So, was Jamie Oliver right?

[Maximus]

With his crusade regarding school dinners?

Was he being too idealistic? - i recall how the kids rebelled against his healthy alternatives, as did the kitchen staff, but how he got them onside once they started growing their own veg etc.

Remember too the tales of parents feeding ther kids through the school gates with McDonalds etc.

Was he always on a loser? - was he right to try?

All I know is there are so many "fussy eaters" (and not just kids!) out there it amazes me how many people just "Don't do fruit or veg"

Even where I work, I see people who have chips every single day for lunch. I have absolutely no doubt many of them hve them for dinner/evening meal too.

There are plenty of options, yet people seem to pay no more than a passing glance to salad bars and fresh fruit.

I know tha was me a few years ago, and I really was obese when watching all of this unfold on TV a few years ago. I felt he was always fighting an uphill - if not impossible task, yet I think his ideas were sound. Took me a while to embrace it.

Not bad for a cockney geezer to convince this geordie-type

 

[bunnylovesalan]

I don't think you can control people, just give them the information the rest is up to them to take the next step. I knew when I wanting to lose weight it was down to me wanting to do it rather than people telling me.

 

[Happy Holidays]

I think Jamie was a little too optimistic with his school dinners campaign. The idea is brill, but in theory, it just hasn't worked. IMO the whole country needs educating not just children.

On Saturday we went out for lunch with MiL; she hadn't eaten breakfast as she knew we were going out. For lunch she chose beef & ale pie, this came with mash & peas, she swapped with OH as she wanted chips. She barely touched her peas, yet ate all the pie & chips she also informed me she'd had fish n chips twice this week. When we got home she said she wasn't eating tea as she'd had a big lunch She is disabled & quite a large lady; yet she skips meals thinking she's not eating too much & doesn't really eat veg.

I just get annoyed with her eating habits, but it's not my place to mention it. She doesn't realise how difficult it is to help her up when she falls over, or push her up hill in the chair.

Anyway back to your point, yes there are so many options with fruit & veg & so many yummy filling meals which can be made.

 

[mommyB]

He was and he wasnt !!

Some of the food that was shown as being served in schools was shocking !! But I think he tried to push it too far the other way-you cant change habits that quickly-the food still needs to be the kind of things kids recognise and are willing to try.
I actually work in a school at lunchtime ( not as ktichen staff) and havr seen a change in the food offered and its mostly been positive- a few things bug me tho-they have to serve bread 'dry' the reason being that butter or spread contains too much fat-have they not heard of healthy spreads ? But on the flip side you'd be surprised how many kids do visit the salad bar.

But overall yes I think something did need to be done

 

[judywoody]

I think what Jamie did was right - many thought it was patronizing but isn't that the problem?? People need to be told - it's their attitude that makes their children sick. Maybe the project didn't perform miracles but it was a small step into the right direction. The thing is that parents make decisions for their kids when it comes to food. I am not a big veg eater myself (I always eat my veg but I couldn't just have a salad for lunch - I don't like cold food and it wouldn't fill me up). But I try to implement it into my diet.

I thought it was quite rude of parents to oppose Jamie in his efforts to make their children healthier - he was doing their job. This is not a matter of choice - This is a really important issue and people who think they can stuff their kids with junk food and are still convinced it's their own business are downright wrong.

Maybe it's because I am not British myself - where I come frome people would embrace and welcome new ideas. The reaction of these parents showed that this country is doomed when it comes to healthy eating. If they don't change their attitude - who do they think should take the first step? This is not about themselves, it's about their kids. There has to be more enthusiasm and team work when it comes to making healthy food choices. If no one starts - who will??

I like Jamie and I think it was a good idea. But maybe Britain is not ready yet...

 

[ronniejacobs]

sorry to hijack your thread - been not around much but MAX you are so close to target well done

 

[Maximus]

I think what Jamie did was right - many thought it was patronizing but isn't that the problem?? People need to be told - it's their attitude that makes their children sick. Maybe the project didn't perform miracles but it was a small step into the right direction. The thing is that parents make decisions for their kids when it comes to food. I am not a big veg eater myself (I always eat my veg but I couldn't just have a salad for lunch - I don't like cold food and it wouldn't fill me up). But I try to implement it into my diet.

I thought it was quite rude of parents to oppose Jamie in his efforts to make their children healthier - he was doing their job. This is not a matter of choice - This is a really important issue and people who think they can stuff their kids with junk food and are still convinced it's their own business are downright wrong.

Maybe it's because I am not British myself - where I come frome people would embrace and welcome new ideas. The reaction of these parents showed that this country is doomed when it comes to healthy eating. If they don't change their attitude - who do they think should take the first step? This is not about themselves, it's about their kids. There has to be more enthusiasm and team work when it comes to making healthy food choices. If no one starts - who will??

I like Jamie and I think it was a good idea. But maybe Britain is not ready yet...

Some very good replies, and some healthy exchange of views (which is good). I also think we are not ready yet, but if government figures are to be believed, obesity is not merely becoming a problem, but IS a problem. - It might already be too late

I also tried to convince others, but alas I can no easier force my beliefs/ideals on others than Jamie could - and rightly so!. I now prefer to take all the compliments and plaudits and let them know of SW where they will find their own plan and path to follow.

Having recently returned from Florida, I can truly say I have glimpsed Britain's future and you better believe me it is Supersized - with a side of double cream!

sorry to hijack your thread - been not around much but MAX you are so close to target well done

Hey, Ronnie Jacobs - you can hijack thread anytime with that kind of compliment

I'm actually back within target range (+/- 3lb) after 2 weeks in the Obese State, er, sorry the Sunshine State (Florida) where I gained 9.5lb!!

 

[AnnaFaraday]

The thing about Jamie Oliver is that he is idealistic and full of energy and new ideas. Some of them will work, some won't. But he is certainly not someone to sit back and do nothing when he sees something he thinks is wrong.

People like that can be intensely irritating at times, particuarly to those people who ought to be taking his advice! But look at what he has achieved. And he is always willing to try something and fail, pick himself up and try something else. And he certainly isn't afraid of hard work.

Thomas Edison said that he had not failed, just that he had found 10,000 ways that didn't work. This was when he was working on inventing the light bulb. Just as well he kept going!

And that's what Jamie Oliver does. He keeps going and sometimes he gets it wrong but mostly he gets it right.

 

[judywoody]

What I also liked about him is that he didn't just hold a sermon - he took action and showed them how you can do it. He is just deeply interested in the future of these kids and didn't want to patronize anyone..

 

[kingleds]

I think what Jamie did was right - many thought it was patronizing but isn't that the problem?? People need to be told - it's their attitude that makes their children sick. Maybe the project didn't perform miracles but it was a small step into the right direction. The thing is that parents make decisions for their kids when it comes to food. I am not a big veg eater myself (I always eat my veg but I couldn't just have a salad for lunch - I don't like cold food and it wouldn't fill me up). But I try to implement it into my diet.

I thought it was quite rude of parents to oppose Jamie in his efforts to make their children healthier - he was doing their job. This is not a matter of choice - This is a really important issue and people who think they can stuff their kids with junk food and are still convinced it's their own business are downright wrong.

Maybe it's because I am not British myself - where I come frome people would embrace and welcome new ideas. The reaction of these parents showed that this country is doomed when it comes to healthy eating. If they don't change their attitude - who do they think should take the first step? This is not about themselves, it's about their kids. There has to be more enthusiasm and team work when it comes to making healthy food choices. If no one starts - who will??

I like Jamie and I think it was a good idea. But maybe Britain is not ready yet...

Whilst i agree that it was a good idea to encourage healthy eating in schools i do not agree with anyone telling people what to eat, or what their children eat. Often people will instinctively rebel when told what they can and cannot eat and i don't believe its anyones business to tell anyone what to feed their children. Certainly there is nothing wrong with trying to educate people in healthy eating, or in highlighting the lack of nutritional value in school dinners, but that is very different to the patronising way that i felt Jaime Oliver went about things. Perhaps if he had been less gun-ho he would have received a more favourable response.

 

[silly sausage]

I haven't seen the TV programmes. My kids take packed lunches so I don't know about school dinners either. But Jamie has got us talking about food, started a debate, so that has got to be a good thing

 

[Roziee]

He cared more about what children ate than the kids parents.

Shame on them if they think that they don't need to eat fruit and veg. I always used to be scared that my children would inherit my bad eating habits.. But sw has taught me that you don't have to have fruit and veg ALL the time,but it needs to be a big part of your life..

But the thing is.. Fruit and veg is actually nice! Not all but most are..

 

[kingleds]

He cared more about what children ate than the kids parents

bit of a sweeping generalisation there!!

Its worth bearing in mind that the editor could very well have delibrately not included footage of parents who agreed with Jaimes methods ( aside from anything else its not very good telly if everyone agrees).

 

[judywoody]

Whilst i agree Often people will instinctively rebel when told what they can and cannot eat and i don't believe its anyones business to tell anyone what to feed their children.

Oh yes I do think it's other peoples business - I didn't think he was patronizing in the slightest. I found it even more patronizing to think that I can feed my children whatever because they are MY children and automatically make them sick or prone to obesity because I thought it was MY business how to feed my children. This is very patronizing towards your own kids. And I wouldn't be suprised if in a few decades Social Services would investigate cases of malnourishment (this is what these kids suffer from believe it or not - they get fed but the food isn't nutritious in the slightest). If in 20 years time 1 in 2 people are morbidly obese people will ask "why oh why did nobody stop that before it was too late"...educating only helps if people apply what they learn. You can read an article on healthy food choices in every magazine under the sun. People know how to eat properly - but they don't want to and pass their bad habits on to their kids. Now THAT is patronizing. Jamie tried at least to change the school meals and left it to the parents what to feed their kids at home.

People just don't want to be told per se. I often hear people saying in this country "don't be patronizing" but if you put that into babelfish translator it just means: "I don't want to listen because I feel quite good in my comfort zone"

A lot of people don't realize that minding your own business can have a tremendous effect on our children and the future in so many ways. Our choices (whether it comes to the environment or food) when made collectively HAVE an affect on the whole country. This "mind your own business"-behaviour is just ignorant and arrogant. I understand if people find it hard to apply advice but they could at least embrace new ideas and welcome any help. But the reaction of parents in Jamies project just showed they didn't want to apply anything under no circumstances - I don't think they would have been any more willing if he had been even nicer trying to tread on egg shells.

 

[judywoody]

bit of a sweeping generalisation there!!

Its worth bearing in mind that the editor could very well have delibrately not included footage of parents who agreed with Jaimes methods ( aside from anything else its not very good telly if everyone agrees).

could well be - I hope there were parents who reacted favorably..

 

[mommyB]

I think at it's most basic wasnt he saying that we send our kids to school ,which is funded by the state and indirectly the state are helping to make the problem worse ?
The state are in charge of health and education yet are happy to feed our kids the rubbish that they were-as is often the case in the name of saving money. I happen to think kids health is worth a few quid more !
If you were paying for your kids education, wouldnt you expect a certain standard ? I bet you wouldnt find a single chicken nugget in a private school ( well not that wasnt 100% free range,corn fed, chicken breast )

 

[sweet pink]

I think that Jamie Oliver is one of those people that you either love him or hate him (though hate is a bit of a strong word) I'm not his number 1 fan as I, like many others, do find him a tad on the irratating side BUT I do commend him for drawing the nations attention to the poor quality of many school dinners. There are always going to be parents out there that will dish out chicken nuggets etc for their kids at tea time but there are also numerous parents who put their faith in the school to provide a nutrious school dinner for their kids at lunchtime. Some of those kids may indeed be going home to healthy nutritious home cooked meal but what about those who aren't? At least if the school dinners are healthy & nutritious they are at least getting 1 good meal each day. That surely is better than none!

 

[kingleds]

Please don't get me wrong here people. I am not condoning feeding your kids rubbish - but equally i have a massive problem with the state, or some TV chef, telling me how to eat. AllnI am suggesting is that perhaps having some rude boy southern chef rock up to a school in a deprived area of Doncaster and start telling people how to feed their kids might well have been good tv, but is unlikely to engender anything orher than antagonism from the residents and is therefore counter productive. There is more than 1 way to skin a cat - i'm not convinced his way was the best in those circumstance!

It is absolutely right that schools provide healthy food to pupils, and educate
Kids on healthy eating. Thats a given surely!

Having been a southerner who lived in a very deprived area in the north of england i have witnessed first hand the prejudice a southern accent can provoke - and i wasn't telling people how to look after their kids!

 

[sweet pink]

I get what you're saying kingleds but I honestly think it was more a case of not liking what they were being told rather than who was doing the telling in this case. Telling any parent that actually what they are doing & have been doing is not the best or in this case the most nutritious way to feed their kids is always going to strike a nerve.

 

[lsf666]

Has anyone been watching the American programme?

It's funny but on this series it's the parents and teachers supporting Jamie and the school board who won't let him into the schools!

The first US series was very similar to the UK one with lots of resistance but this new LA version is very different. The parents seem very supportive and want his help.

I had chips a lot at school and these habits are hard to break of they're instilled while young. Hence me being on SW all these years later

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