We’ve come discover that meal planning can save money, time and foster great family relationships here in the 21st century. The time is the very early 1920′s. Famous Home Economist Christine Frederick author of several homemaking books and magazine articles not to mention a homemaking correspondence course gives the following advice on meal planning …
“Many women admit that while cleaning takes a great deal of time, still it is one of the tasks of the home which can be glossed over, or quite neglected in extreme need. But the three-meals-a-day problem seems the one from which there is no escape. We can leave the windows unwashed if we don’t get time or are too tired, but no matter what the circumstances or how the homemaker feels, the family must eat and so food must be prepared regularly.
Nothing wastes time more or is more inefficient than to let the choosing of a meal go until an hour or two hours before it is to be served. If left in this way until the last moment it is quite sure not to be a “balanced” meal, but one hastily put together, of anything that happens to be in the house or that can be obtained quickly.
Planning meals ahead has definite advantages:
(1) It permits economical marketing in advance, and purchase in larger quantities.
(2) It cuts down the time necessa1y in marketing, as instead of shopping every day for a small amount, marketing is done once or twice a week.
(3) It permits cooking for more than one meal at a time and saves in the use and washing of kitchen tools.
4) It permits food preparation many hours in advance of the actual meal.
If meals are left until the last moment it is likely that someone may have to “run to the store,” or telephone or pay the highest price for some article which is to be included in the meal. The most extravagant way of purchasing household supplies is to purchase in small quantities “by the bag” or by the box from day to day. On the other hand, by planning meals in advance, the materials for these meals can be carefully chosen, a list made, and bought in quantity.
Thus the “purchasing sheet” fulfils the second benefit of meals planned in advance; it prevents the possibility of being “out” of any product needed in the preparation of the meals.”
~Christine Frederick, Household engineering
