In the following menus the effort has been to give a correct balance of the various food elements with the approximate calories furnished by each meal. They are suggestive only and may be varied according to the season of the year, the habits of work, or the tastes of the individual, care being taken to preserve the relative proportions. For instance, if much starch or fat is taken at a meal and little protein, the balance should swing in the other direction for another meal, the amount of protein being increased and that of carbohydrate decreased. Common sense must rule in the matter, as one individual would be illy fed on a diet which would be entirely adequate for another of more sedentary habit and weaker digestion. All the habits of life such as exercise, breathing, and mental activity must be taken into consideration. As previously remarked, there must be a variety in the diet which will stimulate the appetite, and, unless the tastes of the various members of a family are capricious, they may be gratified. If potatoes are not relished rice may be substituted. Plain bread may be varied by rolls or biscuits. Well-masticated nuts may supply the protein usually served in meat and are often a welcome change. The protein balance is important as this substance is the basis for growth and repair of the tissues of the body. When the protein balance of the family meal is provided by meat, if for any reason one member of the family does not care for meat, the protein may be supplied by eggs, or by the legumes as shown on pages 232-234. _Let me repeat that everyone should watch his likes and dislikes in the matter of food and guard against allowing himself to become finicky; he should not cultivate a dislike for a food which may disagree with him at a certain time or the taste of which he does not like, if that food is wholesome._ Remember that the likes and dislikes for food are largely matters of cultivation and one misses much enjoyment and much of health which comes from a well-nourished body by habitually sitting down to a table in a pessimistic frame of mind because the food served does not suit the fancy. It is very difficult for a mother to provide a meal which suits each member of her family and consideration for her as well as for self should teach one to guard against a critical attitude. The following is an example of a badly balanced menu. It was given a family, including a child, by a mother who “had no time to study foods. She gave her folks what was the easiest to get and filled them up the quickest.” This mother may have wasted hours in gossip with the neighbors, or on “fancy work.” _Breakfast_ Rolls with butter 2 cups coffee _Luncheon_ Fried sweet potato Bread and butter Prunes Tea _Dinner_ Macaroni with cheese Bread and butter Boiled potato Boiled rice with milk Tea with milk and sugar