Many people at the ages of sixty and seventy still lead an active life, while others retire from activity at forty-five or fifty. Therefore, the food must conform to the person’s mental and physical requirements. If the teeth are poor and the digestive powers are weak, the food should be light, consisting mainly of well cooked cereals, baked potatoes, rice, cooked greens, a small amount of meat, raw fruits and raw greens in combination with fatty foods, as salads, milk and buttermilk, toasted breads and soups. The total fuel requirement depends upon whether the individual leads a quiet or active existence. For a person who lives mainly indoors, and makes little use of the muscles of the arms, shoulders and trunk, 1000 to 1200 calories is sufficient for twenty-four hours. If more food is eaten than the body requires, the excess will manifest itself by the development of chronic ailments and obesity, or feeble-mindedness.

The morning and evening meals should consist of fluid and semi-fluid foods, or of toasted breads and salads. Meats, eggs (except the yolks), cheese, beans, peas and nuts should be eaten only during the middle of the day in small quantities. One can cut down his amount of food greatly by thoroughly chewing each morsel. The demand for protein at this period is small, while the amount of fat should be increased. A few sample bills of fare may be of assistance to those who wish to make a study of food requirements for themselves or for others.

MENUS FOR THE AGED

I. BREAKFAST.

Apple salad with lettuce finely chopped, onion and mayonnaise dressing, bacon and crusts.

DINNER.

Clear soup with rice and egg. One lamb chop with sprouts, and one triscuit with butter.

SUPPER.

One large glass of buttermilk, kumyss, peptonized hot milk or Dr. Metchinikoff’s sour milk, with one slice of graham toast.

II. BREAKFAST.

Raw cranberries and celery with olive oil, one slice of graham or whole wheat toast with butter and unsweetened black malt coffee.

DINNER.

Rice with cream or tomato sauce, eight almonds or one large zwieback with one level tablespoonful of almond butter and raisins.

SUPPER.

Calves’-foot and tomato jelly with graham toast or puffed wheat and milk or black malt coffee.

III. BREAKFAST.

Raspberries or strawberries, plain shredded wheat with cream.

DINNER.

Potato or apple salad, and lettuce with mayonnaise dressing, fish, black crusts and black coffee.

SUPPER.

Cook’s flaked rice gruel with hot cream, cream toast or vegetable cream soup.

IV. BREAKFAST.

Cooked string beans with butter sauce and parsley, fried bacon and triscuit with butter.

DINNER.

Barley soup with crackers, pea puree on toast, stewed prunes with cream.

SUPPER.

Bran tea with cream. A piece of cake or a slice of light egg toast.