ioi6 The Cornell Reading-Courses 



not like food which the parent knows to be desirable, the dislike may 

 generally be conquered by a modification in the way the food is served. 



Two little girls of the author's acquaintance would not eat baked potato 

 until its commonplaceness had been removed by having wonderful rills 

 mounded up the side with the tines of a fork. The change in taste caused 

 in this way was very real to them and they clamored for more and more. 

 A little imagination on the part of the parent will do much to make John 

 and Jane eat bread and milk and find therein the flavor of nectar and 

 ambrosia. But the bread and milk must be as daintily served and as 

 attractively presented as any more elaborate feast. 



the school lunch 



The school lunch is a problem. We all concede that it is better for 

 the child to have his noon meal quietly at a well-ordered table and under 

 close supervision of grown-ups. This is not always possible, however, 

 and in many places it is necessary for the child to carry his lunch with 

 him in pail or box. The question is, therefore, how may this best be done? 



If food is ever to be attractively presented, here is the opportunity. 

 The limited variety made necessary by the use of cold foods, the tendency 

 toward messiness unless the packing is careful, may make the child scorn 

 bread and butter and choose only sweet or highly flavored foods for this 

 meal. The mainstay of the child's lunch box should be sandwiches. Not 

 thick slices of bread, but bread cut thin, both slices buttered lightly and 

 filled with something not too dry. If meat is used it should be sliced 

 thin, or it may be ground fine and mixed with cream to fonn a paste. 

 Slices of hard cooked egg seasoned with a very little oil or cream salad 

 dressing, peanut butter softened with cream, jams and marmalades, all 

 make good sandwiches. The crusts should be left on the bread, but the 

 sandwiches should be carefully cut and wrapped singly or in pairs in 

 the paraffin paper which is used for wrapping butter. A piece of simple 

 cake or a cookie, and a liberal allowance of some juicy fruit, will be 

 enough. It would be better, however, if occasionally, at least, some little 

 unexpected treat is included, as a few shelled nuts, a piece of candy, a little 

 jar of jelly, or some much-loved dainty. 



The best lunch box is made of tin. This type of box may be kept 

 perfectly clean; and at the same time it keeps the food moist and in good 

 condition. 



If milk can be kept cold and clean, a bottle of milk is an excellent ad- 

 junct to the child's lunch. The mothers in a rural community would 

 do well to take this matter up for discussion and see whether it may not 

 be possible to arrange for the keeping of the milk. 



