WHAT TO HAVE FOR DINNER--If all the members of the family are at home at
noontime it is usually more convenient to have dinner then, but if
members of the family are away or hurried at noontime it may be better
to have dinner at night. Dinner may consist of several courses, but if
the mother or the daughter of the family prepares the meal, the family
is usually perfectly satisfied with two courses.

The main course of a simple family dinner consists of meat, fish, eggs
or a cheese dish served with potato, rice or macaroni, and a vegetable
such as string beans, green peas, carrots, cabbage, tomatoes or corn. If
the family likes salad, the vegetables are often served as a salad. This
is a very good way to use up small amounts of vegetables which are left
from the day before. Often little remainders of two or more vegetables
may be very attractively combined in this way.

Some families like hot bread at dinner, and hot breads, such as baking
powder biscuit (described under supper), or corn bread (described under
breakfast), are particularly good with some combinations. Examples are
baking powder biscuit with meat stew or fricasseed chicken and corn
bread with bacon and eggs or ham. If fish is served in a chowder,
buttered and toasted crackers are usually served. An occasional chowder
for dinner is an excellent way to use up any surplus of skimmed milk
which may be on hand.

The kind of dessert served at dinner, besides depending on the taste of
the family, depends on the amount of money which is spent for food and
whether there are young children in the family. Pie and ice cream, which
are favorite desserts in many families, are expensive. Little children
should not have desserts which contain a good deal of fat, such as pie
or doughnuts, or which are the least bit soggy, as some steamed puddings
are inclined to be. The most economical desserts and those best suited
to the children are baked puddings made with milk and cereal, such as
Indian pudding, rice pudding, and those made with cereal and fruit, such
as Apple Betty or peach tapioca. If there is skimmed milk on hand the
possibility of using it in a milk pudding should be considered.
Chocolate bread pudding and Apple Betty made a very attractive use of
left-over bread. Dessert should always be chosen with reference to the
heartiness of the first course. A main dish which is not very filling
can be balanced by a more substantial dessert.

SIMPLE DINNERS:

1.