Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution

Onesnap

Did anyone catch Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution this week? Season 2 just started.

First let me start out by saying that I love love love California. I just came back from a trip to LA. The show so far is really hard to watch. I loved the Huntington, WV season (as did my husband). It often made me cry. I like Jamie's shows in general. So I was a fan before watching FR.

If you saw the LA episode what did you think? What about all of that red tape within the district? "Oh, we'd like you to talk to the food director...oh, never mind" What about all the gross pre-packaged food (looked worse than airplane food) that the parents brought in to the food center. Now, I know school food is not perfect, and all of the controversy around it. However there's a huge farm-to-school movement going on (even in very poor schools kids are learning how to grow veggies and fruit as well).

If you saw this episode did you walk away feeling sick? Did you just shrug your shoulders and think to yourself "my kid's school is NOT that bad, what do I care?" Our taxpayer $ is going right into the schools, so really it's all of our problems. I don't have children but at my home in Maine 80% of what we pay in taxes goes RIGHT into the schools.

I'd love to hear your thoughts on the issue. If you don't yet watch this show--check it out.

kristy3119

Rats! I missed it. I loved the last season. When is it on? Need to make sure to update the DVR...

nikkishai

I caught it on hulu.com and I was disgusted!!!!!

Onesnap

It's on Tuesday nights I think! You most likely can watch this episode online for free! Maybe Hulu or the network's website. Glad to hear you watch it...it's heartbreaking really.

godblessourhome

Rats! I missed it. I loved the last season. When is it on? Need to make sure to update the DVR...

same here.

Onesnap

Nikki, ok good. I'm not alone. The scene where he explained in other countries the kids just drink milk, not milk with more sugar than soda. That was just so wrong. I'm glad too that he brought his family to LA. That was hard on him last year being father of 4 and away from those kids...

RMinVA

Did not see the whole thing, but I was absolutely apalled @ what the school system tries to pass off for food. For some children, schools provide the most nutritious meals that they get. Scary stuff!!

Onesnap

Here's a review:
http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/134456/20110414/food-revolution-jamie-oliver-los-angeles-reality-tv-recaps-school-food.htm

Onesnap

RM, I know. The fact that the food at McDonalds or Dunkin Donuts is better than what they feed those kids is disgusting!

PNCTink

I absolutely love Jamie Oliver, and I'm glad he brought his family along this time! We have made some serious changes in our family's food since the first episode, (No more processed nuggets here!) and I was glad that they were able to make some changes in the Huntington schools. The LAUSD must have some serious issues to hide if they don't want Jamie Oliver coming in, and calling the police to enforce it. Here in Vermont we have Farm to School programs, but I am not familiar with them since my children aren't in school yet (and probably won't be since we're planning to homeschool). I think his mission is wonderful and wish that more people would stop and take note. The price of corn is going up so all these processed foods won't be nearly as cheap as they used to be. Hopefully this will drive more people into farmer's markets and coops to buy locally grown foods.

godblessourhome

However there's a huge farm-to-school movement going on (even in very poor schools kids are learning how to grow veggies and fruit as well).

he and 'better homes and gardens' magazine buddied up to produce a fabulous garden plan for an 8x12 plot. you can get it for free at www.bhg.com.

immacookie

I watched the WV season but have not watching the first CA one yet.... but I remember seeing the WV episodes and thinking that didn't look too terribly different from what *I* remember getting served as a grade schooler back in the early-mid 1980's.
Granted, we had no vending machines or strawberry milk - but the MEALS looked roughly the same.... big gobs of "beefaroni" from a can.... pudding from a big can.... canned peaches.... mystery meat (salisbury steaks?).

What did YOUR grade school cafeteria lunches look like??? I'm really just curious!


p.s. in JR/HS I brown bagged it to avoid the cafeteria line - but it was the same kind of crap served there... fish sticks and mac/cheese, etc.

craftylatvian

I just posted on my blog about this. I love Jamie and how he is trying to educate not only the school systems, but the public as well. But, why are the parents not packing a healthy lunch for their kids? On the LA episode, the parents brought the school food to Jamie and agreed it was crap. Why are they letting their kids eat the school food? I don't have kids so maybe that is not for me to judge. Jamie has opend the eyes of many people, but it needs to be a stronger movement. Next time you go grocery shopping, look at what people are buying. It will make you think twice about what you put in your cart.

Onesnap

PNC, if you're planning to homeschool check out the Pioneer Woman's blog. It's amazing if you have not seen it yet.

http://thepioneerwoman.com/

Onesnap

My school lunches were made by hand. There were unhealthy options that we LOVED of course but they were not cooked in plastic and pre-made at one location like in LA. I grew up in the hilltowns of Western MA. Literally 1/2 hour from a grocery store. Very poor areas and the schools are all regional. There was always an al la carte line as well where you could pick and choose things like yogurt. So the meals were not perfect, but they were made by actual people, not machines!!

Swingdeva

As someone who has worked in Maine schools I can tell you that Maine School's are NOWHERE near as bad as what Jamie showed... that being said there is also a lot of room for improvement.

Onesnap

Good to know. I mean, I'm a taxpayer in Maine but I've never seen the schools. My friend's children there seem happy though.

I brought my lunch to school most days in the 80s growing up. I always bought something to go with (like yogurt or a brownie). But back then I was underweight and had trouble gaining weight. I should have eaten the school lunch more often.

immacookie

I was also in a very poor regional school district in SE Missouri (kids were bussed an hour each way to/from school). But yeah we had frozen and canned crap, I think most of it was Govt Commodities... rarely we would actually get a REAL apple or orange. And that was early 1980's.

I honestly didn't know what yogurt was until I was a teenager. (and yes I was a heavy kid)



~disclaimer - I am in no way defending what the public schools serve - I find it disgusting myself and remember it BEING disgusting eating it as a kid.... I'm just asking out of sheer curiosity of what schools did 20-30 years ago around the country vs. now~

Onesnap

I think in 20, 30 years it has gotten worse in the schools. Even though your school was not perfect in the 1980s it was less processed. And remember, there was no such thing as a GMO until the 90s. GMOs are banned in some countries because we just don't know what they do to humans yet. Also, in the 80s real sugar was used and less fake chemicals.

Poor school systems cut corners where they can (speaking from having gone through a system that was not wealthy by any means). But the wealthy systems bring in Pizza hut vendors and McDonalds for the kids so I'm not sure how that's better!

Also, in the 80s all the kids were skinny! There was no such thing as an obesity epidemic where I grew up. We got tons of outdoor activity every single day even in the winter. Sure, there were heavy kids but nothing like today.

immacookie

Very good points onesnap!!!

Even though the food was canned and frozen the ingredient list was probably much more recognizable than the chemical laden ones we see now!

Oh and also we didn't go home and have McDonalds or Dominoes for dinner.... there were none of those within 45 min drive.... so the breakfasts and dinners we all ate were much better than some of the kids currently. :frown: (our schools did not serve breakfasts)

Onesnap

Thanks! And remember, frozen veggies are actually quite good for you! They are frozen at the peak of freshness, they are cheap, and you can buy them in organic.

Now I'm craving french bread pizza with a side of broccoli like they served us in the 80s at my cafeteria. Oddly enough it was not frozen pizza.

whiskey9890

oh i'm glad he's done a second series, can't wait to see it in the uk.
he did one a few years ago in the uk called Jamies school dinners, very similar in principle to the us food revolution but just focusing on the school meals and he had the same negativity thrown at him from the kitchen staff, teaching staff, parents and the kids themselves, he struggled on though and he earnt my resprect for being brave enough to tackle these issues straight on and take the grief, in our series the parents would feed their kids fast food through the school fence rather than have the kids eat something healthy and nutrious.

heston blumetal (sp) has tried something similar but it didn't have the same impact as he's a very gimicky chef

sad thing in the uk is that prisoners in jail have on average more spent on them per head for food than children do for school meals, and people in hospital have even less spent on them than that

Swingdeva

Onesnap we are opposites. I grew-up in Maine and lived there until last year but now I'm in Mass.
But up until last year at the schools I worked at in Maine kids did have a fresh veggie bar everyday and flavored milks were not served everyday. What really got me was the amount of waste...

RMinVA

I usually took my lunch in middle school, don't really remember elementary. In high school, my lunch break was so early (10:30 ish), that I often just had a pack of cheese crackers and a Tab (yeah...dating myself here). If I did get lunch it was usually a salad...thank goodness we had that option. If I didn't eat lunch, my mom would usually have something waiting for me when I got home...a little after 2.

immacookie

heston blumetal (sp) has tried something similar but it didn't have the same impact as he's a very gimicky chef

I love Heston... but I can imagine his "delivery" wasn't quite as well received as Jamie either

CollegeGirl19

I just watched it on Hulu and I am thoroughly disgusted.

Mishy

My husband and I watched it, and I've been thinking about it ever since.

I think Jamie should open up a fast food place of his own (and yes, I even thought of a name but i digress) using the concepts he was trying to incorporate into the fast-food restaurant he visited. I got the impression that the owner relied solely on it for his livelihood, and losing customers due to the increase in food costs (albeit for better quality) would hurt him economically. I don't hold that against him or feel he is being irresponsible. Although on the flip side, if people took more responsibility for their own choices they may decide not to eat at fast-food places that do not offer higher quality choices which might ultimately end up hurting the owner as well. As a solution, perhaps slowly incorporate changes so it isn't as much as a shock.

As for what the children are eating - just ugh. I admire Jamie's dedication to children. I think it has to be a combination of things because it is all interconnected - children being taught well, children deciding well (yeah, I do realize how difficult this is) and parents/guardians and schools supporting all of it. I also think where you live plays a huge part in all of this. I'd be curious to find out if more affluent school districts/communities are offering better choices - my thought on this is "yes."

As for what I'm eating - that meat part stuff grossed me out, and made me aware of how lax I've been in reading labels and knowing where food comes from (genetically engineered food has NOT been on my radar at all until now) Made me also want to do all my shopping at the Farmers Market and Whole Foods, too.

It's an interesting show and I'll continue to watch it.

Onesnap

Thank you all. And for the good reminder as well. I get out of work early enough with this job to hit up the farmer's market on the way home. I need to be better about doing it!

whiskey9890

heston blumetal (sp) has tried something similar but it didn't have the same impact as he's a very gimicky chef

I love Heston... but I can imagine his "delivery" wasn't quite as well received as Jamie either

the kids in the childrens hospital thought it was great but i don't think i'd like ordering snot shakes (i think they were smoothies) and various other similarly named items if i was over 12 lol

Onesnap

Mishy, that fast food owner from this episode admitted he does not feed his children his restaurant food!

Onesnap

Here's a link if you want to learn about GMOs in a short & sweet list:

http://leah-onesnap.blogspot.com/2011/02/gmo-thoughts.html

(my blog)