be used by others.
• Keep insects under control. House flies and cockroaches can
carry bacteria that cause food-borne illness.
• Do not store insecticides or cleaning supplies near food.
PACKAGING MEALS FOR HOME DELIVERY
Meals for the homebound must be packaged before delivery. The packaging
is to prevent contamination and to maintain temperatures that will keep
readily perishable foods safe to eat. A general rule is to keep cold foods
below 1+5° F. and hot foods above 140° . .. Check regulations of local or State
health department to see if they require different temperatures.
Meals are generally packaged individually and then a n~~ber of meals are
packed together for deli very. Hot and cold foods are kept separate. A number
of different packaging materials have been tried in various programs. Plastic
containers and bags, styrofoam containers with covers, alumipum pans with
covers, and paper wrappings and bags are examples of materials used to package
cold foods. Heavy aluminum foil containers with covers, styr?foam containers
with covers, paper plates with aluminum-foil co.ve.rs, and pottery plates with
covers are examples of materials used with hot foods. Divided plates have the
advantage of keeping foods from running together and help to make the delivered
meals more attractive. The packaged cold foods are kept cold and the packaged
34
hot foods are kept hot until time for delivery when they are placed into
precooled or preheated containers that hold several meals.
Each program needs to try out different packaging materials for its own
use for several reasons. Materials on the market that could be used for
packaging change from time to time and improved products may become available.
Requirements for different meal service programs vary. Requirements will vary,
for example, with the extremes in outdoor temperatures and humidity.
In trying out different materials, food delivered last on the delivery
routes should be checked with a thermometer to see if it is maintained at the
desired temperature. Keeping delivery routes short makes supplying meals at
the proper temperatures easier. Many programs try to keep delivery time to
under an hour.
Some desirable characteristics of certain supplies and equipment for
delivery of meals follow:
• Containers for food
--Firm
--Do not absorb liquid
--Easy to cover
--Easy to handle and to stack when filled with food
--Deep enough to hold food so that liquids do not spill
--Maintain temperature of food (or reheatable, if for hot food)
--Disposable
--Economical
--Easy to store before use
• Carrying cases for packaged food
--Durable and easily cleaned
--Lightweight and easy to handle
--Maintain desired temperature--45° F. and below for cold food;
140° and above for hot food. A supplementary source of heat
or cold may be required to maintain proper temperature.
--Simple and quick to open during delivery so that heat or cold
is retained.
--Appropriate size and shape for delivery vehicle
35
--Firm and secure so that containers of food do not tilt during
delivery
Studies of packaging materials on the market are continuing in order to
keep up with technical advances in their development.
Facilities are needed in the food preparation area that will keep ~erved
hot food hot and served cold food cold until packed into the delivery vehicle .
A GUIDE TO COMMON CA11" SIZE
A guide, shown on page 37, can be used to help determine amounts of food
to buy and to compare prices.
As an aid to purchasing--
• Decide on the serving size.
• Divide the serving size into the contents of a can of appropriate
size to get the number of servings a can will provide.
• Divide the number of servings one can furnishes into the total
number of servings wanted to get the total number of cans to buy.
As an aid to price comparison--
• Divide the number of servings a can provides, as determined above,
into the price of the can to get the cost of a serving.
• Use the cost of a serving in making price comparisons.
COST OF A 3-0UNCE SERVING OF LEAN MEAT
To use table 1 (see page 38), which shows the cost of a 3-ounce serving
of cooked lean meat, locate the kind and cut of meat you plan to buy. Follow
the line on which it appears to the column headed by the price most like the
current price at your supplier. The figure at this point is the approximate
cost of a 3-ounce serving of cooked lean. ·
As an example, the cost of a 3-ounce serving of lean from a chuck roast
(bone in) priced at 75 cents a pound would be 33 cents; and from ground beef
at. 65 cents a pound, the cost would be 17 cents.
COST-WEIGHT TABLE
To use ~able 2 (see pages 39-41), the cost-weight table, find the net
weight of the container in ounces in the left column of t4e table. Then, find
the price of the container (the top row of figures). Run your finger dOiill the
column under the price of the food until you come -to the figure opposite the
rmmber of ounces in the container. This is the cost per pound--or per pint-­tf
the ounces are fluid ounces.
6-oz.
8-oz.
No.1
(Picnic)
No.300
·No.303
No.2
No. 211z
46-oz.
No.lO
A GUIDE TO COMMON CAN SIZES
0
D
LJ
u
0
u
u
C)
Approximately 3_4 cup
6 fl. oz.
D
Approximately 1 cup
8 oz. (73,4 fl. oz.)
DQ>
Approximately 11,4 cups
101/z OZ. (91h fl. OZ.)
D'CP
Approximately 13,4 cups
1511z oz. (131/z fl. oz.)
DO
Approximately 2 cups
1 lb. (15 fl. oz.)
009
Approximately 2llz cups
1 lb. 4 oz. (1 pt. 2 fl. oz.)
DDD>9
Approximately 31/z cups
1 lb. 13 oz. (1 pt. 10 fl. oz.)
DDDDD'tP
Approximately 53,4 cups
46 oz. (1 qt. 14 fl. oz.)
Approximately 12 cups
6 lbs. 9 oz. (3 qts.)
Used for frozen concentrated juices
end individual servings of single
stremrth juices.
Used mainly in metropolitan areas
for most fruits, vegetables
and specialty items.
Used for condensed soups, some
fruits, vegetables, meat and
fish products.
For specialty items, such as beans
with pork, spaghetti, macaroni,
ch'li con carne, date and nut bread-also
a variety of fruits, including
cranb'.!rrv sauce and blueberries.
Used extensively for vegetables;
plus fruits, such as sweet and sour
cherries, fruit cocktail, apple sauce
Used for vegetables; many fruits
and juices.
Used principally for fruits, such as
peaches, pears, plums and fruit
cocktail; plus vegetables, such as
tomatoes, sauerkraut and pumpkin.
Used almost exclusively for
juices; also for whole chicken.
So·called "institutional" or
"restaurant" size container, most
fruits and vegetables are packed
. in it. It is not ordinarily available
in reta i I stores.
Reprinted from "Purchase and Use of Canned Foods" courtesy of the
American Can Company
37
TABLE 1..-Cost of a. 9-ounce serving of cooked lean meat from selected kinds a.nd cuts of meat a.t specified retail prices per pound
Kind and cut of meat
Price per pound of retail cuts (cents)
40 45 50 55 60 65 70 75 80 85 90 95 100 105 110 115 120 125 130 135 140 145 150 155 160 165 170 175 180
BEEF Cost of a 3-ounce serving (cents)
Roasts:
Brisket, bone in _ _ __ 21 23 26 29 31 34 36 39 42 44 47 49 52 55 57 60 62 65 68 70 73 76 78 81 83 86 89 91 94
Chuck, bone in ___ 18 20 22 25 27 29 31 33 36 38 40 42 45 47 49 51 54 56 58 60 62 65 67 69 71 74 76 78 80
Chuck, bone out __ 14 16 17 19 21 23 24 26 28 30 31 33 35 36 38 40 42 43 45 47 49 50 52 54 56 57 59 61 62
Ribs-7th, bone in_ ___ 18 20 22 25 27 29 31 33 36 38 40 42 45 47 49 51 54 56 58 60 62 65 67 69 71 74 76 78 80
Round, bone in __ 13 15 17 18 20 22 23 25 27 28 30 32 33 35 37 38 40 42 43 45 47 48 50 52 54 55 57 59 60
Round, bone out __ 12 14 16 17 19 20 22 23 25 27 28 30 31 33 34 36 38 39 41 42 44 45 47 48 50 52 53 55 56
Rump, bone in 17 20 22 24 26 28 31 33 35 37 39 41 44 46 48 50 52 55 57 59 61 63 66 68 70 72 74 76 79
Rump, bone out ___ 14 15 17 19 20 22 24 26 27 29 31 32 34 36 38 39 41 43 44 46 48 49 51 53 55 56 58 60 61
Steaks:
Chuck, bone in _________ 18 20 22 25 27 29 31 33 36 38 40 42 45 47 49 51 54 56 58 60 62 65 67 69 71 74 76 78 80
Chuck, bone out _ 14 16 17 19 21 23 24 26 28 30 31 33 35 36 38 40 42 43 45 47 49 50 52 54 56 57 59 61 62
Club, bone in __________ 23 26 28 31 34 37 40 43 45 48 51 54 57 60 62 65 68 71 74 77 80 82 85 88 91 94 97 99 102
Porterhouse, bone in_ __ 21 23 26 29 31 34 36 39 42 44 47 49 52 55 57 60 62 65 68 70 73 76 78 81 83 86 89 91 94
Round, bone in ___________ 13 15 17 18 20 22 23 25 27 28 30 32 33 35 37 38 40 42 43 45 47 48 50 52 54 55 57 59 60
Round, bone out__ ____ 12 14 16 17 19 20 22 23 25 27 28 30 31 33 34 36 38 39 41 42 44 45 47 48 50 52 53 55 56
Sirloin, bone in _____ 17 19 21 23 26 28 30 32 34 36 38 40 43 45 47 49 51 53 55 57 60 62 64 66 68 70 72 74 77
Sirloin, bone out __ 16 18 20 21 23 25 27 29 31 33 35 37 39 41 43 45 47 49 51 53 55 57 59 61 62 64 66 68 70
T -bone, bone in________ 22 25 28 30 33 36 39 41 44 47 50 52 55 58 61 64 66 69 72 75 77 80 83 86 88 91 94 97 99
Ground beef, lean_______ 10 12 13 14 16 17 18 20 21 22 23 25 26 27 29 30 31 33 34 35 36 38 39 40 42 43 44 46 47
w Short ribs -------------- 23 26 29 32 35 38 41 44 47 50 53 56 58 61 64 67 70 73 76 79 82 85 88 91 94 96 99 102 105 ():)
PORK, FRESH
Roasts:
Loin, bone in_ _____ 20 23 25 28 30 33 36 38 41 43 46 48 51 53 56 58 61 63 66 69 71 74 76 ~9 81 84 86 89 91
Loin, bone out__ __________ 14 16 17 19 21 23 24 26 28 30 31 33 35 36 38 40 42 43 45 47 49 50 52 54 56 57 5;} 61 62
Picnic, bone in_ _____ 21 24 27 29 32 35 37 40 43 45 48 51 53 56 59 62 64 67 70 72 75 78 80 83 86 88 91 94 96
Chops:
Loin --------------- 18 20 22 25 27 29 31 33 36 38 40 42 45 47 49 51 54 56 58 60 62 65 67 69 71 74 76 78 80
Rib ---"----------- 20 23 25 28 30 33 36 38 41 43 46 48 51 53 56 58 61 63 66 69 71 74 76 79 81 84 86 89 91
PORK, CURED
Roasts:
Butt, bone in________ -14 16 18 20 22 23 25 27 29 31 32 34 36 38 40 42 43 45 47 49 51 52 54 56 58 60 61 63 65
Ham, bone in_______ 14 16 17 19 21 23 24 26 28 30 31 33 35 36 38 40 42 43 45 47 49 50 52 54 56 57 59 61 62
Ham, bone out __ 10 12 13 14 16 17 18 20 21 22 23 25 26 27 29 30 31 33 34 35 36 38 39 40 42 43 44 46 47
Picnic, bone in__ _ 18 21 23 25 27 30 32 34 37 39 41 43 46 48 50 53 55 57 59 62 64 66 68 71 73 75 78 80 82
Picnic, bone out__ _____ 14 16 18 19 21 23 25 27 28 30 32 34 35 37 39 41 42 44 46 48 49 51 53 55 57 58 60 62 64
Ham slices _________ 12 14 16 17 19 20 22 23 25 27 28 30 31 33 34 36 38 39 41 42 44 45 47 48 50 52 53 55 56
LAMB
Roasts:
Leg, lione in ___ 17 19 21 23 25 27 29 31 33 35 38 40 42 44 46 48 50 52 54 56 58 60 62 65 67 69 71 73 75
Shoulder, bone in ____ 18 21 23 25 27 30 32 34 37 39 41 43 46 48 50 53 55 57 59 62 64 66 68 71 73 75 78 80 82
Chops:
Loin ------------- 18 21 23 25 27 30 32 34 37 39 41 43 46 48 50 53 55 57 59 62 64 66 68 71 73 75 78 80 82
Rib --------------- 22 25 28 30 33 36 39 41 44 47 50 52 55 58 61 64 66 69 72 75 77 80 83 86 88 91 94 97 99
Yield data from U.S. Dept. Agr., HERR No. 31, Proximate Composition of Beef •• • , and U.S. Dept. Agr., AH No. 284, Purchasing Guide for Group
Feeding. ·
TABLE 2.-COST-WEIGHT TABLE
[Cost of a Pound of Food from Containers of Various Weights]
Net Weight
of Container
Price of Container (cents)
(ounces) 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26 28 30 32 34 36 38
Cost of food per pound (dollars)
1 1.60 1.92 2.24 2.56 2.88 3.20 3.52 3.84 4.16 4.48 4.80 5.12 5.44 5.76 6.08
2 .80 .96 1.12 1.28 1.44 1.60 1.76 1.92 2.08 2.24 2.40 2.56 2.72 2.88 3.04
3 .53 .64 .75 .85 .96 1.07 1.17 1.28 1.39 1.49 1.60 1.71 1.81 1.92 2.03
4 .40 .48 .56 .64 .72 .80 .88 .96 1.04 1.12 1.20 1.28 1.36 1.44 1.52
5 .32 .38 .45 .51 .58 .64 .70 .77 .83 .90 .96 1.02 1.09 1.15 1.22
6 .27 .32 .37 .43 .48 .53 .59 .64 .69 .75 .80 .85 .91 .96 1.01
7 .23 .27 .32 .37 .41 .46 .50 .55 .59 .64 .69 .73 .78 .82 .87
8 .20 .24 .28 .32 .36 .40 .44 .48 .52 .56 .60 .64 .68 .72 .76
9 .18 .21 .25 .28 .32 .36 .39 .43 .46 .50 .53 .57 .60 .64 .68
10 .16 .19 .22 .26 .29 .32 .35 .38 .42 .45 .48 .51 .54 .58 .61
11 .15 .17 .20 .23 .26 .29 . .32 .35 .38 .41 .44 .47 .49 .52 .55
12 .13 .16 .19 .21 .24 .27 .29 .32 .35 .37 .40 .43 .45 .48 .51
13 .12 .15 .17 .20 .22 .25 .27 .30 .32 .34 .37 .39 .42 .44 .47
14 .11 .14 .16 .18 .21 .23 .25 .27 .30 .32 .34 .37 .39 .41 .43
15 .11 .13 .15 .17 .19 .21 .23 .26 .28 .30 .32 .34 .36 .38 .41
16 .10 .12 .14 .16 .18 .20 .22 .24 .26 .28 .30 .32 .34 .36 .38
17 .09 .11 .13 .15 .17 .19 .21 .23 .24 .26 .28 .30 .32 .34 .36
18 .09 .11 .12 .14 .16 .18 .20 .21 .23 .25 .27 .28 .30 .32 .34
19 .08 .10 .12 .13 .15 .17 .19 .20 .22 .24 .25 .27 .29 .30 .32
20 .08 .10 .11 .13 .14 .16 .18 .19 .21 .22 .24 .26 .27 .29 .30
21 .08 .09 .11 .12 .14 .15 .17 .18 .20 .21 .23 .24 .26 .27 .29
22 .07 .09 .10 .12 .13 .15 .16 .17 .19 .20 .22 .23 .25 .26 .28
23 .07 .08 .10 .11 .13 .14 .15 .17 .18 .19 .21 .22 .24 .25 .26
24 .07 .08 .09 .11 .12 .13 .15 .16 .17 .19 .20 .21 .23 .24 .25
25 .06 .08 .09 .10 .12 .13 .14 .15 .17 .18 .19 .20 .22 .23 .24
26 .06 .07 .09 .10 .11 .12 .14 .15 .16 .17 .18 .20 .21 .22 .23
27 .06 .07 .08 .09 .11 .12 .13 .14 .15 .17 .18 .19 .20 .21 .23
28 .06 .07 .08 .09 .10 .11 .13 .14 .15 .16 .17 .18 .19 .21 .22
29 .06 .07 .08 .09 .10 .11 .12 .13 .14 .15 .17 .18 .19 .20 .21
30 .05 .06 .07 .09 .10 .11 .12 .13 .14 .15 .16 .17 .18 .19 .20
31 .05 .06 .07 .08 .09 .10 .11 .12 .13 .14 .15 .17 .18 .19 .20
82 .05 .06 .07 .08 .09 .10 .11 .12 .13 .14 .15 .16 .17 .18 .19
38 .05 .06 .07 .08 .09 .10 .11 .12 .13 .14 .15 .16 .16 .17 .18
34 .05 .06 .07 .08 .08 .09 .10 .11 .12 .13 .14 .15 .16 .17 .18
85 .05 .05 .06 .07 .08 .09 .10 .11 .12 .13 .14 .15 .16 .16 .17
86 .04 .05 .06 .07 .08 .09 .10 .11 .12 .12 .13 .14 .15 .16 .17
37 .04 .05 .06 .07 .08 .09 .10 .10 .11 .12 .13 .14 .15 .16 .16
38 .04 .05 .06 .07 .08 .08 .09 .10 .11 .12 .13 .13 .14 .15 .16
39 .04 .05 .06 .07 .07 .08 .09 .10 .11 .11 .12 .13 .14 .15 .16
40 .04 .05 .06 .06 .07 .08 .09 .10 .10 .11 .12 .13 .14 .14 .15
41 .04 .05 .05 .06 .07 .08 .09 .09 .10 .11 .12 .12 .13 .14 .15
42 .04 .05 .05 .06 .07 .08 .08 .09 .10 .11 .11 .12 .13 .14 .14
43 .04 .04 .05 .06 .07 .07 .08 .09 .10 .10 .11 .12 .13 .13 .14
44 .04 .04 .05 .06 .07 .07 .08 .09 .09 .10 .11 .12 .12 .13 .14
45 .04 .04 .05 .06 .06 .07 .08 .09 .09 .10 .11 .11 .12 .13 .14
46 .03 .04 .05 .06 .06 .07 .08 .08 .09 .10 .10 .11 .12 .13 .13
47 .03 .04 .05 .05 .06 .07 .07 .08 .09 .10 .10 .11 .12 .12 .13
48 .03 .04 .05 .05 .06 .07 .07 .08 .09 .09 .10 .11 .11 .12 .13
39
TABLE 2.-COST-WE/GHT TABLE-Continued
[Cost of a Pound of Food from Containers of Various Weights]
Net Weight
of Container
Price of Container (cents)
(ounces) 40 42 44 46 48 50 52 54 56 58 60 62 64 66 68 70
Cost of food per po'Un.d (dollars)
1 6.40 6.72 7.04 7.36 7.68 8.00 8.32 8.64 8.96 9.28 9.60 9.92 10.24 10.56 10.88 11.20
2 3.20 3.36 3.52 3.68 3.84 4.00 4.16 4.32 4.48 4.64 4.80 4.96 5.12 5.28 5.44 5.60
3 2.13 2.24 2.35 2.45 2.56 2.67 2.77 2.88 2.99 3.09 8.20 3.31 3.41 3.52 3.63 3.73
4 1.60 1.68 1.76 1.84 1.92 2.00 2.08 2.16 2.24 2.32 2.40 2.48 2.56 2.64 2.72 2.80
5 1.28 1.34 1.41 1.47 1.54 1.60 1.66 1.73 1.79 1.86 1.92 1.98 2.05 2.11 2.18 2.24
6 1,07 1.12 1.17 1.23 1.28 1.33 1.39 1.44 1.49 1.55 1.60 1.65 1.71 1.76 1.81 1.87
7 .91 .96 1.01 1.05 1.10 1.14 1.19 1.23 1.28 1.33 1.37 1.42 1.46 1.51 1.55 1.60
8 .80 .84 .88 .92 .96 1.00 1.04 1.08 1.12 1.16 1.20 1.24 1.28 1.32 1.36 1.40
9 .71 .75 .78 .82 .85 .89 .92 .96 1.00 1.03 1.07 1.10 1.14 1.17 1.21 1.24
10 .64 .67 .70 .74 .77 .80 .83 .86 .90 .93 .96 .99 1.02 1.06 1.09 1.12
11 .58 .61 .64 .67 .70 .73 .76 .79 .81 .84 .87 .90 .93 .96 .99 1.02
12 .53 .56 .59 .61 .64 .67 .69 .72 .75 .77 .80 .83 .85 .88 .91 .93
13 .49 .52 .54 .57 .59 .62 .64 .66 .69 .71 .74 .76 .79 .81 .84 .86
14 .46 .48 .50 .53 .55 .57 .59 .62 .64 .66 .69 .71 .73 .75 .78 .80
15 .43 .45 .47 .49 .51 .53 .55 .58 .60 .62 .64 .66 .68 .70 .73 .75
16 .40 .42 .44 .46 .48 .50 .52 .54 .56 .58 .60 .62 .64 .66 .68 .70
17 .38 .40 .41 .43 .45 .47 .49 .51 .53 .55 .56 .58 .60 .62 .64 .66
18 .36 .37 .39 .41 .43 .44 .46 .48 .50 .52 .53 .55 .57 .59 .60 .62
19 .34 .35 .37 .39 .40 .42 .44 .45 .47 .49 .51 .52 .54 .56 .57 .59
20 .32 .34 .35 .37 .38 .40 .42 .43 .45 .46 .48 .50 .51 .53 .54 .56
21 .30 .32 .34 .35 .37 .38 .40 .41 .43 .44 .46 .47 .49 .50 .52 .53
22 .29 .31 .32 .33 .35 .36 .38 .39 .41 .42 .44 .45 .47 .48 .49 .51
23 .28 .29 .31 .32 .33 .35 .36 .38 .39 .40 .42 .43 .45 .46 .47 .49
24 .27 .28 .29 .31 .32 .33 .35 .36 .37 .39 .40 .41 .43 .44 .45 .47
25 .26 .27 .28 .29 .31 .32 .33 .35 .36 .37 .38 .40 .41 .42 .44 .45
26 .25 .26 .27 .28 .30 .31 .32 .33 .34 .36 .37 .38 .39 .41 .42 .43
27 .24 .25 .26 .27 .28 .30 .31 .32 .33 .34 .36 .37 .38 .39 .40 .41
28 .23 .24 .25 .26 .27 .29 .30 .31 .32 .33 .34 .35 .37 .38 .39 .40
29 .22 .23 .24 .25 .26 .28 .29 .30 .31 .32 .33 .34 .35 .36 .38 .39
30 .21 .22 .23 .25 .26 .27 .28 .29 .30 .31 .32 .33 .34 .35 .36 .37
31 .21 .22 .23 .24 .25 .26 .27 .28 .29 .30 .31 .32 .33 .34 .35 .36
32 .20 .21 .22 .23 .24 .25 .26 .27 .28 .29 .30 .31 .32 .33 .34 .35
33 .19 .20 .21 .22 .23 .24 .25 .26 .27 .28 .29 .30 .31 .32 .33 .34
34 .19 .20 .21 .22 .23 .24 .24 .25 .26 .27 .28 .29 .30 .31 .32 .33
35 .18 .19 .20 .21 .22 .23 .24 .25 .26 .27 .27 .28 .29 .30 .31 .32
36 .18 .19 .20 .20 .21 .22 .23 .24 .25 .26 .27 .28 .28 .29 .30 .31
37 .17 .18 .19 .20 .21 .22 .22 .23 .24 .25 .26 .27 .28 .29 .29 .30
38 .17 .18 .19 .19 .20 .21 .22 .23 .24 .24 .25 .26 .27 .28 .29 .29
39 .16 .17 .18 .19 .20 .21 .21 .22 .23 .24 .25 .25 .26 .27 .28 .29
40 .16 .17 .18 .18 .19 .20 .21 .22 .22 .23 .24 .25 .26 .26 .27 .28
41 .16 .16 .17 .18 .19 .20 .20 .21 .22 .23 .23 .24 .25 .26 .27 .27
42 .15 .16 .17 .18 .18 .19 .20 .21 .21 .22 .23 .24 .24 .25 .26 .27
43 .15 .16 .16 .17 .18 .19 .19 .20 .21 .22 .22 .23 .24 .25 .25 .26
44~ .15 .15 .16 .17 .17 .18 .19 .20 .20 .21 .22 .23 .23 .24 .25 .25
~5 .14 .15 .16 .16 .17 .18 .18 .19 .20 .21 .21 .22 .23 .23 .24 .25
46 .14 .15 .15 .16 .17 .17 .18 .19 .19 .20 .21 .22 .22 .23 .24 .24
47 .14 .14 .15 .16 .16 .17 .18 .18 .19 .20 .20 .21 .22 .22 .23 .24
48 .13 .14 .15 .15 .16 .17 .17 .18 .19 .19 .20 .21 .21 .22 .23 .23
40
TABLE 2.-COST-WEIGHT TABLE-Continued
[Cost of a Pound of Food from Containers of Various Weights]
Net Weight Price of Container (cents)
of Container
(ounces) 72 74 76 78 80 82 84 86 88 90 92 94 96 98 100
Cost of food per pottnd (dollars)
1 11.52 11.84 12.16 12.48 12.80 13.12 13.44 13.76 14.08 14.40 14.72 15.04 15.36 15.68 16.00
2 5.76 5.92 6.08 6.24 6.40 6.56 6.72 6.88 7.04 7.20 7.36 7.52 7.68 7.84 8.00
3 3.84 3.95 4.05 4.16 4.27 4.37 4.48 4.59 4.69 4.80 4.91 5.01 5.12 5.23 5.33
4 2.88 2.96 3.04 3.12 3.20 3.28 3.36 3.44 3.52 3.GO 3.68 3.7G 3.84 3.92 4.00
5 2.30 2.37 2.43 2.50 2.56 2.62 2.69 2.75 2.82 2.88 2.94 3.01 3.07 3.14 3.20
6 1.92 1.97 2.03 2.08 2.13 2.19 2.24 2.29 2.35 2.40 2.45 2.51 2.56 2.61 2.67
7 1.65 1.69 1.74 1.78 1.83 1.87 1.92 1.97 2.01 2.06 2.10 2.15 2.19 2.24 2.29
8 1.44 1.48 1.52 1.56 1.60 1.64 1.68 1.72 1.76 1.80 1.84 1.88 1.92 1.96 2.00
9 1.28 1.32 1.35 1.39 1.42 1.46 1.49 1.53 1.56 1.60 1.64 1.67 1.71 1.74 1.78
10 1.15 1.18 1.22 1.25 1.28 1.31 1.34 1.38 1.41 1.44 1.47 1.50 1.54 1.57 1.60
11 1.05 1.08 1.11 1.13 1.16 1.19 1.22 1.25 1.28 1.31 1.34 1.37 1.40 1.43 1.45
12 .96 .99 1.01 1.04 1.07 1.09 1.12 1.15 1.17 1.20 1.23 1.25 1.28 1.31 1.33
13 .89 .91 .94 .96 .98 1.01 1.03 1.06 1.08 1.11 1.13 1.16 1.18 1.21 1.23
14 .82 .85 .87 .89 .91 .94 .96 .98 1.01 1.03 1.05 1.07 1.10 1.12 1.14
15 .77 .79 .81 .83 .85 .87 .90 .92 .94 .96 .98 1.00 1.02 1.05 1.07
16 .72 .74 .76 .78 .80 .82 .84 .86 .88 .90 .92 .94 .96 .98 1.00
17 .68 .70 .72 .73 .75 .77 .79 .81 .83 .85 .87 .88 .90 .92 .94
18 .64 .66 .68 .69 .71 .73 .75 .76 .78 .80 .82 .84 .85 .87 .89
19 .61 .62 .64 .66 .67 .69 .71 .72 .74 .76 .77 .79 .81 .83 .84
20 .58 .59 .61 .62 .64 .66 .67 .69 .70 .72 .74 .75 .77 .78 .80
21 .55 .56 .58 .59 .61 .62 .64 .66 .67 .69 .70 .72 .73 .75 .76
22 .52 .54 .55 .57 .58 .60 .61 .63 .64 . . 65 .67 .68 .70 .71 .73
23 .50 .51 .53 .54 .56 .57 .58 .60 .61 .63 .64 .65 .67 .68 .70
24 .48 .49 .51 .52 .53 .55 .56 .57 .59 .60 .61 .63 .64 .65 .67
25 .46 .47 .49 .50 .51 .52 .54 .55 .56 .58 .59 .60 .61 .63 .64
26 .44 .46 .47 .48 .49 .50 .52 .53 .54 .55 .57 .58 .59 .60 .62
27 .43 .44 .45 .46 .47 .49 .50 .51 .52 .53 .55 .56 .57 .58 .59
28 .41 .42 .43 .45 .46 .47 .48 .49 .50 .51 .53 .54 .55 .56 .57
29 .40 .41 .42 .43 .44 .45 .46 .47 .49 .50 .51 .52 .53 .54 .55
30 .38 .39 .41 .42 .43 .44 .45 .46 .47 .48 .49 .50 .51 .52 .53
31 .37 .38 .39 .40 .41 .42 .43 .44 .45 .46 .47 .49 .50 .51 .52
32 .36 .37 .38 .39 .40 .41 .42 .43 .44 .45 .46 .47 .48 .49 .50
33 .35 .36 .37 .38 .39 .40 .41 .42 .43 .44 .45 .46 .47 .48 .48
34 .34 .35 .36 .37 .38 .39 .40 .40 .41 .42 .43 .44 .45 .46 .47
35 .33 .34 .35 .36 .37 .37 .38 .39 .40 .41 .42 .43 .44 .45 .46
36 .32 .33 .34 .35 .36 .36 .37 .38 .39 .40 .41 .42 .43 .44 .44
37 .31 .32 .33 .34 .35 .35 .36 .37 .38 .39 .40 .41 .42 .42 .43
38 .30 .31 .32 .33 .34 .35 .35 .36 .37 .38 .39 .40 .40 .41 .42
39 .30 .30 .31 .32 .33 .34 .34 .35 .36 .37 .38 .39 .39 .40 .41
40 .29 .30 .30 .31 .32 .33 .34 .34 .35 .36 .37 .38 .38 .39 .40
41 .28 .29 .30 .30 .31 .32 .33 .34 .34 .35 .36 .37 .37 .38 .39
42 .27 .28 .29 .30 .30 .31 .32 .33 .34 .34 .35 .36 .37 .37 .38
43 .27 .28 .28 .29 .30 .31 .31 .32 .33 .33 .34 .35 .36 .36 .37
44 .26 .27 .28 .28 .29 .30 .31 .31 .32 .33 .33 .34 .35 .36 .36
45 .26 .26 .27 .28 .28 .29 .30 .31 .31 .32 :33 .33 .34 .35 .36
46 .25 .26 .26 .27 .28 .29 .29 .30 .31 .31 .32 .33 .33 .34 .35
47 .25 .25 .26 .27 .27 .28 .29 .29 .30 .31 .31 .32 .33 .33 .34
48 .24 .25 .25 .26 .27 .27 .28 .29 .29 .30 .31 .31 .32 .33 .33
41
REFERENCES
Diet Therapy
Handbook of Diet Therapy. Turner, D.F., 260 pp., 1970. Available from
the American Dietetic Association, 620 North Michigan Avenue, Chicago,
Ill. 60611. $6.50.
Food Buying Guides
Family Food Buying: A Guide for Calculating Amounts to Buy and Comparing
Costs. U.S. Dept. Agr. Home Economics Res. Rpt. No. 37, 60 pp., 1969.
Available from U. S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C. 20402~
35¢.
Food Purchasing Guide -for Group Feeding. U.S. Dept. Agr. Handb. No. 284,
54 pp., 1965. Available from U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington,
D. C. 20402. 60¢.
How to Buy Leaflets. U.S. Dept. Agr. Home and Garden Bulletins. Available
from U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C. 20402:
Home and Garden
Title Series No.
How to buy ..•
instant nonfat dry milk 140
fresh fruits 141
fresh vegetables 143
eggs 144
beef steak 145
beef roasts 146
butter 148
poultry 157
meat for your freezer 166
canned and frozen vegetables 167
beans, peas, and lentils 177
canned·and frozen fruits 191
cheese 193
lamb 195
How to use USDA grades in buying food 196
Food ?reparation and Recipes
Cost
10¢
15¢
15¢
10¢
10¢
10¢
5¢
10¢
20¢
30¢
25¢
30¢
20¢
15¢
15¢
Handbook of Food Preparation, 116 pp. Revised 1971. American Home
Economics Association, 2010 Massachusetts Avenue, N.W., Washington,
D.C. 20036. $3.00.
Cooking for Small Groups. U.S. Dept. Agr. Home and Gard. Bul. No. 197,
22 pp., 1972. Available from U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington,
D.C. 20402. 15¢. (Recipes for 25 with a table for adjusting recipes from
15 to 50.)
42
Recipes for Quantity Service. U.S. Dept. Agr. Home Econ. Res. Rpt. No.
5. Will be available from U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington,
D.C. 20402. (Recipes for 100.)
Food Safety; Sanitation
Keeping food safe to eat: A guide for homemakers. U.S. Dept. Agr. Home
and Gard. Bul. No. 162, 12 pp .. Sl. rev. 1971. Available from U.S.
Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C. 20402. 10¢.
Food service sanitation manual. U.S. Public Health Serv. Bul. No. 934,
90 pp., 1962. Available from U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington,
D.C. 20402. 70¢.
Food Selection
Food for fitness .•• A daily food guide. U.S. Dept. Agr. Leaflet No. 424.
Sl. rev. 1971. Available from U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington,
D.C. 20402. 15¢.
Food guide for older folks. U.S. Dept. Agr. Home and Gard. Bul. No. 17,
19 pp. Revised 1972. Available from U.S. Government Printing Office,
Washington, D.C. 20402. 20¢.
Food selection for good nutrition in group feeding. U.S. Dept. Agr.
Home Econ. Res. Rpt. No. 35, 33 pp. Sl. rev. 1971. Available without
co~t from the Office of Information, U.S. Department of Agriculture,
Washington, D. C. 20250.
Food Service
A guide to nutrition and food service for nursing homes and homes for the
aged. U.S. Dept. Health. Education. and Welfare Pub. No. (HSM) 71-6701,
lll pp. Revised 1971. Available from US. Government Printing Office,
Washington, D. C. 20402~ $1.75.·
Nutrition
Nutrition: Food at work for you. U.S. Dept. Agr. Home and Gard. Bul.
Separate No. l, 24 pp. Revised 1971. Available from U.S. Government
Printing Office, Washington, D.C. 20402. 20¢.
Facts about nutrition. U.S. Dept. Health, Education, and Welfare, Public
Health Serv. Pub. No. 917, 25 pp. Revised 1968. Available from U.S.
Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C. 20402. 35¢.
Nutritive Value of Foods
Nutritive value of foods. U.S. Dept. Agr. Home and Gard. Bul. No. 72,
41 pp. Sl. rev. 1971. Available from U.S. Government Printing Office,
Washington, D.C. 20402. 30¢.
43
Other
Conserving the nutritive values in foods.
Gard. Bul. No. 90, 16 pp. Sl. rev. 1971.
Printing Office, Washington, D.C. 20402.
U.S. Dept. Agr. Home and
Available from U.S. Government
10¢.
Your money's worth in foods. U.S. Dept. Agr. Home and Gard. Bul. No. 183,
25 pp. 1970. Available from U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington,
D.C. 20402. 25¢.
Food for us all. The Yearbook of Agriculture, 1969. 360 pp.
from U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C. 20402.
Available
$3.50.
Standards for meat and poultry products ... a consumer reference list.
U.S. Department of Agriculture. Available without cost from Information
Division, APHIS, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, D.C. 20250.
Home-delivered meals for the ill, handicapped, and elderly. 86 pp.
Supplement to Journal of Public Health) May 1965. Nationai Council on
the Aging, 1828 L. Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20036. $2.00
Meals on Wheels Organization Manual. Revised 1970. 5.6. pp . . (M.imeo. ) .
Meals on Wheels, Inc., 509 Park Avenue, B~timore, Md. 2;201 $4.oo.
44 ~U .S . GOVERNMENT PAINTING OFFICE : 197Z 7ZZ-176 / 465 1-3