Suggested capacities for measuring spoons calibrated in metric units varied among representatives of food and equipment manufacturers and food and equipment editors of women's magazines. Suggestions included the following: (a) retaining present tablespoons and teaspoons without change, (b) changing tablespoons to 15 milliliters and teaspoons to 5 milliliters, and (c) developing a 10-milliliter basic spoon. The terms for volume in the metric system which would most commonly be used in food preparation are liter and milliliter. ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF ALTERNATIVES Problems encountered in use of the current system of measurement are chiefly of two types. First, some people have difficulty in performing the necessary mathematics with fractions and mixed numbers when they need to reduce or increase the yield of a recipe. The same type of difficulty is encountered by people with limited mathematical aptitude who may need to reduce amounts of ingredients to basic proportions for recipe analysis. A change in the metric system which is based on multiples of 10 should Secondly, some people may encounter a limitation on use of food information and recipes from other countries imposed by lack of knowledge of the metric system of measurement and lack of measuring equipment calibrated in metric units. Conversely, then, advantages of change to the metric system of measurement for food preparation in homes could include (1) simplification of calculations and comparison of dietary information Complete international acceptance of the metric system of measurement in food preparation could eventually lead to establishment of international standards for measuring devices and cooking and baking utensils. A major disadvantage of change to the metric system of measurement for households would be obsolescence of presently owned and used utensils, measuring devices and recipes from the standpoint of markings and language. Changes that would minimize needs for discarding presently owned and used items until a homemaker wants to replace them either because she wants to own up-to-date items or to replace worn-out equipment would be desirable. Information to permit easy adaptation of presently owned materials to the new system of measure would be needed. WEIGHT VERSUS VOLUME In view of the fact that quantities of ingredients listed in recipes from countries now using the metric system of measurement are specified in weight for most dry or solid ingredients, a question arises about the desirability of following this method in the United States in the event of conversion to the metric system. An argument for this is that with volume measurement, variability in weight of a given volume of a specific ingredient is common. This variability can occur because of variations in measuring techniques and variations among brands of a specified type of ingredient. Fortunately, proportions of ingredients in many foods, even cakes, can be varied considerably without serious detriment (complete failure) to the product although characteristics may be slightly altered. For accurate, carefully controlled work such as is necessary in experimental work with food, ingredients must be weighed. At present, few homemakers weigh ingredients in food preparation and there was little interest in going to this among women with whom we have consulted informally. For those who wish to weigh, however, scales or balances in metric units are available and simple tables or a graph such as is shown in figure 2 for conversion from avoirdupois to metric units (grams) could be used if needed. Dual statements of quantity of ingredients giving both volume and weight in metric units may be desirable in new recipes. Weights per unit of volume for selected ingredients are presented in the The two terms for weight in the metric system with which women would need to become familiar are kilogram and gram. Some thought has been given to whether weighing of ingredients is really necessary for the kind of cooking women in the U.S. do and to whether weighing or measuring of ingredients is the more difficult or troublesome. Disadvantages associated with weighing of ingredients include the initial cost of a set of accurate scales, the storage space requirement for the scales, and the need to train women to use them to achieve accurate weighing. Unless the scales are stored in a readily accessible place, the effort to get them out would discourage their use by most women. A few immigrants whom we have consulted from countries on the metric system have indicated that they considered weighing of ingredients an inconvenience in cooking and would prefer to use volume measurements in food preparation. Assuming that a person knows how to use scales and has them conviently located in the food preparation center, he or she could probably weigh as easily as measure flour, sugar, and other solid or dry ingredients. The quantity of solid shortening, however, would be easier and more accurately determined by weight than by volume. On the other hand, butter and margarine are available in market units which can be readily subdivided into needed amounts without use of either scales or measuring cups. Liquid ingredients and substances used in small quantities, such as baking powder, salt, baking soda, spices and the like, are more easily and probably more accurately measured by volume than weighed on home-type scales. If 1 Handbook of Food Preparation. 1964 revised ed. Washington, D.C.: American Home Economics Association. 2 Calculated values. some ingredients are to be weighed and some measured by volume, women would undoubtedly prefer volume measurements entirely for everyday food preparation. COOKING UTENSILS If a change is made from the current system of measurement to the metric system, and if capacities of measuring equipment are rounded to convenient quantities, corresponding adjustments in utensil sizes should be considered in order to accommodate changed yield from recipes. Consideration should be given also to the effect of change in volume and shape of pans on cooking time and quality of the finished food. Dimensions for baking utensils commonly used in the United States are expressed in inches, but they could be expressed in centimeters. Scales for Some rounding of dimensions may be necessary and should take into consideration recommendations for rounding of volume or weight in measurement of ingredients in recipes. Possibilities for common pan sizes rounded in metric units are shown in table 4. The unit of length in the metric system which women would need to learn in relation to food preparation is the centimeter. Table 4. Utensils: Standard Sizes in U.S. Customary Units, in Equivalent Metric Units, and in Rounded Metric Units Source (columns 1 and 2): American Standard: Dimensions, Tolerances, and Terminology for Home Cooking and Baking Utensils. Z61.1-1963. American Standards Association, Incorporated (now |