Luncheon or Supper Menus ~ Home Ec Unit 1 Ch. 7

Lunch can often be the most challenging meal in an attempt to eat a healthy diet these days. Too many adults default to fast food and school children are often terribly rushed during lunch. And yet it’s important to obtain vital nutrients at all meals. This Home Ec chapter provides helpful nutritional guidelines as well as many ideas for a healthy lunch. There are also suggestions for appetizers for those whose circumstances allow a more elaborate mid-day meal. 

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Chapter 7:

Luncheon or Supper Menus
Attractive Appetizers

Selecting Your Luncheon

The chapter begins with the hypothetical lunch selections of two school girls and asks the reader which was the better lunch and why. The answer is obvious. 

It is recommended that lunch include at least one hot food and should supplement the breakfast eaten. Three possible menu patterns follow:

Pattern 1:

• Hot appetizer or hot main dish
• Bread and butter
• Salad or dessert
• Beverage

Pattern 2:

• Soup
• Main dish salad
• Bread and butter
• Dessert
• Beverage

Pattern 3:

• Hot main dish
• Vegetable
• Bread and butter
• Salad or dessert
• Beverage

 

The Box Luncheon

There are limitations to what can be carried in a lunch box so the patterns above must be modified somewhat.

Box Luncheon Menu Pattern:

• Hot food – soup, stew, or beverage
• Main dish – sandwiches
• Juicy food – other than the hot food
• Dessert

The hot food or beverage may be carried in a vacuum bottle or purchased at the school cafeteria. 

Sandwiches:

There then follows two pages of sandwich filling ideas and tips for making a good sandwich that travels well. 

Vegetables and fruits supply the “juicy food”. There are lists of several suggestions in both categories. 

Suggested desserts include fruits, custard, plain cupcakes and cookies.

For a little something extra include a few salted nuts, raisins, figs, stuffed dates, or a bar of milk chocolate.

 

Selecting and Caring for a Luncheon Box:

A metal lunch box should be emptied and washed each evening and scalded often. Note that plastic lunch boxes were not available at the time this book was written. 

Packing a Luncheon Box:

This section includes fairly detailed directions for packing a lunch box. Sandwiches and cookies are to be well-wrapped in wax paper (no plastic sandwich bags yet!). The firmest foods go on the bottom with the more easily crushable foods on top. As much as possible, the foods should be arranged in the order they are to be eaten. Two paper napkins are to be included as well as a drinking cup and spoon (if needed). 

I found it interesting that there is then a “Box Lunch Standards and Score” chart including neatness, convenience, and food selection categories, each with possible points. If all are checked off, the box lunch rates 100. 

 

Appetizers and Fruit Cocktails

These are something we don’t often see for lunch in the United States. There are recipes for Tomato Juice Cocktail and Orange-Lemon Cocktail. Other suggestions include halved fruits and fruit cups (several suggestions follow).  

 

Hors d’Oeuvre

These are most often included when luncheon is served to guests.

Soups

Soup is a good choice on cold days but cold soups are an option in the summer. Several soup recipes are included:

• Cream of Corn Soup
• Potato Soup
• Bean Soup
• an entire chart of cream soup ideas

Crackers, Melba toast or croutons make excellent accompaniments to soup. 

 

Points to Consider

1. A question regarding the lunch choices mentioned at the beginning of the chapter and whether the first choice followed any of the recommended patterns.
2. Following Pattern 1, plan at least two lunches.
3. Look for sandwich filling suggestions in magazines or newspapers. Consult cookbooks.
4. Try scoring the luncheons of those in class who brought lunch and are willing to have them scored. 
5. For a tasty appetizer, what could you add to the following syrups drained from canned fruits to give a more zestful flavor or more pleasing color? Peach, pear, pineapple, grapejuice.

My Thoughts:

I always plan our dinner menu but now that David is working from home, I think I should give more thought to our lunches. I have an excellent vintage cookbook that includes monthly menus for both dinner and “luncheon”. I think I’ll take a bit of inspiration from these menus. 

This is the cookbook I am referring to although mine is the 1976 edition:

 

If you ever run across one of these (1950s to 1970s) at a reasonable price, snap it up! 

 

Menu Planning Resources: Try These Tips!

Need some help with lunch ideas? Here a few resources:

How to Pack a Lunch Box

14 Hearty Lunch Ideas for Adults That are Way Better Than Takeout

 

Bento Box Lunch Box Ideas Video

 

 

THIS BLOG SERIES IS BASED ON THE 1949 EDITION OF YOUR HOME AND YOU BY CARLOTTA C. GREER. 

MORE IN THIS SERIES…

Inviting Breakfasts ~ Home Ec Unit 1: Food is More Than Flavor

The Mild-Tasting Breakfast Foods ~ Home Ec Unit 1 Ch. 2

Other Bland Foods ~ Quick Breads ~ Home Ec Unit 1 Ch. 3

The Almost Perfect Food – Milk ~ Home Ec Unit 1 Ch. 4

Getting a Meal & Washing Dishes ~ Home Ec Unit 1 Ch. 5

Facts & False Notions About Nutrition ~ Home Ec Unit 1 Ch. 6