Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution

[RitaE]

I'm pretty sure Jamie Oliver did his homework just fine. Jamie Oliver is not a health food fanatic but he does believe that food should be a well balanced meal, not just patty of whatever meat on a bun with the daily allotment of fries.

It is a TV show designed to bring to light the road blocks in putting good nutrition into schools in the United States. If you watch his TED speech you will notice that one of his key points is that without proper cutlery the only thing children can eat is fast food designed to be held by the fingers. So they had a choice of having Jamie stand in front of a camera and say that (boring tv) or illustrating it with a staged TV scene that has the school cook aghast over the idea of a 6yo with a dinner knife (much more entertaining).

To tell you the truth I have enormous respect for this WV school and their employees putting themselves out there like this to generate discussion.

If you ever watch Ann Cooper's TED speech she talks about how when she first started in her school District pretty much the only implements her school kitchens were stocked with were box cutters and almost none of her employees knew how to cook. They knew how to unpack and heat.

 

[NotUrsula]

So they had a choice of having Jamie stand in front of a camera and say that (boring tv) or illustrating it with a staged TV scene that has the school cook aghast over the idea of a 6yo with a dinner knife (much more entertaining).

Yes, entertaining, but it makes him look like a git. "Are you serious? Are you joking?" Of course they were serious, it's a nearly universal rule, and he looked like a pompous fool appearing to not know it. I think he could have accomplished the same end with a scene having him say something like, "Look, I know your lawyers think it's a bad idea to give kids butter knives, but will you use your authority to let us try it and see how they do? We give kids knives in England, and it works OK." That way he could have had the argument with the principal for his dramatic effect, but framed it in a way that didn't make it look as though he had no idea the rule existed.

 

[Indiana Rose Lee]

We had knives in the 70's. I suspect
that surprise was exactly what he felt.

 

[RitaE]

We always had knives too. I guess what we didn't have was lawyers.

 

[jamimb]

I would think a child could do more harm to themselves or another child with a fork than a butter knife.

 

[Indiana Rose Lee]

We always had knives too. I guess what we didn't have was lawyers.

lol, no kidding!

 

[eliza61]

I guess basically my point is this. I totally agree that cooking for 400 little ones is hard. back breaking, crazy hard. Trying to also meet all kind of crazy guidelines probably isn't helping either but the bottom line is that when 1/2 of your population has a greater chance for life threathening preventable disease, it's really time to start at least THINKING of how to change the situation.

Forget about health care reform, preventing 1000's of kids from having heart attacks by age 40 would go along way in health care.

IMO, that's like saying Yes, I know what I'm doing is going to kill this little girl and doing absolutely nothing to prevent her early death.

The thing that is very sad is that we have all the studies and data to back up these predictions. So when does Huntington or any town USA begin to change?
If this was a chemical plant dumping waste water into the drinking water and causing cancer at the same rate of diabetes, Erin Brockavich would be on the door step ready to sue. They couldn't get away with the excuse "it's too expensive" to change?

 

[DisneyBeagle]

I would think a child could do more harm to themselves or another child with a fork than a butter knife.

Good point.

 

[mum4jenn]

Now really...for those of us in our 40's think about what the schools had for lunch back when we were in elementary school.

I remember yeast rolls 4-5 times per week...
I remember dessert every single day ,brownies, cinnamon rolls (school made), cake, cobbler.
I remember SWEETENED applesauce,
I remember ketchup as a vegetable and you got a spoonful of ketchup in its own compartment on the tray.
I remember whole milk,
"juice" that was only 2% real fruit juice,
vegetables with sugar cooked in them,
sausage soaking in grease, and many other things like that.

In our district we have rolls (with whole wheat flour) 3-4 times per MONTH,
dessert..as in a cake or fruit crisp (made with oatmeal) maybe once every couple of months,
a cookie (Otis Spunkmayer) once or maybe twice a month,
cinnamon rolls..have not seen them made for students in over 6 years
UNsweetened applesauce
ketchup is NOT considered a vegetable
Whole milk GONE for over 5 years...fat free, 2% white, and 1/2 % choc now available
Juice that is 100% real fruit juice
NO sugar cooked in the vegetables
Sausage that is Turkey sausage,
hot dogs that are turkey or chicken,
pizza with whole wheat crust and low fat cheese
Bread for sandwiches that are whole wheat or white wheat
Breakfast products or battered products with whole wheat.
Cereal with more whole grain and reduced sugar
Fries baked instead of fried.
Brown rice instead of white

As a kid of the 60's and 70"s I remember...Mom and Pop restaurants, Dairy Queen, Krystal, Burger Chef,Kentucky Fried Chicken,Burger King around mid 70's along with Pizza Hut.
We got our 1st Wendys in 1977 and they were the first to have a drive thru here.
I think we had a McDonalds a few years earlier but we never ate there so I am not sure about the year they arrived.

Kids today are faced with several restaurants on every block. Mexican, Chinese, All sorts of others...more than I could ever begin to name. all sorts of convenience
foods and snacks at the grocery store, 7-11's, etc.

OK...so more fattening foods in schools in the 60's and 70"s but less fast food places.kids were safe to play outside at all hours, no video games or computers.

NOW.. lots of changes in the school foods...not perfect but better and (evidently some districts are in horrible shape)
Not safe to play outside without supervision, video games and computers.

So...can fat kids be all the fault of school lunches these days or is it all the fast food, convenience
foods, lack of an active lifestyle, that is to blame?????

 

[cepmom]

mum4jenn
sounds like your school actually offers healthy options. Sadly, not all schools do. My Dd's school regularly offers nachos as an entree, along with chicken nuggets, chicken patties, pizza every week etc, etc.

I don't think anyone said school lunches are the main reason kids these days are fat, but it sure doesn't help things. On the Jamie Oliver show, he was reprimanded and forced to offer 2 grain choices with his meal; why on earth does anyone need 2 grain choices with every meal? That nutritional information is outdated. He offered a serving of brown rice; but was forced to add some kind of bread also. Nobody needs that. I realize the cafeteria workers have to work within the guidelines set by the government, and the changes need to be made at that level for any changes to become the "norm"

I think the whole idea of the show is to try to offer healthier choices, that processed food isn't healthy for anyone.

 

[simba20]

I would think a child could do more harm to themselves or another child with a fork than a butter knife.

Umm I have the marks on my wrist where a fellow classmate impaled a fork into my wrist after she got upset that I drank the milk she had given me 10 minutes before. After I opened the milk and started drnking it, she changed her mind. When I questioned and said "Who would drink milk from the carton after someone else? Laying my arm down on the table with my wrist up for dramatic effect, she picked up her fork and stabbed me. This was in 1985. Still remember the sting of the school nurse pouring straight RUBBING ALCOHOL on my wrist immediately after.

 

[kwelch10377]

I would think a child could do more harm to themselves or another child with a fork than a butter knife.

I have the scar on my middle finger to prove this. My brother stabbed my with a fork when we were younger.

 

[sunshine1178]

I have the scar on my middle finger to prove this. My brother stabbed my with a fork when we were younger.

At my son's preschool they eat fantastic, healthy, freshly cooked foods with spoons. His class has 11 boys and one girl. If you ever saw these boys, you'd agree that spoons are a great choice. We'll practice fork and knife skills at home, where the adults outnumber the enthusiastic boys!

 

[DisneyBeagle]

So...can fat kids be all the fault of school lunches these days or is it all the fast food, convenience
foods, lack of an active lifestyle, that is to blame?????

I definitely don't think that obesity is the fault of the school lunches and that convenience foods plays a HUGE part. I think that the school lunch menu is indicative of the way that some families eat these days. (Notice that I said some, not all). Gone are the days of home cooked meals made with no artificial ingredients for these families, and they have been replaced by sugary, artificial, chemically filled heat & eat meals.

In my opinion, another HUGE factor are serving sizes and they way we base everything around food. Think about it, we always get together with friends for food, we have food for every celebration, and we serve treats to kids after playing 15 minutes of soccer. Like I previously said, I don't have kids, but I spend a lot of time with my friends kids and children in my family. Is it really necessary to have a donut, rice krispie treat and capri sun after playing t-ball? I remember getting orange slices after basketball games growing up and being told to "hit the water fountain" on our way out.

 

[runwad]

ok so fill me in, why do the kids today get such a small amount of time to eat? My kids only get 20 min so rarely do they buy because of not having enough time coming out of the line.

When I was in elementary in the 70's we got an hour, 1/2 to eat and 1/2 outside recess...but if it took you longer than 1/2 you sat till you finished. We did not throw away all that food as there were monitors(teachers) in the cafeteria that told you if you were done and could go. Wow I gotta admit all that food those kids were wasting made me cringe .

Then even in Jr High and High School lunch period was an hour. We could go outside but usually everyone stayed in the cafeteria and socialized till next period. So why do we rush our kids now? Are they learning more then us? Getting out earlier? Seems like my kids go earlier and get out earlier but are still in school the same amount of hours

Everyone is right something has to change but I think a big part of it has to start at home.

 

[mum4jenn]

Our students get 1/2 hour. It has been done that ever since the dark ages when I was in school.

However the classes are timed to NOT all come at one time. We are allowed 2 minutes to get each 3rd grade class through the line and 3 minutes for each class of 4th and 5th graders.

If they can not finish their meal in 28 minutes it is because they have been playing or talking (or both!!)

 

[NotUrsula]

ok so fill me in, why do the kids today get such a small amount of time to eat? My kids only get 20 min so rarely do they buy because of not having enough time coming out of the line.

When I was in elementary in the 70's we got an hour, 1/2 to eat and 1/2 outside recess...but if it took you longer than 1/2 you sat till you finished. We did not throw away all that food as there were monitors(teachers) in the cafeteria that told you if you were done and could go. Wow I gotta admit all that food those kids were wasting made me cringe .

Then even in Jr High and High School lunch period was an hour. We could go outside but usually everyone stayed in the cafeteria and socialized till next period. So why do we rush our kids now? Are they learning more then us? Getting out earlier? Seems like my kids go earlier and get out earlier but are still in school the same amount of hours

Everyone is right something has to change but I think a big part of it has to start at home.

Yes, they pretty much are in school for the same amount of hours; the difference is that the schools are pressured by various education law reforms to make more of that time in-class instructional time. My local public school district has done away with recess altogether; those kids get no play time at all (they have gym once per week.) Our school does still have two recesses per day, but they shortened them (and the lunch period) to give them a bit more class time.

I think that in economically disadvantaged areas, especially, lack of safe places to play has a huge effect on the obesity rate. Those kids really need supervised recess, but they tend not to get it because their schools have been ordered to squeeze in yet more test prep. (Also, in neighborhoods like that, lack of nearby full-service grocery stores contributes, too. If you have to ride a bus 4 hours r/t to buy fresh meat, fruit, and veggies, you're not likely to do it too often with little kids in tow.)

 

[mum4jenn]

Just finished watching episode 1 and most of 2 on my computer. I don't see the ladies as being as rude as others have written about but they are being defensive and trying to do their jobs according to the rules that they are required to follow. I also feel some of this is staged. If the ladies were all agreeable on day one and did not put up resistance then Jaime would not have show!!

They did seem surprised about "real" chicken more than I thought they would be.
I do agree that he should wear gloves in their kitchen but I also feel they should wear hairnets instead of the visors!!

We rotate our menus.
August,Sept. Oct./// Nov, Dec.,Jan.,Feb/// Mar.,April,May

During our "winter" menu we have "real" chicken which we bake. It does take time to prepare and we have to spend 2 days getting it ready to cook while still having time to cook other items.


We also have roasted red potatoes paired with "real" turkey roast. Those also are easy to cook but to have the time they have to be cut the day before and soaked in water to prevent them from turning dark.

With our vegetables we have a salad/// tomato& lettuce///mini carrots///slaw at least 2 times a week.

Other vegetables we can use canned or frozen. I prefer to use the fresh-frozen because they look much better and are not as mushy.

With fruits I try to have fresh fruit: oranges (or tangerines) and apples at least twice a week. Sometimes this will have to vary towards the end of the school year to use up any canned fruits we have in our stock that we have received from USDA.

There are those of us doing things as right as we can. When I choose my fruit for the day I try to make the plate as colorful as possible. Also I switched to brown rice totally this year. Last year we would mix white and brown to get the kids use to it and this year they have not even realized that white rice is gone.

A couple of years ago we had two versions of cereal...one regular...one less sugar. I made sure I always chose the ones with less sugar and other kitchens kept on ordering the ones with more sugar. I kept telling them that the kids do not miss the extra sugar. I am also the only kitchen in our town thay does NOT allow choc. milk for breakfast. They just do not need it. Also choc is the only flavored milk I have. Last year when we were trying to cut some items from our order guide I was actually able to finally convince the others to stop ordering the higher sugar cereals!! MY own small victory!! LOL!!

 

[sallybrealey]

An important reason for kids to use a knife and fork rather than a spoon (except the obvious that its good manners) is that it stops you eating food so quickly. With a spoon its easier to overeat as its used as a shovel.

We have serious knife crime etc in the UK too but to ban knifes like this seems crazy.

 

[Indiana Rose Lee]

Now really...for those of us in our 40's think about what the schools had for lunch back when we were in elementary school.

I remember yeast rolls 4-5 times per week...
I remember dessert every single day ,brownies, cinnamon rolls (school made), cake, cobbler.
I remember SWEETENED applesauce,
I remember ketchup as a vegetable and you got a spoonful of ketchup in its own compartment on the tray.
I remember whole milk,
"juice" that was only 2% real fruit juice,
vegetables with sugar cooked in them,
sausage soaking in grease, and many other things like that.

In our district we have rolls (with whole wheat flour) 3-4 times per MONTH,
dessert..as in a cake or fruit crisp (made with oatmeal) maybe once every couple of months,
a cookie (Otis Spunkmayer) once or maybe twice a month,
cinnamon rolls..have not seen them made for students in over 6 years
UNsweetened applesauce
ketchup is NOT considered a vegetable
Whole milk GONE for over 5 years...fat free, 2% white, and 1/2 % choc now available
Juice that is 100% real fruit juice
NO sugar cooked in the vegetables
Sausage that is Turkey sausage,
hot dogs that are turkey or chicken,
pizza with whole wheat crust and low fat cheese
Bread for sandwiches that are whole wheat or white wheat
Breakfast products or battered products with whole wheat.
Cereal with more whole grain and reduced sugar
Fries baked instead of fried.
Brown rice instead of white

As a kid of the 60's and 70"s I remember...Mom and Pop restaurants, Dairy Queen, Krystal, Burger Chef,Kentucky Fried Chicken,Burger King around mid 70's along with Pizza Hut.
We got our 1st Wendys in 1977 and they were the first to have a drive thru here.
I think we had a McDonalds a few years earlier but we never ate there so I am not sure about the year they arrived.

Kids today are faced with several restaurants on every block. Mexican, Chinese, All sorts of others...more than I could ever begin to name. all sorts of convenience
foods and snacks at the grocery store, 7-11's, etc.

OK...so more fattening foods in schools in the 60's and 70"s but less fast food places.kids were safe to play outside at all hours, no video games or computers.

NOW.. lots of changes in the school foods...not perfect but better and (evidently some districts are in horrible shape)
Not safe to play outside without supervision, video games and computers.

So...can fat kids be all the fault of school lunches these days or is it all the fast food, convenience
foods, lack of an active lifestyle, that is to blame?????

This isn't about you, you know. This is about a school in Huntington WV, with crappy food and rude people. They didn't have to be so snotty.

As far as the blame, when 2 of 3 meals is served at school for many kids, and they are nasty processed, sugar/fat laden foods, then, yes, they are partially to blame.