"This bulletin does not attempt to make definite suggestions for obtaining food at low cost or to recommend any special foods or combinations of foods. It tells very simply what the body needs to obtain from its food for building its tissues, keeping it in good working order, and providing it with fuel or energy for its muscular work. It shows in a general way how the different food materials meet these needs and groups them according to their uses in the body. It suggests that, by remembering these groups and having them all suitably represented in the daily diet, the housekeeper can easily plan attractive meals which meet the needs of her family without waste of money or material." -- p. 2

"The present bulletin deals with foods rich in starch and particularly with the cereals and foods made from them. These are mild-flavored, comparatively inexpensive foods which yield energy to the body. They also yield varying amounts of tissue-building and body-regulating substances. If they are combined with well-chosen materials from the other foods groups, they can be used safely as the main part of the ration. With wise planning such a diet can be made adequate, attractive, and at the same time economical." -- p. 2

"This bulletin deals with food materials which are rich in protein and tells why the body needs this nutrient and how much is supplied by different foods. Since the protein foods include many of the more expensive foods in common use, and since an adequate supply of protein is essential to the growth and upkeep of the body, it is especially important for the housekeeper to know how much her family needs and to be able to choose the materials which, in her particular circumstances, will best provide the proper kind and amount." -- p. 2