Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution

[daiseyo]

The argument about using knives and forks was ridiculous! I can't believe that they were asking why the kids would need them Having to teach kids that age to eat with forks is just horrifying. I hope those ladies watched themselves on the show and realized how foolish that argument was.

What an uphill battle Jamie's facing. The people in charge - including the lunch ladies - are all SO resistant.

Jamie's reaction to the knife and fork issue was pure stun, and he kept saying, "Are you being serious? I think I'm going to cry right now." Yup, he is definitely facing resistance from the lunch ladies, and people in charge. I think his personality might threaten some of the adults who don't know what to make of him, but the kids like him. Jamie's natural ability to make things fun is the best way to teach the kids about nutrition.

[Critical]

Jamie's natural ability to make things fun is the best way to teach the kids about nutrition.

The class of kids who didn't know what any of the vegetables were was just heartbreaking. Kudos to the teacher for taking the time to educate them. The next step is to get them to EAT all those vegetables!

[Bonbonlover]

This show needs a spoiler thread. I so hope that Jamie can make some changes with the eating habits in this country!!

[causingchaos]

I hope it does impact some of the eating habits of the country. But there's still the reality that a lot of people have limited budgets. So like my friend and I both budget about $50-75/month for groceries because that's what we can afford. The reality is if you want to get the most bang for you buck you end up getting stuff like rices or potatoes and stuff that won't spoil very fast because you need to make it stretch the entire month. Lots of farmers markets won't take the EBT cards of low income people. I know our whole food coop doesn't take it either and I shop there a lot to get bulk grains for cheap for baking and such. If you're a mother on WIC you're severely limited on what you can buy. You can buy some cereals and some milks (and god forbid if you want soy, organic or antibiotic free milk) but you can't buy peaches and stuff like that.

There's a lot of people in this country that can't afford the luxury of eating only healthy balanced meals. And I think to a point it is a disservice of Jaimie doesn't point that out at some point or point of the budgetary issues of school districts trying to make these meals healthier.

We have an all around problem here not just a choice problem.

[norealityhere]

I loved the show.
Am hoping, though, that his meals will go down in price; otherwise, there's no way the schools will change the menus.
When I was growing up, my Mom fixed very balanced meals. And, she was a good cook. We alwas had to have a vegetable on our plate, so I still cook that way.
I agree with those who say the entire family must eat a certain way; not just the kids.
I fully understand the point about fresh foods being more expensive than some other more starchy diets. However, I don't think cooking fresh foods is more expensive as long as one shops smart, stays away from very expensive items and doesn't mind spending time in the kitchen preparing foods.
I think processed foods like those shown on the school lunch menu have really taken their toll on people.
I think if we try to stay away from them as much as possible, we'll be a lot healthier and look a heck of a lot better, too.

P.S. Does anybody think Paula Deen or the Neelys were watching Jamie's show??

[Critical]

I agree, too, about fresh food sometimes being more expensive. Like noreality pointed out, preparing food more healthily isn't more expensive. How much was that woman spending on oil for that deep fryer?...that's assuming that she changed the oil regularly. You can buy a jumbo bottle of olive oil at World Market for less than $10 and it last a LONG time. Even using a small amount of canola oil instead of several cups of it is better. Baking chicken, instead of frying it isn't more expensive. If these folks started growing their own herbs, they'd have tons of options for seasoning their food. Growing some of their own veggies would save money too. Zucchini is cheap and those plants are SO prolific! They could even start a community garden if not everyone had space to plant their own. There are options for people who can't afford to buy fresh, but it does take more effort.

I think what's going to get people on board with Jamie's plan is things like what we saw last night when he went to the doctor's office with that family. Finding out that your young child will develop diabetes at 11 or 12 is sobering. That demonstration at the school with all the fat was also pretty eye opening. If he can do things like that, as well as show people that healthy food isn't bland, tasteless or super-expensive, I think he may have a chance.

[wannasee]

The argument about using knives and forks was ridiculous! I can't believe that they were asking why the kids would need them Having to teach kids that age to eat with forks is just horrifying. I hope those ladies watched themselves on the show and realized how foolish that argument was.

OK, I got to watch the whole thing. The knife issue, I don't know but I think it may be more a matter of safety in the school? (Although that wasn't mentioned.) It's sad, though, that the kids didn't even know how to, at home or school.

The type of food they serve, aside from having to be low cost, I think goes back to the menu having to benefit the lowest common denominator. That being a kid who goes home and has nothing. Zero. But as we're seeing, they are getting plenty outside of the home...but it's fast food and junk. I think if the government is gonna subsidize not only the school lunch (and breakfast) programs but low income families themselves, there has to be more control over what EBT and that type assistance can be used for.

Now, I think we're a little unique in California but when I can't get to (or afford) the Farmers Market, I buy the majority of my produce at our 99 cent store. I wash the heck out of it and I feel bad it's not local but often, it comes in the same packages I see at Trader Joe's. I see enough people in there filling their carts with cookies and candy, they ought to be able to get some lettuce or carrots.

[Critical]

The type of food they serve, aside from having to be low cost, I think goes back to the menu having to benefit the lowest common denominator. That being a kid who goes home and has nothing. Zero. But as we're seeing, they are getting plenty outside of the home...but it's fast food and junk. I think if the government is gonna subsidize not only the school lunch (and breakfast) programs but low income families themselves, there has to be more control over what EBT and that type assistance can be used for.

You'd think that, if the kids may not be getting fed at home, they would want to provide them with really healthy food at school. I find it shocking that they think those meals are totally fine. I was shocked when I read Fast Food Nation and found that the lowest quality beef - the kind most likely to have E. coli, btw - is sold to our schools! I mean, I know they can't buy the prime cuts, but they shouldn't be feeding them the dregs either. I don't think I bought my lunch at school more than once per week, but I don't remember it being as bad as the stuff they're feeding these kids on the show. I remember there being fruit and a salad - of course, it was teeny portions, but it was there.

Now, I think we're a little unique in California but when I can't get to (or afford) the Farmers Market, I buy the majority of my produce at our 99 cent store. I wash the heck out of it and I feel bad it's not local but often, it comes in the same packages I see at Trader Joe's. I see enough people in there filling their carts with cookies and candy, they ought to be able to get some lettuce or carrots.

I see the same things at my 99 cent store. I will say that our farmers markets are usually packed and you can generally get better deals there on fresher produce. Not only that, but we have a guy who sells meat and I can get pork tenderloin that's fresher and better quality for half the price of the grocery store. There definitely are people who just can't afford to buy the healthier foods, but there are some, like the ones you mentioned at the 99 cent store, who are spending the money on junk food when the healthy stuff is the same price.

ABC re-ran last night's episode this afternoon. I'm hopeful that ABC thinks this show is important enough to really promote. The more people who see this show, the better.

[lcmamom]

I watched the British version on BBC and the lunch ladies there were mean to him also. They liked the prepared foods because all they had to do was put them in the oven then go outside to smoke!

[hepcat]

I'm in California, and we have an "obesity policy" regarding school lunches. I guess it is a local thing; I thought maybe it was statewide but I couldn't find anything on google about it. I have taken it for granted - anyway, the lunch situation isn't nearly so dire as on this show. The policy states that kids can only have one entree but have unlimited access to the fruit and salad bar. There is pizza day once a week, but they can only have one slice. Still, there seems to be one choice every day that is more questionable and that all the kids will probably choose. Here's March's menu for example:

http://www.rcsd.k12.ca.us/1877101231...-Fair_Oaks.pdf

They also always have a big bin of bagels and cream cheese. I would love it if my daughter would use the cafeteria but she wants to bring a lunch. Oh, and yes - no knives and forks, only sporks, even when you're eating chef salad.

The other side of this coin is that California is so broke that they haven't had PE teachers for under 4th grade in years. If you have a parent group that can fund it, you get PE. If not, you don't. You would think Ahnold would be all over that one. Sorry for the California derail.