Celebrity chef Jamie Oliver wanted to lead a revolution but created a minor mutiny: A survey of the school in his new ABC reality show found children overwhelmingly preferred institutional fare to his freshly made offerings.
Article Source: msnbc.com
from:msnbc.comKids spurn Jamie Oliver's healthy lunches
Seeded on Tue Mar 30, 2010 12:25 PM EDT (msnbc.com)
— Filed under: health, diet-and-nutrition, lifestyle, celebrity, nutrition, food-and-drink, chefs, jamie-oliver
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Ah gee whiz...another do goody's idea down the tubes....like all who wish to control Americans. It just isn't going to work...doofy left wing whacko's.
Excuse me Tom? Take a look around you. Kids today are FAT. Those kids in that particular school district are among the FATTEST in the nation. This has nothing to do with "left-wing" anything. If something isn't done, these kids are going to have a life span that is less than their own parents.
Nobody's trying to "control" anyone here. To introduce the kids to healthy foods is a step in the right direction.
Newsflash for you - many severely obese people are on disability. Which is what YOU and I pay for. That's what many call "the lazy, do-nothing welfaries" If we can prevent that and create citizens who are healthy and able to work for a living - that's a win-win situation. Think about that if you can.
Diabetes is a horrible disease with hundreds of afflictions born from it. Obese people don't date as often as non-obese people. Sex isn't as good when you are obese. Employers may discriminate against obese people. Depression is more common among obese people. Obese people die many years early. I could go on. Do you really want your child to live through this torture just because healthy foods are too inconvenient to make?
I was amazed several years ago when my niece and nephew told me what their school lunch options consisted of, all junk food! It is so sad that most American children are not even afforded the option of developing healthy eating habits at school. So Tom don't you think it's a wonderful opportunity that these children were given? I applaud this show for taking on a town that is not filled with rich kids, but kids that really need the help. The parents should be happy that someone at school is taking interest in their child's health and happiness.
My kids don't eat as healthy as they should, I freely admit that. But I truly believe my kids would be thrilled to have something mildly healthy to eat instead of what my son calls "rubber hamburgers", stale sandwiches etc.
No one is trying to tell anyone what to do. We all need to eat better but sometimes its a matter of never having had quality food or having anyone teach them to eat right. Our kids have been ruined with meals of grease, sugar and chemicals, some don't know what real food tastes like.
Are you insane? "It just isn't going to work"? You're right, it isn't... if parents can't control their children.
Statements like this (from the article) are ridiculous: "It's very important to make wise decisions, but it is a very difficult switch to make, and if the children don't like the food, they will convince their parents to give them other food."
Guess what? It's not UP to your children. It's UP TO YOU to teach them to make good choices, even when they don't want to. The health of your precious snowflake is more important than his or her desire to eat trash. You are your child's guardian, protector, and guide, not his buddy.
Who's the do-goody, touchy-feely whacko, now?
Now only doofy left wing whackos know how to eat real food?
It takes a long time to erase years of poor eating habits. For some of these kids, they'll go for weeks where the only vegetable they eat is potato - and in the form of french fries. When my kids were in elementary school, I was asked to attend the county's meetings to recommend balanced meals. I was appalled to see the kind of junk that passed for school lunches. Greasy pizza, rubber burgers, topped with "government cheese", greasy fries, grey broccoli.
No wonder my sons wanted me to pack their lunches, and were delighted when the schools went to the extreme trouble to offer salads. Not that they didn't (don't) enjoy an occasional pepperoni pizza/cheese steak sub and ice cream sundae from time to time. But they understood they are treats, not a regular diet.
Today, they are in their 20's, all at healthy weights (I wish I could say the same) and know how to prepare a healthy, well balanced meal, and share this knowledge with their girlfriends and roommates.
Good eating habits, instilled at a young age, help for good health and last a lifetime.
Keep up the good work, Jamie!
"I don't care whether they like pizza or not," says Nestle, who writes the blog Food Politics. "It's not up to them to decide. It's up to the adults to decide. It's one of the things about being a kid: Too bad for you."
I read the whole article thinking exactly that.
Tom: Yeah, like those stupid stoplights. What homo-loving tree snogger ever presumed to tell Americans what to do in their own cars?!? We will NOT BE CONTROLLED. Society only gives rights, it doesn't create responsibilities, right?
Doofy right-wing wackos.
A major part of the problem is that so many of the parents of today's elementary school kids were never taught proper nutrition, through no fault of their own or that of their parents. It's the responsibility of the educational system to teach children the skills that they will need to have a healthy, productive life. However, take a close look at how school curricula have changed over the years. So many of the classes that prepare a student for life are no longer offered. For example, the local high school in my town offers a course in jewelry making. Why are high school students allowed to take courses in jewelry making and not required to take courses in nutrition?
In addition, who decided to make dietary changes in school menus that are to the detriment of good nutrition and why were these changes allowed? When I was in elementary school, the only drink offered to go with school lunches was plain whole milk. The school was not allowed to sell chocolate milk. As one poster already said, it's up to the parents and schools to tell kids what they are allowed to have because it is what they need, not because it is what they want. Any first grader in his right mind will want to binge off of candy, ice cream and cake. It's up to the adults to prevent that for the good of the child.
I don't think that it's a matter of healthy or not. While my kids like chicken nuggets, they don't always want to take hot lunch. They'll eat yogurt, fruit, and make other healthy choices.
I think what the problem could be is that the food Oliver is creating is way too complex and unusual for kids. Shepherd's pie? My kids wouldn't eat a casserole because they don't really know what that is.
They should focus on making the foods kid love healthier. If it's simple and delicious, they'll eat it.
Yeah. I was in South Beach for three days last year. We were the only Americans we met the entire weekend. I would not use that as an example of beautiful Americans.
And BTW, have you met every English person to make such a harsh judgement, because it sounds absolutely silly.
Anyone who hasn't spent a month inside a school lunchroom in the past four or five years has know idea just how BAD and UNHEALTHY our school lunches truly are.
The meals that most of us remember is not what is served today. It is all highly processed and as often as possible finger food. This is because districts have not been able to keep up with the skyrocketing price of food. The amount of food reimbursement has not increased since 1973. Can any one here try to imagine feeding your family on the same amount you spent back in 1973. Do accomplish this feat, schools have cut kitchen staff, this is one of the major reason for all the preprocessed crap. It is also why so much of it is finger food. That way the staff saves time by not having to do silverware. Saved time means less cost to the district.
Nutritionist and school dieticians try to kid themselves by saying the lunches are healthier becuase we now have apples ect in them. What ends up happening is the kids stuff themselves with the unhealthy stuff and then take a few bites of helathy stuff, if that, and then throw everything away. The reason..... The faster they eat, the more recess time they get. They eat only what they love as quickly as they can to satisfy their initial hunger and then run out and play. The amount of food that is thrown away is truly shocking and the majority of what is thrown out is the "HEALTHY" portion of the meal.
One way to help this problem would be to have recess BEFORE lunch instead of afterwards. Then kids might actually slow down and eat. ANother idea might be to actually allow the kids to take the apple with them when they went out to play.
Last time I checked my job as a mother was to keep my children safe and healthy. Allowing them to pile @!$%# food into their face is not doing either one. I don't care if they like it or not they don't get to dictate what they eat. I struggle with my weight and health issues, my parents have a plethora of health problems and were/are obese (morbidly so).
My kids don't deserve to have the problems I do at 28, or ever. What they're taught now will be what they carry with them their entire lives. So I might as well do it right so they don't have to struggle later in life to make the right choices. It's called parenting, and from the sounds of it the parents of the kids in the article need to try it out.
I think that Jamie has three critical problems with the way he is approaching the whole thing...cultural clash, dietary requirements, and overly-complex preparation.
Firstly, with regard to cultural clash, it is pretty obvious that he sees himself as the lonesome "English boy" in an awkward culture. I lost count with how many times he mentioned the fact that he's English. What he's doing when he points out this difference is alienating himself while glorifying his own culture. Now, given that the majority of people here are at least mostly English by ancestry, he's only rekindling the old message of "English superiority" while visiting a nation which, by all rights, is superior in many ways (I know it sounds snooty but it's true, and there's no fault in recognizing America as superior).
Second, the American diet is different for many reasons. The prevailing reason is that for both vanity and practical reasons, we like our population to be more "filled out." Now, I'm not saying we like our citizens fat however, we have perpetuated a diet high in fiber to ensure good muscular tone, which we complement with more rigid sports and exercise programs. The problem with weight in England was simply because of dietary issues, our problem is that we have an abundance of junk food eating at home coupled with dwindling athletic programs at school. Personally, I do like how we value athletic figures (when done right with a high fiber diet and physical regimen) because it is not only healthier than simply dieting but, it makes Americans more competitive in every way later in life. Jamie needs to learn to embrace our system and alter his offerings to meet our requirements.
Third, Jamie doesn't seem to understand that Americans do have a cultural influence with regards to food. He seems to think that the only cultures out there who have their distinct flavor is English, French, and Italian. I suppose that this should be expected from a culturally inept buffoon but, I thought at least he might catch on.
We enjoy simplicity in most our food and, only occasionally enjoy complex meals. With our children, when given the choice, if you set out a complex salad made of carrots, celery, and other veggies and on the other hand simply set out baby carrots and cut celery, they will instantly choose the small (non-complex) vegetables. This is mostly due to the fact that Americans have lived in a lavish culture of high quality food availability whereas, almost all other nations were developed on foods derived from limited means, so we don't trust anything that we can't directly judge the quality of components. This is directly linked to the tendency in American food marketing where complex products displayed alongside fresh components are generally more successful. Burger King wouldn't sell a single burger if their ads didn't have perfectly red and delicately sliced tomatos with drops of crisp water clinging to their skin and lettuce so fresh, airy, and crisp you'd buy the burger just on that premise.
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In all, Jamie has a lot of worldly learning to do and before he's successful, and mostly he needs to learn that America is not a nation without it's own distinct culture. We are what we eat and, if anything he could do himself some good to approach the matter with a little more delicacy.
Botox, silicone and collagen, except they don't get it from the food.
What amazes me about so many 'beautiful' American women is how then can have perfect hair, perfect makeup, perfect nails, perfect clothes, the perfect tan, etc. and still be 50 lbs overweight. This logic, of focusing so much time, effort and money on the 'beauty' of the 'outside' of the body rather than the 'health' of the body, makes absolutely no sense to me.
Marion Nestle must not have kids herself...you cant force them to eat no matter what the adult commitment is..good lord lady, wise up.... Come on Jamie...Shepard's Pie??? really??? dude what are you thinking...just make the pizza better....when you see that the kids are not eating this stuff were you not flexible in changing it up? Kudos to giving back the flavored milk.
Its not that the kids preferred institutional food they just wanted recognizable food, you know their comfort food...geeze people got paid for this
Shepard's pie isn't a familiar food for most Americans so I do agree that was a washout.
Familiar foods, comfort foods made healthier is a step in the right direction. Getting kids involved in growing vegetables and fruit also help.
As for the milk - one can still cut the fat by introducting a low-fat (not skim) chocolate or strawberry flavored milk. At least the kids are getting in their calcium.
karen, good point. I have 2 kiddos. You take the stuff they know and make it healthier. That's the way to start the change.
You must be a wuss. I've got two teenage boys now. They never left the table without trying something new. They know they need to eat their veggies and fruit. No backing down.
Have you ever tried Shepherd's Pie? It is good. My kids (I don't know why) prefer to eat healthy foods. My son's favorite snack is fresh sugar snap peas and my daughter wants fresh kiwi and strawberries. Yes, it is more expensive than chips or crackers, and yes they get teased by their friends, but they are healther for it. Fat parents who don't eat healthy foods beget fat kids who don't eat healthy foods. Our doctor told us "kids will eat when they get hungry." Put the healthy food in front of them and let them be hungry until they eat it. Be a parent, not a pansy.
I disagree.
If the kid is hungry, they will eat it. I think it's terrible to give in to them with the chocolate milk.
BTW - I do have kids. Three of them.
Remembering back to my days at school , the ONLY milk I would drink at school was chocolate and I LOVE milk. Even today if I visit the school I will drink chocolate instead of regular, schools can't keep their milk cold. Luke warm milk is gross. Even my pediatrician told me that some chocolate milk is better than NO milk. And one of the worst things your kids can drink all day is fruit juice, its pure sugar. My kid loves apple, organge and grape juice but we had to limit his intake because it interfered with his appetite. I don't have issues with fat kids in my house I have skinny kids.
We are no saints with food at our house, we have chocolate milk ( along side regular milk) some juice, we highly encourage water, fruit , yogurt etc.
One of the best methods I've ever seen to get kids to eat veggies etc. is at least one bite for every year you are old of everything item on your plate. My kids pre-school that served nutritious hot lunches enforced that along with them helping to clear the table and clean up, it was great.
I agree the went a little over the top with some of the more adult recipes but I'm sorry, kids do not need pizza every day. I was a VERY picky eater but my mom packed me a HEALTHY lunch on days I didn't care for the school choices. I don't think anybody over the age of 25 went to a school that had nuggets or pizza every day. If the kids are not exposed to anything but fast food style food they will not ever choose healthy options.
Kids will eat what you give them. They are not in charge. Well, in my house they're not. And mine eat just fine - they'd be in the 20% who like Jamie's menu. Don't give them the option of eating junk, and they'll eat the actual food when they get hungry enough.
I think Jamie Oliver and his staff should focus on the children and not on the show. Yeah, he's a chef, but kids want foods their familiar with, plain and simple. And those foods can be made healthier.
I don't advocate starving children and forcing them to eat foods they hate. I think that defeats the purpose what you're trying to do.
We have a rule in our house - it's the 2 bite rule. My husband and I have always cooked on the low-fat, healthier side (we certainly aren't perfect.) And in general, my kids eat that way as well. But, heck, we all LOVE pizza and I'd eat it every day if given the chance. So, let's be realistic on that mark. When I cook we expect the children to eat whatever meat I make (usually some type of baked chicken or pork.) For every vegetable they need to take 2 bites. And I always try to have something they'll eat (like whole wheat dinner rolls.)
In theory, we should all be better eaters. But, in reality, (like the show) that's not always the case.
And who knows? Maybe Jamie Oliver is just a crappy chef.
All that stuff about "they'll eat when they're hungry" is great for parents, but schools don't have the luxury of a flexible schedule. The kids have to eat during their lunch break. Skipping a meal is not healthy or conducive to learning, either. The real problem with children's eating habits starts, as do so many of their problems, at home. If kids have gone the first 6 years of their lives eating junk given to them by their parents, then go home every day and get the same junk, the schools will not make a difference.
When the sons were young, there were never any "food fights". Only one meal was served. They were asked to try a few bites, if they still didn't care for it, they could make their own - PB & J, bowl of cereal, no power struggles or arguments.
Consequently over time, they would eat ANYTHING. Tofu casseroles, salmon cakes, liver & onions, big salads, and yes, shepherd's pie. They loved spinach, broccoli, brussels sprouts. Other moms in the neighborhood would ask if they could send their picky eaters to our house because their kids would eat the healthy foods here while they wouldn't at their own. I shared the recipes with the moms.
Why, I even let the kids chose a candy bar at the check-out at the supermarket every once in a while. We didn't usually have candy in the house. Sweet treats were fruits and yogurt.
They're all now in their 20's and continue to eat the same way. No weight problems. I'm sure they'll pass these habits along to their own children in the future.
Kids have way too much control over their diets. Parents aren't doing them any favors by giving in when they refuse to eat what's provided or trying something new. Its fine to give treats too along with healthier foods. It doesn't have to be all or nothing. And maybe the first time you introduce a different food, they'll refuse to eat it. But if they don't eat it, they don't eat. I don't understand why parents will give in and make them something else. If the kid misses dinner, they won't starve and die. Eventually they'll try it and there's a good chance they'll like it too.
My son had a friend over for dinner last night. We had chicken spinach lasagna Alfredo. His family is more of a Spam and pickle loaf than spinach crowd, but he really liked it. Give the kids a chance, or should I say a push? They will eat better with the right encouragement. It is not like we are trying to get them to eat gruel and stone soup. We are trying to get them to eat fruits and vegetables. I don't know why so many people think we are punishing the kids.
Whatever happened to the saying, "You eat what I make, or you don't eat!"
Why are we giving children the choice as to what they eat? When I was a child, we didn't get to choose chocolate milk or strawberry milk. We got 2% regular milk. We were forced to at least try everything on our lunch tray and if we didn't like it, we didn't eat. End of story.
Instead we are giving children a plethora of decisions and hoping they will make healthy choices. Not going to happen! The majority of children will choose pizza over baked chicken every day of the week. But if you don't give them a choice, nix the pizza, get rid of the strawberry milk, forget the fried chicken nuggets, and only give them healthy options, they will be forced to eat the healthy option. If they hate it, too bad.
Ninety percent of kids don't eat lunch anyways. Ask any lunch lady, cafeteria worker, or janitor and you will find out that it is shameful the amount of food that gets thrown away every day in a school cafeteria. There are millions of starving people the world over who would beg for the piece of fruit that your kid is throwing away every day.
Maybe that is one of the problems. We grew up in a world where parents taught us morals, values, and consideration for others. We were told that we had better eat our meal, because there were starving children in (fill in the blank) who wouldn't get anything to eat today.
In our generation, parents cooked meals that were homemade and healthier, and you were forced to eat your brussel sprouts or green beans. Now parents serve their children food from the nearest drive-thru window and then expect them to know how to make a healthy eating choice in the school cafeteria. It's not going to happen.
Until the parents begin to change, the children are doomed. Bottom line.
I completely agree with you. All though it is the parents who need to be taught first. Unfortunately, once the child is entering school, their eating habits have pretty much been established and not likely to change. I am fortunate that my son gravitates to those foods that are healthy, but I think a lot of that reason is because I never made frozen food ( except for veggies) and yes, I do work full time and am a single mother. My favorite is when I do take him out to eat, he orders grilled salmon and asparagus and I almost always get the comment from the waitress " will he eat that?" and when he does I get the " I wish my child ate that healthy"
I agree. This issue starts at home. If no one at home is is teaching kids about what makes decent food, then fresh food just seems foriegn. I have stopped giving my kids choices. They don't like it, but they will try it, if they know that's all they are going to get. I think it's a sad state of affairs that the kids couldn't recognize common vegetables.
Right on Katie! What is so hard about cooking for your kids and having them eat what they are served? It's the dinner table not a diner where you order off the menu. How do these morons not afford fresh fruits and veggies? Ever heard of the produce section? Ever heard of farmers markets? I assume they afford cable tv.
I think that's actually wrong, but hilarious. How many ADULTS do you know who would actually choose a piece of baked chicken over pizza? And we expect our children to? Whatever.
Being realistic is a part of being a parent. If my kids prefer fresh beans to peas, I'm not going to make them eat peas. If they would rather have lettuce salad over spinach, I'm not going to make them eat spinach. My kids eat what we cook, but I'm certainly not going to force them to eat anything. They make healthy choices, because we have healthy choices in our home. That's how I eat, so that's how they eat. And we have a two-bite rule in our home to get them to try new foods.
It's about parent choices. But to stand on your soapbox and say "Kids should eat what I tell them they're going to eat!" is ludicrous. Why make it such a huge issue?
And please, who wouldn't rather have a slice of pizza over lemon chicken? I make lemon chicken. I eat spinach. I make healthy choices. But this chick would rather eat a big, fat slice of stuffed pizza any day.
Strongarming children does not work. But that doesn't mean you have to have chicken nuggets every night for dinner either.
Good point sinister_seska. It amazes me when talking to people that complain about how poor they are, how they can't afford to buy food, rent, and are on welfare; yet they still manage to have cable, cell phones (blackberries, iphones), ipods, and get manicures every other week. There seems to be confusion understanding the difference between needs and wants.
Why bring an English person to do AMerican T.V.? We have plenty of well educated chefs in America. The British don't really represent American culture or values.
I can't even listen to a British person, it is the only accent that bothers me. They sound like they need to blow their noses...and then it makes my nose run listening to them :) I know accents are not a sign of how smart a person is or their self-worth, I would just rather listen to anything other than British. Could they find a Scottish or South African Chef...those are cool accents.
That's pretty silly. :)
Kallie,
I don't see any American chefs lining up to do this. Jamie may be a bit misguided in thinking he can change anything, and he doesn't understand American culture, but he is trying.
BTW Jamie has an English accent. There are dozens of different English accents, many different Scottish accents, and different Welsh accents - but they are all British.
I bet if I lined up 10 British people (including Northern Ireland), Irish from IRE, South African, Australian and one from New Zealand you wouldn't be able to tell me where they are from.
Beside Jamie's accent is working class. Very different than BBC accent which is different than the royal accent.
I would, BP. Then again, I do have trouble with the S. African & I can't tell the difference between Au. & N.Z. very well, either. And yes, there is a class structure in the U.K. (England) that is very different than what we have here. Ours is mostly regional. BTW, the damn Gecko is working-class Cockney since he won't tell anyone in those commercials. I didn't know Geckos HAD nationalities!
So the commentary now is going to be about bashing the English? Great.
I love Jamie and both his cooking style and recipies are amazing (made two of his dishes this weekend). However, he is not the right chef to appeal to kids. His style is to take fresh ingredients and combine them in simple but unique ways to allow the flavors to really shine - great for adults, boooorrrinnggg for kids. A better approach would have been to modify what the kids were eating (whole grain, low fat, low salt substitutes) and add a couple of new things for them to try that were kid-appealing but healthy. You can have the chocolate milk if it is low sugar and low fat. I think having fresh fruit around is always good no matter where you are. The real change starts at home. Too many parents are lazy or so obese themselves they don't bother to have healthy food available to their kids, much less act as an example of health for their kids. The article made me laugh when it said that parents don't buy fresh fruits and vegetables for their kids because they can't afford them!! Last time I checked, a bag of Doritos cost quite a bit more than an apple!
You are very correct. I buy apples 5 for 2 dollars and a bad of chips is usually around 4 dollars
Basketball player John Salley (Pistons, Bulls) was on Dr Oz this week showing a former teammate how to eat healthy. Put him behind the lunch counter in a uniform with pictures of him as a player on the cafeteria walls and I bet the the kids would be all over it. Sometime the messenger is as important as the message.
Good point! Jamie could invite someone more recognizable to the kids and do that. His producers should get on the job with that.
coleslaw - I laughed out loud at the grocery store last week when I saw a bag of chips that were nearly $5!! I was dumbfounded. I don't buy chips but they happened to be near the pretzels.
Not to mention, where are the kitchen gardens? I grew up in WV. Just about everyone I knew grew their OWN vegetables all summer long, and still do. Usually by the end of the summer, there is so much excess produce that people can't give it away. Even the people who don't grow their own usually are sick of fresh tomatoes and zucchini by October.
People who claim they can't afford produce really don't understand that fruits and vegetables have more fiber and therefore a little goes a long way in making you feel full. Yeah, chips and packaged cookies, flavored crackers, breaded chicken strips all that are more expensive than buying and cooking dried beans, pasta, carrots, cabbage, etc. It is just plain cheaper to cook. A lot of kids won't eat anything but convenience foods, because that is what they eat at home. A lot of younger moms don't know what to do with garden vegetables if you give them a sack full. Again, I don't buy the "I can't afford it " story. A big pot of vegetable soup can be healthy, inexpensive, and can feed a big family.
Tom - do us all favor , back to your trailer and die of a heart attack .
Probably eating is fat laden Doritos.
There's no need to personally bash someone just because they have an opinion (ludicrous or not) that isn't just like your opinion. I really can't stand it when people make personal jabs at others who express their opinion.
I am proud to say that my community has implemented a healthy school lunch program. The Grassroots cafe at Price Lab school in Cedar Falls, Iowa has successfully done just what Jamie Oliver was trying to accomplish. The program serves seasonally designed, home style meals made from scratch, with locally sourced meats and veggies and milk from our local dairy. This is possible. Don't give up America!
I wish the "nutritionist" at my kid's school actually made healthier choices for the kids. My kids don't even take the hot lunch that often because it's so full of fat, gross, and unappetizing. I agree that it's possible to add healthier choices and make foods healthier. That's why I think Jamie Oliver might be way off on what he's cooking for the children.
From the BBC, "TV chef Jamie Oliver's campaign for healthy school dinners boosted pupils' test results, researchers say."
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/8593443.stm
Why can't schools and parents just tell kids tough cookies? Oliver has been right all along; good healthy food help kids calm down and think.
They could tell kids tough cookies. Then they won't eat the food - just like they did with Chef Oliver. Then they can bring their fat laden lunches to school themselves.
Parents need to be parents. Don't give in to your kids demanding chicken nuggets and pizza all the time. Just don't buy that crap. They'll eat what you, the adult, provides them. Even if they don't eat it at first, they will when they get hungry enough. If you don't have that crap in the house, they won't eat it. Young children do not have a job, do not make money, and therefore do not buy their own food. In my opinion, letting your young child become obese is child abuse, and, yes, it is your fault.
I don't think it's quite that simple. I think parents have to be the examples. My kids make healthy choices (for the most part) but if we go to a restaurant, they can choose what they like. My husband and I work out regularly and, while our children are hugely active and skinny, they want to do free weights with us to "get stronger." If you set an example, they will follow. But that's a totally different issue than actually just forcing food down kids that they don't want.
Many of these children have been eating this horrible stuff for years. It takes time to adjust their tastebuds. Many of them don't even know what fresh fruits and vegetables are.
You need to make the food healthy and appealing in appearance for the kids to eat. Take some of the old favorites and redo them into something the kids would like. Not these foods that they've never heard of, it just won't work.
That is EXACTLY right, Karen. EXACTLY. I don't want to eat foods I have no familiarity with myself, so I wouldn't expect that from my children.
I want Lee and Karen to go back in time and be my parents. We ate what we were given and any fuss got us spanked for our trouble.
In all seriousness, the parents are the adult in this relationship and they need to act like it. My parents did at the time and I was a better person for it. They are friends to me now, but I am also an adult now.
I think that the last paragraph of the story really strikes me. There are not many decisions that adult parents make for their kids today; many decisions are kid-driven and that's a shame. We see the consequences of that decision making on a daily basis. However, in this instance, I have to agree that taking away all the "bad" food all at once and not letting the kids have some input isn't going to change lifestyles. They are just going to get that stuff somewhere else. I think that if the kids had more input there might be a more positive outcome.
I really would like for this to work. And I agree that it's the responsibility of the adults around the children to cheerlead this onward. This is a terrific opportunity. Maybe allowing the children to vote on menu choices a couple of days a week, or having taste test panels would help. It's sad that it's appearing to fail at this moment.
I feel very bad for Jamie, the extremly obese family he is just trying to help is a disaster. Their four year old girl must weigh 65 lbs! People from other countries who are watching this must think that the people in the U.S. are idiots. My daughter took a home made lunch each day prepared by myself as her school did not provide lunches. She is now 24 years old and weights 110 lbs. I do agree with some of the comments that all of this starts at home. If the parents do not eat vegetables the kids will learn to hate them also. Part of the program that I found really disturbing is that the first graders did not know the names and could not recognize any fresh vegetables. It is unbelivable!
i watched the premeire show and those kids are spoiled. pizza for breakfast everyday? i am so glad that my school lunches in the early late 70's and early 80's were better than what they eat today. flavored milk? the little kids threw most of it away. the serving size must of been 20 oz and back in the day we only got a cup of milk excuse me half a pint.
if i were jamie i'd buy a book that crams vegetables in the pizza sauce. make them eat brownies with vegetables in it. forget vegetables, those kids have been spoiled and ruined and can't easily turn back to healthly foods.
it's the fat, lazy adults that plop easy, unhealthy foods for their kids to eat. their the ones to blame.
actually watching the show i felt pretty good about my school lunches and now i'm relatively a healthy adult.
too bad for those kids.
Jamie Oliver ROCKS! He is the CHANGE the WORLD needs to see!! Hey - eat what ever you want, but FEED the KIDS like you LOVE THEM! Children learn by example, parents - WAKE UP or PAY UP for a long life of health care issues. We all have the power to choose what we put into our mouths. It's all about quality, not quanity when it comes to size!
You go Jamie Oliver !!
It is a sad testament that these children refused to eat the good food offered them--there are so many hungry children all over the world who would be happy to accept those meals. The children in this school are spoiled and have been catered to by lazy, uneducated parents (yes, I know you are "busy" and don't have time to cook a real meal, and McDonald's is so much easier--nonsense!).
As my mother used to say if I fussed over dinner as a kid--the next meal is breakfast (in my own defense, there were only two things I fussed over: liver and tongue).
If the kids won't eat the lunch offered, either they bring their own from home or go hungry until dinnertime.
Liver and onions was the only food my mother fixed that I flat-out refused to eat and yeah, I was sent to my room with nothing until morning. I still won't eat it...starving for an evening was worth it!
A previous poster said that she prepared healthy meals and offered them at regular meal times and if the kids didn't eat what was offered they could then eat pbj sandwich or cereal. That is pretty much what I have always done. We eat a good mix of home prepared healthy meals with our sweet/fat treats thrown in. As a general rule we don't have chips, soda, or packaged baked goods in our house. We go easy on the bread and potatoes, and have made the switch to whole grains. My 15 year old daughter loves salmon, or any fish for that matter, also likes peel and eat shrimp, fresh veggie stir fry, brown rice, big green salads, and fruit. I had a conversation just today with her about the Jamie Oliver show and she offered that she wished her school had a sandwich bar with fresh veggies so you could build your own. They do have salad bar, but with iceberg lettuce. Also, lunch periods are so short and for kids in elementary it is their only recess to play, so they will hurry through to get outside to play. They need more time for lunch.
Kids are fat because their fat parents don't want to be bothered cooking for them. They're fat because they're allowed to sit at a computer or shuffle around oblivious to a mack truck heading their way while texting. Maybe if they put Michelle Obama's face on the new lunch programs they'd have better results. Anything the Obamas suggest is simply gospel.
HA!! Apparently before Michelle My Belle took up kiddie obesity, nobody gardened, nobody cooked and nobody ate together as a family. I know she is from Chicago and the first lady has to something besides sit there and look pretty, but those of us in fly-over country couldn't give a f*ck what she says and thinks. We harvest fruits and veggies from our home gardens, eggs out of our henhouses, buy meat from our local rancher or hunt and fish and actually cook our own meals. Consequently, we are all healthy and our kids know where their food comes from.
I am a full time nanny to a little girl who is now 5. I started when she was 18 months old and she refused to eat anything even remotely healthy. Her diet consisted of cheeseburgers and fries mac and cheese and sugary drinks. She wouldn't eat fruits or veggies or even chicken.
It was a LONG HARD battle to get her to eat right but now she does and I'm so proud of her and how far she has come.
I remember how tough it was in the beginning. I would get sooooo frustrated with her some days I wanted to scream. I just had to put my foot down with her. I only offered her healthy or semi healthy foods. I made her try veggies and fruits and chicken.
I remember vividly the first time I took her to Chick fil a (yes I admit it wasn't the healthiest place to take her) She had never had chicken or fruit before and we sat there for 2 hours trying to get her to at least try a bite. that was my only requirement just TRY IT and if she didn't like it I would get her something she did like. She wouldn't try the chicken, she wouldn't try the strawberries, she wouldn't try the apples or the grapes or the orange. I finally gave up packed the food up and took her home for a nap. When she woke up she was hungry enough to try the food and she actually liked it! We only went through the refusal stage for a few days before she realized I meant business and things are so much better now.
My rules are simple, she has to eat one bite of the food and if she doesn't like it she doesn't have to eat anymore until it's served again. I always make sure she has something that she does like and something she either hasn't tried or didn't like in the past on her plate for every meal. She now eats any veggies I give her and all fruits except strawberries and watermelon.
She is now in the phase where she tells me even before she puts something new in her mouth that she doesn't like it but that hopefully that will pass soon.
Why doesn't Obama just issue an executive order on what these kids are to eat. Failure can be dealt with at one of Obamas re-education camps. Kind of like a neat summer camp with barb wire.
I think what Jamie Oliver is doing is great. I have found that being the example to your children and eating well as an adult will put them in the right direction. My kids hate school lunch and much prefer the lunch I make them everyday. People need to involve their kids in all aspects of eating, including shopping and preparing. I also think people should try to grow some fruits and vegetables with their kids, if they can, so kids understand where real food comes from.
And I do not think you have to disguise healthy food as pizza and nuggets to get kids to eat it. Food is food. But you have to give kids time to adjust to healthy food because all the manufactured food manipulates kids' sense of taste and smell. Once a kid is exposed to the good stuff long enough, their natural sense for nourishment will kick in.
Haha, the good stuff? :P
I agree. Manufactured and heavily processed foods destroy your senses of taste, smell, and fullness. HFCS actually blocks the "I'm full" signal in your body. I'm fairly certain that I grew up to be an adult who craves fruits and veggies because my parents had a small garden, and we were served fresh veggies from friends' gardens at home. Did my mom use convenience foods? Sure. But in some households, that's all there is. I love watching this show, but it's so frustrating to watch sometimes.
My japanese 2rd graders knew (in english and japanese) every vegetable and fruit I could come up with including leeks, kale, figs, sweet potatoes, and asparagus.
I have a feeling most american adults couldn't identify a leek or a fig. But they can probably list 3 types of doritos chips...
cool ranch, nacho, and blazin jalopeno. So what?
does anyone but me remember when the only Doritos were the Taco Doritos and regular plain? Oh, wow the Taco doritos were good, but I can never find them anymore.
None of the check out girls at my local supermarket know what the vegetables are. A leek is a mystery to them, as are squash or zuccini. They don't know what they taste like or how to cook them and have even less interest in finding out.
I have been watching the show and I noticed that even when the kids were eating the "regular" food, almost everything healthy went into the trash. They tossed their apples, carrot/celery sticks, canned fruit chunks and a lot of the milk--even the flavored. I was surprised that Oliver didn't mention that to the powers-that-be on the show.
Dear Jamie...thank you for trying. Come and cook for me and I promise I will appreciate every bite!
I have to agree with the people who point out that the parents needed to be educated and behind this program too. With out the adults cooperation, it's doomed to failure. Kids should not be dictating what food they should be eating.
It's great Oliver is trying but he's up against 2 problems. One he's first trying in the South and they are so resistent to anything new. I live in a Southern state and it's nothing against the people it just is what it is. Could the cooks in the lunchroom one time be enthused that this chef is trying something healthy to help our kids? No, he was met with resistance at every turn. The other problem is there is profit to be made by that cheap crappy food that is usually fed to the kids. Disgraceful!