| Show Income Budgeted to Cover Food Nutritional Values We Ve are spending a fai fair proportion of ot our income for food What percentage in the budget should we allow each cach week to keep us well fed These are re questions that many family are putting to themselves Now at the start of the final quarter of the year is an opportune time to look backward and forward and to make adjustments adjustments adjustments adjust adjust- ments in the spending plan if n necessary To serve as a rough guide in in judging what share food may reasonably reasonably rea rea- take from the family rea-i rea in income income income in- in come home economists have worked on a sliding scale of percentages for families of different size and income Bureau Sets Per Cent Take a family of four two four two adults doing moderately active work and anda a boy of 10 say and an year old girl With Vilh a yearly early income of about 2000 or 40 a week food supplies to furnish a diet acceptable from the nutritionists nutritionist's point of view would take approximately 23 to 31 per cent of that income This would buy a minimum cost or a moderate cost diet according to plans suggested suggested sug sug- suggested by bythe the United States bureau of home economics Or with a weekly income of 60 60 a year things being equal a family of ot four t father lher mother and two children might choose a more liberal diet an and allot 27 21 per cent of their money to the food item in inthe inthe inthe the budget A family of the same size having a much lower income 1250 a year or l less ss would have to spend about 37 31 per cent or more for food tood to have the lowest cost diet that is fully adequate A family of two adults on the other hand at the 2000 a year level could have a moderate cost cosi diet by using about 16 per cent of the income Or if It they have 25 i coming in each week 1250 a year car they would probably need to take 19 or 26 per cent of it for food de depending depending depending de- de pending on whether they choose a minimum cost or a moderate cost cosi diet This would mean a total of about or for the weekly food bill blU On a 1000 a year basis the family fam tam family ily of two could get a minimum cost diet for 24 per cent of ot its in in- in come Such a minimum cost plan worked out by the food specialists gives the cheapest combination of foods that it is desirable to use uso for foran foran foran an indefinite period The moderate cost plan allows for freer choice of the foods that have flavor color and appetite appeal It also allows a much wider margin of safety on the nutrition side In giving these percentages forthe for forthe forthe the food part partin in tl the e family budget home economists caution against interpreting them too literally Every Ev Ev- Ev- Ev cry ery family's budget is a special case based on what that family wants want and needs Nutritionists warn against a family spending enough to get a good diet but making such unwise selections from the standpoint standpoint stand stand- point of nutritive variety that th the e assortment of foods may not be as desirable from the health point as asa asa asa a less expensive one more care carefully Cully ch chosen os en Practice Is Test Tho The final test of any food budget and any diet plan is of course how howit I it works out in meals on the table Take a dinner featuring liver for example a meat looked on with favor by the nutrition specialists because of its high rating in iron and vitamins Liver of all kinds places high among the protective protective protective tive foods With a liberal food budget the menu might be Calves Liver and Bacon Relish French Fried Potatoes Buttered Broccoli Dinner Rolls RoIls Butter Fresh Fruit in Season Spice Cake Cako Dropping down to a more moderate moderate mod mod- erate crate cost level the menu might become Braised Beef Liver with Gravy Baked Potatoes or Hominy Buttered Cauliflower Hot Biscuit Butter Tapioca Apple Pudding w with th Top Milk At the minimum cost level this same general pattern might be carried carried car car- ried ned out as Scalloped Liver and Potatoes Quick-cooked Quick Cabbage Bread and Butter Apple Sauce Milk |
