Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution

[Sicilian Mama]

His food wasn't all that expensive... it's just that the companies making the inferior food, CHARGE PENNIES to get their horrid food down the kids gullets... so ANY good food, no matter what kiind it is... is ALWAYS going to be cheaper and easier to cook...

They mass produce it... therefore can charge practically nothing to the districts... because bad food, and hydrogenated oils are CHEAP... and they pass that "savings" on to the schools... and the manufacturers make it up in volume...

It's supply and demand... at it's simplest...

If we all demanded better food... the good stuff would be cheaper...

[lulu65]

The lunch ladies were not accepting him either in Britain where he first started this but now it is going well in a few of the school I think.. will check..
and I agree the food was not that much more..and in the long run balances out itself it the kids get healthier.. For many of us who have or are feeding our children and families do we rally ever put a value on good meals. I don't think so and I did a budget like most folks and worked in the veggies, fruit etc.. the healthy stuff..and even pasta is nto what is making our kids fat..or us..

[RB Kayaking]

I think there are tons of moms out there that are like the mom with the two boys and a girl that don't have a clue how to cook let alone what to cook.  Just handing that poor mom all that fresh food and recipes had to be overwhelming when she didn't know how to cook.  Thats why I think that working with ptsa in the elementary schools would be a good place to start. 

Start teaching the parents how to cook and how to be in charge of what they are feeding their children.  Then move into the school lunches when the parents are behind LDL.  I can see that working so I'm heading back out to the three elementry schools in my area and see if I can work with the ptsa.

RB Kayaking

[CodingQueen]

What is sad is that our prison system feeds our prisoners better than our school children. They keep saying that they want our children to do well in school but you have to remember in order to do well in school the brain must be fed a healthy diet.

I use to give my sons a variety of foods when they were toddlers to expose them to a number of different things. Micky D's and other fast food restaurants were not among those choices. I can't tell you how many times I had to take another route just to avoid the sign that they would be able to see over their car seat and start crying...wanting a McDonald's or Burger King hamburger and fries. That was my father's fault. He spoiled his grandsons but neither one of them have a weight problem now. I'm just thankful that I was smart enough to that when they were young. They love fruits and vegetables and make them a large part of their diet. Hopefully, they will continue to do so and not have to deal with being obese.

CQ

[barrypaxton]

This was in the newspaper today:

NEWS BRIEFS
Children's cooking class sold out
May 28, 2010 @ 10:18 AM
The Herald-Dispatch

HUNTINGTON -- A five-week cooking class for children at Huntington's Kitchen is sold out.
The five-week cooking camp, called Jamie's Kitchen's Handstand Kids' cooking classes, start from 4 to 5 p.m. Wednesday, June 16. The kitchen is working on scheduling another round of classes, but cannot accept any more students for the class beginning June 16.
For more information, call 304-522-0887.

Isn't this wonderful that kids are wanting to learn a healthy way of cooking!!!
Ollie

[redkat]

Ollie,

That's great news.  I have to admit that I have only seen the first 2 programs in that series.  Will have to go on-line and catch up on the shows that follows.  It's wonderful that Jamie is making a difference in those kid's lives that are lucky enough to have him teach them the proper way to eat at an earlier age.  Maybe they can "teach" their parents, as well.  Thank you for the post.

[barrypaxton]

There's a follow up article in the Huntington WV newspaper about how the school cafeterias are doing a year after Jamie's Food Revolution came to Huntington. Here's a link to the article:

http://www.herald-dispatch.com/homepage ... ratch-food

I understand that Jamie is meeting quite a bit of resistance in his food revolution from the Los Angles school districts. I would have thought that they would be more health conscious and willing to try to improve the quality of the food they are serving. Guess the bottom line is that it's all about the $$$$.

Ollie

[LINDA RN]

I skimmed the article but did not see if they are measuring the BMI's of the kids since introducing the changes.
Certainly 1 meal a day will not curb obesity if they go home and eat junk, but if there is a decrease in the BMI, then the shows did influence the culture which is what will really bring about the change.

[barrypaxton]

I don't think they have done what you are saying. That would be pretty radical to expect students to have their BMI measured. I know what they have done is a small step but at least it's a step in the right direction. When Jamie was in Huntington he worked with students and parents trying to show them healthy food choices. I'm sure some of his teachings have carried over into some of the homes.

By the way did you see dr. Oz's show today on childhood obesity and how parents who allowed their children to be grossly overweight are committing a form of child abuse. Very good message, but I don't think some of the parents were buying it.

Ollie

[LINDA RN]

They must have done some measuring to say that Huntington had one of the highest rates of childhood obesity. The BMI is the gold standard for gaging obesity. It is just a ratio of their height and weight. Not always accurate since I see many medical people measuring height with shoes on!  Or worse yet taking their word on how tall they are!

I did not see the show today but I can pretty much guess that the parents think there is something wrong with their kids because they just don't see that they are really over-eating or eating REALLY bad stuff! They are in denial and convincing themselves it is not their fault.

[barrypaxton]

One mother said it was her son's choice. He chooses what he wants to eat. I say he has an idiot for a mother who keeps buying the bad stuff for him!!!

Huntington, WV declared the most obese city in the US in 2006 by news media. Who knows that was determined!!

Ollie

[LINDA RN]

Wonder if she turns her check book over to him and let him decide how to spend the money.
Geesh, I think not, but would be equally as idiotic.

[Sicilian Mama]

Good one Linda! I may have post that on FB!!!!

I am SOOOO not a Mama that lets my kids dictate ANYTING about how we live and eat in our home... I am the MAMA... hear me ROAR!!!