Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution

[damren]

I have been looking forward to this show too. I love Jamie Oliver! We have some cookbooks of his and love his food!
I hope the show will reach out to the people who make the guidelines for school nutrition because it's a joke.
I don't blame those women at all either because they are given guidelines telling them "hey if you follow these nutritional guidlines you are doing good" So to them they were following the rules and probably felt good about meeting the nutritional standards. I do believe they will come around, I don't think they want to intentionally make the kids eat garbage, they are just following the rules

love this show!

 

[Sarah7401]

I don't know how the process works, but if the menu says "mashed potatoes" do they have to use those instant processed potatoes or could they make them from scratch? In other words, do the individual schools order their own supplies or are the supplies sent to them by the state board of ed?

You know, that I am not sure about. I know that they do not have much money at all to work with and I'm pretty sure that it is much cheaper (or they make sure it is cheaper) to buy the instant stuff instead of the fresh produce. The only experience I can speak from is my son's school and I know they order their own supplies, but their funds are extremely limited. Unfortunately, at the state level, education and nutrition do not rank anywhere near as high as they should. These are the things that are cut or ignored first.

 

[cajunmommy]

I don't know how the process works, but if the menu says "mashed potatoes" do they have to use those instant processed potatoes or could they make them from scratch? In other words, do the individual schools order their own supplies or are the supplies sent to them by the state board of ed?

I can't speak for WVA, but here supplies are pre-determined by the district for the most part. Not a whole lot of room for interpretation. Of course, it makes for some pretty interesting lunches on the days when deliveries aren't received as expected.

 

[damren]

I don't know how the process works, but if the menu says "mashed potatoes" do they have to use those instant processed potatoes or could they make them from scratch? In other words, do the individual schools order their own supplies or are the supplies sent to them by the state board of ed?

I know at our schools we just recently put alot of schools into 1 rsu. They said one reason they did this was to save on food. Now these 10-12 schools can order in bulk for a huge discount and share between schools.

 

[damren]

What kills me is the little amount of food the kids are actually eating! I had forgotten, but I used to help out in the cafeteria when DD was younger and just like the guy last night we threw SO much food out. My DD now comes home and is always starving

 

[Luv2Scrap]

I think the show is great. Those kitchen ladies were mean - they seemed very set in their ways and reluctant to try anything different. Their mission seemed to be to get rid of him as quickly as possible!

Can't wait to see more!

 

[Wishing on a star]

What horrible women!

OMG!!!!!
That's the only thing that I could keep thinking.
And 'horrible' was probably the nicest word that ran thru my mind.

They are all downright nasty and smug and adversarial.

The guy is supposed to be there for ONE week.
ONE WEEK....
They agreed to this...
And THIS is how they are handling it.

The poor kids/families in this area have NO chance...

That woman who is the head of the nutrition/program program. The word that I would use to describe her is NOT dis friendly!!!

In fact, her behaviors and attitudes fully portray and embody those which I have experienced in our school system (and from what I gather, many across the country). This behavior and attitude is one of the top reasons why my son is no longer in school.... Pulled him out 2 1/2 years ago. Will never go back.

 

[Wishing on a star]

PS: this is also practically a scripted re-run of EXACTLY what happened in that little mini-series program promoted by Shaq....

Do you guys remember that...

Exactly the same story.

And, unfortunately, probably the same outcome.

No real change or results at all.

 

[eliza61]

Marshall "College"? Really?

Anyway, granted, the cooks were rude; however, they don't have much choice (read absolutely no choice) in what those kids eat for lunch. If he really, truly wants to make a change, he needs to come to Charleston and head to the capitol to talk to the state board of education. Schools are provided a menu each month from the county and they order accordingly to make what is on the menu. They used to have more freedom in what they ordered. For example, the cooks at my son's school knew that making certain dishes was just a waste of time. They knew that half the kids would bring their lunches and those that didn't would end up throwing all their food away. So, instead of having all that waste, they would order something different for that day. It's not the cooks' fault... although they could have been nicer.

Sorry Marshall University. I'm a University of Pittsburgh grad so it may have been a freudian slip.
No need to call homeland security.

 

[damren]

Found this on Jamies site
http://www.jamieoliver.com/campaigns/jamies-food-revolution/petition

 

[nexttrip4us]

My kids go to the same grade school I did...we had "lunch ladies" who cooked the food right there at school...now it all comes in hot boxes/bags from some central place. There really is no quality that I can see. Ewww.

My 4 kids range from 5-11.5 yo and not ONE of them has ever taken hot lunch...and they won't unless something drastically changes! I have lunch at school with them sometimes and it is nasty what is put on kids' trays...

 

[holycow]

I only caught the last 25 min. or so but I agree with the above poster those women were so close minded.

It has nothing to do with "oh, they can only do so much" It has to do with their attitudes! They were very smug and wouldn't even give Jamie a hand or be friendly! I was shocked at their behavior! Mean Lunch Ladies is what I thought.

Why do people like that work with children if they don't like it? Aren't looking for the best welfare of the children? Grrrr....


Anyway GO JAMIE! He is an amazing man and I loved what he did for that family! The boy he was letting cook ....you could just see that Jamie gave him hope of a future! Inviting him to come to England and cooking with him!

I could just see the hope in that boys eyes. I cried. Possiblities! That is what it is all about! Getting out of our little boxes and seeing a bit of what else is out there.


Off my soap box now.

 

[jamimb]

I actually went to the school's website that they featured in the program last night and looked at their lunch and breakfast menu for the month of March. I was surprised at what I saw. No breakfast pizza but they are offering yogurt for breakfast and whole wheat toast and pancakes (hey its a start) lunch seemed healthier too with lots of fruits, salads and on several days baked potatoes were listed. So much better than the potato "pearls". I don't think Jamie Oliver is all about low fat cooking just whole foods cooking. Real food that has not been processed to death. I love it!!!!

If you ask me this whole country needs a food shakeup!! I work at an elementary school as an assistant teacher and sometimes the lunchbox lunches are worse than what is being served in the cafeteria! Lunchables are deplorable to me!! I saw a child come to school with a kool aid jammer (sugar and preservatives galore) a Jelly sandwich(yes just jelly) on white bread and two large bags of cookies. come on people!!!!

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

What kills me is the little amount of food the kids are actually eating! I had forgotten, but I used to help out in the cafeteria when DD was younger and just like the guy last night we threw SO much food out. My DD now comes home and is always starving

As a kid I was ALWAYS starving when I came home and I threw out very little of the food unless it was some veggie that had been assasinated. Today--I know that the condition of some of those veggies--likely left them wtih very little nutritional content b/c they were way overcooked.

As a grown up--I also know WHY I was starving. It's b/c everything was processed and refined---not a whole grain in the bunch. The stuff that would fill you up--the protein and fiber...was sorely lacking.

The meals were essentially glorified snacks. There was some move to do something--i.e. on days with salisbury steak or something as substantial, I was not as hungry.

But on pierogie days or pizza days--I was a raving starving kid by the time I got home.

Sadly--it was even worse when I packed my own lunches. I don't think my mom realized.

My breakfasts were part of the problem-a bowl full of cheerios with wayyyy too much sugar on top for good measure.

I can't wait to watch the show--due to AR's delay last night--I didn't get to TIVO Jaime.

It seemed the lunches I had in grade school in PA were much much better than elsewhere. By middle and high school (SC, LA, FL)--you pretty much avoided school lunches b/c they were nasty--and not in a good way.

Even as teens--we thought it downright hilarious that soda machines couldn't have coca cola type drinks--but they'd have the fizzy fruit drinks (aka fanta). The sugar content was horrible--but heaven forbid, don't give the kids caffeine as it is unhealthy.

 

[buckler]

You can watch last night's episode online on Hulu or the ABC website.

Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution on Hulu
Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution on ABC

 

[Luv2Scrap]

Found this on Jamies site
http://www.jamieoliver.com/campaigns/jamies-food-revolution/petition

Thanks, I just signed the petition for myself and my husband for Minnesota.

I also bookmarked the site - looks like a lot of good info there!

 

[RitaE]

I watch that and I just feel overwhelming sadness. Especially for that teen boy that is just like "I don't want to be overweight anymore."

When I was in school ... lunches were bad but the lunches were just one meal a day 5 days a week and sometimes they weren't even that bad. There was better stuff at home that met the bulk of our nutritional needs. Now these kids are getting the "pizza and nuggets" twice a day (all their food for the ones who aren't getting dinner or 2/3 of their food for some of them) and THEN it is likely their parents are feeding them similar food at home or running them to McDonalds.

Add in the decreased physical activity as a nation and they're doomed.

I just look at those kids and think it isn't supposed to be that way. Our kids shouldn't look like that and they shouldn't have to suffer through the physical consequences over something as simple as food.

It's terrible.

 

[Anne34]

I think the show is great. Those kitchen ladies were mean - they seemed very set in their ways and reluctant to try anything different. Their mission seemed to be to get rid of him as quickly as possible!

Can't wait to see more!

I agree -- I felt so bad for Jamie and all of the resistance the people he was trying to help put up. I can't imagine trying to keep going with them all being so mean.....and then when he started tearing up in the playground! OMG -- I almost lost it too.

I asked my kids last night (12, 14 & 16) if they would rather have had that pizza or the chicken. All three said the chicken!! I guess we have done something right!!

 

[jamimb]

I agree -- I felt so bad for Jamie and all of the resistance the people he was trying to help put up. I can't imagine trying to keep going with them all being so mean.....and then when he started tearing up in the playground! OMG -- I almost lost it too.

I asked my kids last night (12, 14 & 16) if they would rather have had that pizza or the chicken. All three said the chicken!! I guess we have done something right!!

My kids would have preferred the chicken also. I don't know why but I am very passionate about healthy eating even when it's not my kid. We have a kid at our school who literally eats nothing but cookies. This child has no learning disabilities or anything he just wont eat anything but junk food. His mother says he doesn't like anything else. I guarantee if you pack a healthy lunch everyday and absolutely refuse to give him anymore junk food eventually he will get hungry and eat it. Heck I'd probably eat cookies all day too if I was not made to eat otherwise.

Parents should start taking responsibility for their children's health at birth. No child is born with a hatred for all things healthy. You train them to be that way!!!!

 

[DisGirlAllie]

I LOVE this show! His message is great and he seems like a phenomenal person.