Cereals are economical, contain unusually good proportions of necessary food ingredients with small proportion of refuse, are readily prepared for the table, palatable, digestible, compact, and easily preserved without deterioration.

Rolled oats is perhaps the best-known of the cereals and lends itself to the greatest variety of dishes, aside from its popular use as a breakfast food.

Corn flakes are manufactured of the best pure white corn, thoroughly toasted and ready to serve. Wheat flakes are the whole wheat berry, flaked and toasted.

Macaroni, spaghetti, and egg noodles are made from Durum wheat semolina, ground fine. Eggs are added to the cereal for noodles.

Hominy grits and whole hominy are favorite American breakfast cereals and combine well with other foods as the main dish for the meal.

Among the staple food products, rice is one of the least expensive and should appear frequently on the family bill of fare.

Thorough cooking is the secret of the tasty and easily digested dish of cereal. Cereals in bread, muffins, cookies, cakes, croquettes, and in casseroles with cheese, fish, or left-over meat; in the baking dish with a slice of ham, or with a vegetable, they give variety to the menu and make the preparation of the everyday dishes more interesting.

TABLE FOR COOKING CEREALS

Stir cereals gradually into required quantity of boiling water, allowing one teaspoon salt to each cup of cereal. Fine granular cereals may be mixed first with a small amount of cold water to prevent lumping, then add boiling water. Stir flaky cereals with a fork. Cook rapidly at first over flame five or ten minutes, then in double boiler. For prepared cereals, allow plenty of time to cook thoroughly as their palatability and ease of digestion depend largely on this.

For variety, stir figs, dates or marmalade into cereals before serving. Serve with canned fruits, baked apples, or fresh fruits sliced over the cereal.

Cold cooked cereals may be sliced, dipped in flour, or in eggs and crumbs and fried. In preparing corn meal mush for frying, a little flour added to the corn meal will make it slice more easily.

SERVE MORE FRUITS

During the season when fruits are plentiful serve them plain, uncooked and well ripened. Small fruits and berries should be thoroughly chilled. All fruits should be washed and drained or wiped before serving. To wash berries, place in a colander and pour water over them, handling as little as possible. If washed under the faucet turn to a small stream. Wash strawberries before removing the stems, otherwise they will become water soaked.

CANNED FRUITS

Serve canned fruits with their juices as a dessert for luncheon and dinner, as an appetizer for breakfast, in cocktails for dinner, and in various desserts in which fruit is used as a base. The flavor of canned fruit is improved by removing from the can to a dish and allowing to stand in the air one hour before using. The juice which is not served with the fruit should be used in fruit gelatins, sauces, or drinks. Do not waste any fruit juice.

Certain fruit juices contain a neutral substance called pectin, which, when properly cooked, causes them to solidify or jell. In this form much of our excess fruit and juices are preserved. Apples, grapes, currants, cranberries, and plums are the best known jell makers.

GRAPEFRUIT AND ORANGE

In preparing grapefruit to serve, chill the fruit thoroughly, cut in two crosswise, remove the seeds with a sharp pointed knife, remove the center, and, slipping the knife down between rind and pulp, loosen all around without cutting the tissue.