A clean, dry kitchen and a clean cook are the best precautions you can take, Tuck away your hair and wear clean clothes. Hands should be clean and dry. Wash them after touching nonfood items, after handling each particular food, and especially after handling each raw food. If you have a cut or infection on your hands, wear rubber or plastic gloves. No coughing or sneezing near food, please. If you are sick you shouldn’t be cooking.

Bacteria like warm, moist, cozy spots to grow and reproduce in. Bacteria are likely to be found wherever food is or has been. Sometimes bacteria just spoil food, but sometimes they create toxins that can spoil us. To control bacteria and their growth, wash foods before preparing them. This includes poultry, meat, fruits, vegetables, and eggs in the shell.

Cooking To Conserve Nutritive Values

Sensible storage can save nutrients; careful preparation and cooking can, too. Happily, cooking to save nutrients not only gives you the best of the food, but is the easiest of all methods _simple and short. By cooking quickly, with a minimum of preparation, you save time, steps, and nutrients. As a bonus, you get food that looks, tastes, feels, and is better. A special note: extra precautions are needed to prevent loss of vitamins. Heat only to serving temperatures and use a minimum amount of water.

It’s our hope that, using the Nutrition Know-How information provided on these pages and the recipes that follow, you’ll find planning and preparing nutritious meals easy and rewarding.

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Read labels, check unit pricing, and buy grades to match your purposes. Private or “house” brands are usually less expensive than name brands. Remember also, that you are shopping for food, not for beauty.

A USDA publication, Your Money’s Worth in Foods, is a helpful reference for budgeting, menu planning, and shopping. It includes charts and tables of costs per serving and per pound, and cost-weight tables to compare costs of foods from different-sized containers. Knowing the cost per serving is especially important when meat shopping.

After shopping, go directly home. Do nonfood errands before you get to the supermarket. Perishables lose food value quickly if they are not promptly and properly cared for.

STORING
Unpack, sort, and store foods carefully. Non perishables in unopened packages are best kept in cool, dark places. After opening, certain items must be refrigerated _the label will tell. Carefully wrap and clearly label all foods that you will not use until later. Storing food is more than just setting it aside for later use. Storing improperly can waste nutritive values.

Nutrition is lost when foods spoil, and poor planning is the cause of waste. Try to cook just the right amounts of food, and if you do have left overs, use them right away.

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If you are overweight and serious about losing extra pounds, the solution is simple _consume fewer calories and get more exercise. Do this on a moderate, regular schedule _no crash or fad diets and no furious exercise programs. It takes 3,500 calories to make one pound of body fat, so by cutting only 500 calories a day, a dieter can lose one pound in a week. This is a safe amount to lose and an effective way to diet.

Cutting down on calories does not mean cutting down on nutrition. A wise weight-control diet will be based on the Four Food Groups. Accumulating extra weight is a long-term process, and so is getting rid of it. Just as gaining extra pounds is due largely to poor eating habits, losing them will depend upon developing new eating habits _habits that once established ought to last a lifetime.

Meal Planning
Planning for nutritionally balanced, appetizing meals will become second nature to you if you understand the Four Food Groups and use the guidelines of the Daily Food Guide. Put together a variety of foods from the four groups, adding from the Other Group for flavor and fun, and you can hardly go wrong. Try to include foods that have well-rounded nutrient personalities, with a combination of food values (protein, calories, vitamins, minerals, etc.). Choose foods wisely so you benefit from everything you eat.

Breakfast should provide at least one fourth of the daily food needs. If the usual breakfast foods leave you cold, try an appealing array of cheeses, muffins or breads, fruits, and yogurt. After all, lox, cream cheese, and bagels are a common breakfast combination.

Make lunch worth something by selecting a meat, fish, or egg sandwich (on enriched or whole grain bread). Add something from the Fruit and Vegetable Group as a garnish or go-with. Cheese, fruit, and enriched bread or crackers are even easier to fix and still supply what you need to get on with the day.

Usually the evening meal is planned around a main dish. A green or yellow vegetable, rich in vitamins, will complement any main dish. Salads and breads are frequent accompaniments to dinners and suppers. Vary the greens you use in tossed salads. When a tossed salad doesn’t seem to fit the bill, offer fruit salad, cole slaw, or a relish tray. Muffins, biscuits, or French bread can add a special touch to a meal, too. Desserts should be chosen to complement the dinner. Choose a light dessert, such as sherbet or fruit, to follow a heavy meal.

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The information given on nutrition labels will help you plan more nutritious meals, help you compare nutritive values of different brands, and help you in selecting foods for special diets.

Food Additives
A food additive is any substance added to foods during processing or packaging. Most additives are in chemical form, derived from natural sub stances. Food additives are nothing new. Salt and pepper have been used for centuries for the preservation of meat. Spices and herbs are also additives.

In order to be used as a food additive, a substance must be safe in the quantity used, it must perform its intended function, and it must not jeopardize the nutritional value of the food.

Without additives our foods would cost more and probably be less wholesome. Furthermore, the laws in the United States governing food quality and the use of food additives are the strictest in the world. Nevertheless, since some food additives remain insufficiently tested, many questions regarding their safety have yet to be answered.

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The “Basic Four” classification is now the basis of most nutrition education in the United States. In this classification, foods are divided into four categories according to their similarity in nutrient content. The groups are the Milk Group, the Meat Group, the Fruit and Vegetable Group, and the Bread and Cereal Group. Other foods that fall outside these four categories are included in an additional or Other Group.

Milk Group
The Milk Group includes all types of milk and milk products except butter and cream. These milk products are ice cream, cheese, and yogurt.

Milk is our main source of calcium. It also supplies phosphorus, protein, riboflavin, and vitamins A and D. Lowfat milks are fortified with vitamin A, and all milk you buy should be fortified with vitamin D. Foods from the milk group help promote the development of strong bones and teeth, healthy skin and tissue, good night vision, and a well-running nervous system.

Cheese, ice cream, and milk used in cream soups, sauces, puddings, or in other cooking all count towards the daily number of servings of milk. Cream and butter should be considered part of the Other Group.

Meat Group
The Meat Group includes beef, lamb, veal, pork, variety meats (liver, kidney, brains, and heart), poultry, eggs, fish, and shellfish. Meat alternates or substitutes are dried beans and peas (soy, pinto, navy, lima, kidney beans, chickpeas, split or black-eye peas), lentils, nuts, and peanut butter.

Foods from the Meat Group supply protein, iron, and the B vitamins (especially thiamine, niacin, and riboflavin). Two or more servings of meat a day are recommended. Preferably, something from the meat group should be included at each meal.

Fruit And Vegetable Group
All fruits and vegetables fall in this group, but special emphasis goes to those that are good sources of vitamins C and A. Fruits and vegetables also supply other vitamins, minerals, and carbohydrates _all at little calorie cost. In addition, they add bulk.

Meals and snacks should include four or more servings from this group every day. One of those four must be a good source of vitamin C (or two servings of foods containing lesser amounts of C). One serving every other day should be a good source of vitamin A. A serving is usually one-half cup of the fruit or vegetable or an equivalent amount.

Bread And Cereal Group
Enriched, whole grain, or restored breads, cooked or dry cereals, cornmeal, crackers, flour, grits, macaroni, spaghetti, noodles, rice, rolled oats, baked goods, bulgur, or parboiled rice or wheat are all members of the Bread and Cereal Group.

Breads and cereals are an excellent source of carbohydrates, iron, and those important B vitamins. Three to four servings should be eaten daily. Check the labels-products that are not enriched, not whole grain, nor restored don’t count! If one of the servings is not a cereal, have an extra serving of enriched or whole grain bread or baked goods. A serving is one slice bread, one ounce (about a cup) ready-to-eat cereal, or its equivalent in other cereals.

Other Group
Many of the foods in the Other Group are fun foods. Examples are sugars (candy, soft drinks, gelatin desserts, alcoholic beverages, and syrup), salad dressings, cream, butter, margarine, oils, and other fats.

These foods contribute fat, sugar, seasoning, and calories to our diets. They add flavor to other foods and help us meet our energy needs. Except for the recommended amounts of fat, they are not essential to a healthy diet.

Special Needs For Special People
Everybody needs the same nutrients, but some people need more than others because of special demands on their bodies at various times in their lives.

Prenatal care obviously depends on the kind of nutrition the mother gets. Nursing infants and preschool children also have special nutritional needs. For young school children, a good break fast has been shown to be essential to success in school. The poor eating habits of teenagers, especially girls, are legendary and must be avoided.

Senior citizens need fewer calories, but not less nutrition. Careful food selection can help prolong a healthy, happy life _even on a restricted budget. Special diets, such as for diabetes, are by definition “special.” There is only one safe way to approach them: consult your physician and follow his advice.

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Water is provided largely by the fluids we drink, whether it is water itself or other liquids. Many foods contain a lot of water, too. Nutritionists recommend drinking two quarts of water a day.

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Calcium
Ninety-nine percent of the calcium in the body is in the skeleton _98 percent in the bones, 1 percent in the teeth. It helps blood clot and helps nerves and muscles, including the heart, react normally. Our need for calcium is lifelong _20 percent is replaced each year. Children and pregnant or nursing women need more calcium than other people.

Milk and milk products are our greatest sources of calcium. Fish bones such as those eaten in sardines and dark green leafy vegetables are sources of calcium, too. Most of the daily requirement of calcium for an adult is provided by just two glasses of milk a day or its equivalent.

Iron
Iron combines with protein to make hemoglobin, which carries oxygen in the blood from the lungs to the muscles, brain, and elsewhere. Iron helps cells use oxygen. Lack of iron can cause iron-deficiency anemia which, in turn, can cause lack of sleep, energy, and appetite. Organ meats (liver, kidney, heart) and red meats are great iron sources. Oysters, eggs, whole grain and enriched cereals, dried fruits (especially raisins and prunes), dark green leafy vegetables, dried beans, peas, and nuts supply some iron, too.

Phosphorus
Ninety percent of the body’s phosphorus is deposited as inorganic phosphate in the bones and teeth. The other 10 percent is located in cells as organic phosphorus. Phosphorus is found in many of the same foods that provide calcium and protein foods.

Iodine
The thyroid gland needs iodine to make thyroxin, the regulator of certain body processes. Iodine shortages can cause goiter (enlarged thyroid). Anyone who has lived in the American Midwest knows that it is called the “Goiter Belt” because of its great distance from the sea, the major source of iodine. The addition of iodine to salt has helped prevent goiter.

Fluorine
Fluorine is the name of the pure element. When in solution or combination with other materials, it is called fluoride. It helps prevent tooth decay, and it also helps develop stronger bones.

Fluoridation of community water supplies has been endorsed by the American Dental Association and leading medical groups. Dentists can also supply a fluoride compound directly to the teeth. If you aren’t sure whether there is fluoride in your water supply, check with your dentist.

Sodium, Potassium, Chlorine
These three minerals help in the transport of fluids in and out of cells and in the maintenance of a normal balance of water between fluids and cells. Sodium and potassium are vital to normal nerve responses and muscle contractions (including the heart). Sodium, potassium, and chlorine are essential in maintaining the balance of acid and alkali of the blood.

Sulfur, Copper, Cobalt, Molybdenum, Manganese,Selenium, and Zinc
Sulfur is active in every cell of the body and is an integral part of sulfur-containing amino acids. Copper works hand in hand with iron to make hemoglobin in the blood. Iron needs copper to work with. All of these elements are in adequate supply in the normal diet. Supplementation, other than under a doctor’s care, could be dangerous.

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Vitamin A is found in animal foods only, such as liver, eggs, butter, whole milk, and cheese. Carotene changes into vitamin A after digestion. Dark green and deep yellow vegetables and deep yellow fruits are good carotene sources.

Vitamin D
Vitamin D helps the body to use calcium and phosphorus, strong bones and teeth are the result. Rickets is the soft-bone disease caused by deficiences of vitamin D, calcium, and phosphor us. Some D is found in egg yolk, butter, and liver; but some fish, particularly sardines, salmon, herring, and tuna, are more abundant sources of vitamin D. Milk that has been fortified with D is the most common source of this vitamin.

Vitamin K
Another of the fat-soluble vitamins, K is best known for its work in the normal clotting of blood and functioning of the liver. Several foods _green leafy vegetables, egg yolk, and organ meats _supply vitamin K. Some vitamin K is produced by bacteria in the intestinal tract.

Vitamin E
Vitamin E is a fat-soluble vitamin whose most important feature is its antioxidant properties. It prevents the unwanted oxidation of polyunsaturated fatty acids. Vitamin E is stored in the body in muscles and in fat deposits. E is found in many common foods: unsaturated fats, wheat germ and wheat germ oil, leafy vegetables, legumes, whole grains, liver, butter, milk, and eggs.

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Thiamine
Thiamine plays an important part in carbohydrate metabolism and in the functioning of the nervous system. It also helps digestion and a normal appetite. Thiamine deficiency causes beriberi. Pork and liver are particularly good sources of thiamine.

Riboftavin
Riboflavin also promotes metabolism. A deficiency in riboflavin causes sore lips, tongue, and mouth,and rough scaly skin. The eyes are also affected by lack of riboflavin. Liver is an excellent source of this vitamin.

Niacin
Niacin helps the body metabolize the nutrients in food.A lack of niacin can cause pellegra, which can be fatal. The proper amounts of protein give us the niacin we need.

Pyridoxine
B6 is a part of the enzyme system that helps us use and build protein. Meat, whole grain cereals, dried beans, potatoes, and dark green leafy vegetables are good Be providers.

Pantothenic Acid
Pantothenic acid also plays a part in the chemical processes that keep us moving and working. Foods that supply the other Bs are good sources of pantothenic acid.

Biotin
Biotin is available in organ or variety meats, muscle meats, milk, vegetables, egg yolks, grains, and some fruits. It works in several enzyme systems.

Folacin and B12
Folacin and B12 are particularly important in formation of red blood cells. Green leafy vegetables, liver, legumes, meat, whole grains, and other vegetables give us folacin. Organ and muscle meats, milk, cheese, and eggs take care of our B12 needs.

Choline
Probably not a true B vitamin, choline is made in the body from an amino acid with the help of B12 and folacin. It is available in a variety of foods.

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Lack of vitamins causes deficiency diseases. Each of the better-known vitamins is related to an equally well-known disease. The remarkable thing about these diseases is that the cure is usually simple and immediately effective. Start eating foods that have the proper amount of the vitamin you need and it won’t be long before you are well. A word of warning here _vitamin deficiency diseases can be cured by certain foods. Other diseases cannot be cured by certain foods.

About a dozen or so major vitamins have been identified. They are available from foods in your neighborhood grocery store.

Vitamin pills and supplements are not necessary additions to a varied, balanced diet. If you want extra insurance, check with your doctor and take a vitamin pill containing United States Recommended Daily Allowances (U.S. RDA) and no more than those recommended amounts. Taking massive doses of vitamins or megavitamins is unwise and dangerous. Few people realize that excesses of some vitamins can be poisonous and even fatal. Vitamin overdose is almost always due to abuse of vitamin supplements. Therapeutic vitamin intake must be supervised by a physician.

Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid)
Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) is a water-soluble vitamin. It helps form and maintain the material that holds living cells together and strengthens the walls of blood vessels. It also helps normal tooth and bone formation and builds resistance to bacterial infection. Natural vitamin C and commercially produced ascorbic acid are chemically the same substance.

Natural sources of vitamin C (citrus fruits, tomatoes, white potatoes, sweet potatoes, and green leafy vegetables) add other nutrients besides C and provide bulk, necessary for good digestion.

How much vitamin C is needed each day? One-half grapefruit (or six ounces of orange juice) plus a serving of a vegetable high in C will meet the daily requirement. As the body does not store this vitamin, moderate amounts of C-rich foods must be eaten daily.

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