Jamie Oliver's New Show? - Page 2

[spughy]

I think the grain lobbies had a lot to do with the school lunch program - it came into place just as the US started producing large grain surpluses... it was a cheap, political expedient way of disposing of a lot of grain. Hence the "2 bread servings" for every kid. I wonder if Jamie knows about that... is that show on Food Network? Because chances are good if it is, he's not allowed to talk about that part, what with Kraft and the like being huge sponsors... (sorry, I am speculating, I don't actually have cable and will have to download the show at some point.)

[olliepop]

Did anyone notice how shockingly pink the milk was?

It's got to be hard when anyone comes in and tries to change the way you've been doing things for years. Alice could have been nicer. I think Jamie was respectful, but his frustration with the food might have made him come across as judgmental to the "lunch ladies." He definitely has his work cut out for him.

I could not believe how much pizza the woman he visited had in her freezer!!!

[ParisApril]

I loved it! My DD used to be offered the school lunch but I always send her home lunch.

[HarperRose]

A huge to all of your posts. On Friday I will be having my kids watch it with us (or I'll record it for them).

Jamie had his work cut out for him. In some of the fliers the principal forwarded to me, there was a PDF of talking points and areas of concern.

*Edit: Original doc link didn't work, see post #27 for the concerns.*

This link is on the fliers I was forwarded:
School Nutrition "Toolkit"

From what I can gather of the flyers promoted by the school system, flavored milk appears to be here to stay. I'm not one who believes my kids actually NEED milk, but if they drink it, I prefer it to be white. No dyes! (Raw is even better, but we all know how the public sees that...)

I really hope the school switches and keeps it because my kids WANT to buy lunches and I'd prefer that they NOT eat chicken nuggets and that weirdo potato pellet slop.

[KristyDi]

Originally Posted by HarperRose

A huge to all of your posts. On Friday I will be having my kids watch it with us (or I'll record it for them).

Jamie had his work cut out for him. In some of the fliers the principal forwarded to me, there was a PDF of talking points and areas of concern.

I don't know if this will work, but here's a try. Food Revolution Concerns

This link is on the fliers I was forwarded:
School Nutrition "Toolkit"

From what I can gather of the flyers promoted by the school system, flavored milk appears to be here to stay. I'm not one who believes my kids actually NEED milk, but if they drink it, I prefer it to be white. No dyes! (Raw is even better, but we all know how the public sees that...)

I really hope the school switches and keeps it because my kids WANT to buy lunches and I'd prefer that they NOT eat chicken nuggets and that weirdo potato pellet slop.

Google Docs told it couldn't retrieve the doc. I'd be really interested in seeing it if you would be willing to try again. I think it's really neat that we get to have your perspective on this as someone directly affected by any changes. Thanks for sharing!

Oh and :Puke on the neon pink strawberry milk. For some reason that offends me more than the chocolate. I think because at least chocolate is actually brown. Strawberries are not neon pink. But in reality I doubt the chocolate milk is any better nutrition wise than the strawberry.

[KristyDi]

Originally Posted by spughy

I think the grain lobbies had a lot to do with the school lunch program - it came into place just as the US started producing large grain surpluses... it was a cheap, political expedient way of disposing of a lot of grain. Hence the "2 bread servings" for every kid. I wonder if Jamie knows about that... is that show on Food Network? Because chances are good if it is, he's not allowed to talk about that part, what with Kraft and the like being huge sponsors... (sorry, I am speculating, I don't actually have cable and will have to download the show at some point.)

It's on ABC so if you can use Hulu in BC then you can see it there right now.

[HarperRose]

Originally Posted by KristyDi

Google Docs told it couldn't retrieve the doc. I'd be really interested in seeing it if you would be willing to try again. I think it's really neat that we get to have your perspective on this as someone directly affected by any changes. Thanks for sharing!

Let me try to C&P here.

DO THE MEALS THAT JAMIE OLIVER PROPOSED MEET THE CURRENT FEDERAL NUTRIENT REQUIREMENTS?
• A meal nutrient analysis for a three week period indicated that many of the menus used during the
project would need to be addressed to comply with our standards for calories, total fat and
saturated fat (see enclosed nutrient analysis).
• In accordance with federal regulations, the West Virginia Department of Education (WVDE)
conducts a School Meals Initiative (SMI) audit of school nutrition programs to ensure all meals meet
state and federal nutrition guidelines.
• Noncompliance with meal pattern and nutrient standard requirements may result in a recovery of
federal funds and WVDE intervention.
• Counties are required to perform internal audits (reviews) of each school site annually and to
ensure that their own nutritional analysis complies with the required standards.

WHAT ARE THE CHALLENGES TO IMPLEMENTING THE JAMIE OLIVER PROGRAM IN SCHOOL NUTRITION PROGRAMS?
• According to Cabell County Schools (see attached letter), implementation of the JO project has resulted in increased labor costs to employ more cooks;
increased labor costs associated with training; increased food costs; additional equipment and supplies expenses for necessary items (blitzer, food processor, salad spinner and storage containers); and lost food costs for processed donated commodities that the county cannot use in the program.
• WV school nutrition programs are governed by United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) federal regulations and guidelines. We cannot promulgate state rules that interfere with our agreement with USDA. A statewide implementation of the JO Project would require USDA intervention and approval.


• As a result of the changes taking place, the Cabell County Food Service Program has experienced
some other extra cost.

a) The program has found that schools with 1 ½ cooks cannot do the work required for meal preparation. Currently, three schools are in this situation. The cost to resolve this is an estimated $22,000.00 per year per cook for a ½ time cook to move to a full time position. The total cost is estimated to be $66,000.00, which the program does not have the funds to cover.
b) The meal cost at Central City Elementary during television production more than doubled with ABC Productions paying the excess expense. The cost may be attributed partially to the purchase of hydroponic vegetables, free range chicken and free range mayonnaise, as well as antibiotic/hormone-free ground beef. These items are no longer being purchased. The trainers are asking the program to purchase regular 85/15 ground beef, cooked chicken, and regularly purchased produce, which should reduce cost.
c) It does appear that some items are more expensive as compared to the processed foods. For example, cooked chicken is $.10 more to purchase on the serving than a chicken nugget.
d) It is also costing the program more to produce the meals because it cannot fully utilize the donated foods program. The program cannot use any of the processed foods being shipped in the schools that have rolled over. The county is trying to utilize these items in the schools that have not yet rolled over, but at some time this will result in a surplus the program will have to
work with. The value of donated food purchases last year was $522,974.68. This includes the value of foods, shipping, and processing. The program cannot afford to lose this amount.
e) Cabell County has been part of a cooperative purchasing group with eight other counties that has helped lower prices. The program’s vendor has been working with it to control costs, but many items are priced as market. This is especially true for fresh produce.
f) Items needed at each school for the roll out to continue include a robo coupe blitzer at a cost of $275.00 each (larger schools may need more than one); a food processor at a cost $2945.00 each with larger schools needing more than one; a salad spinner at a cost of $249.00 each; and storage containers at a cost $20.00 per container. Schools need storage containers to store the special sauce and the larger the school, the more containers that are needed.
g) Because the program is still in the process of rolling out schools and there are so many unknown variables at this time, the district cannot yet determine a cost per meal. The district has not placed the new program in schools that offer many choices at lunch. It is still unknown if the roll out will work in these schools.

I REALLY hope this goes through smoothly and ppl can adapt to the change.

[NYCVeg]

I watched the premiere on Hulu. I think it's an important show. What I like about Jamie Oliver is that he stresses the importance of REAL food, rather than "diet" food. We have one of his cookbooks, and he's not at all shy about using butter, cream, red meat, etc.--but he stresses the importance of quality ingredients. So many people who think they're eating "healthy food"--margarine, 100-calorie packs of various processed snacks, lots of low-fat but conventionally-raised animal products, Lean Cuisine and other "diet" meals, diet soda--when they're just consuming loads and loads of artificial crap.

We had my ILs over for dinner (lovely people, by the way) and they were shocked, truly shocked, by the fact that we are willing to pay a lot more money for quality ingredients and that we are willing to take the time to cook from scratch.

[Grace and Granola]

Originally Posted by HarperRose

Let me try to C&P here.



I REALLY hope this goes through smoothly and ppl can adapt to the change.

I hope Jamie Oliver or someone will end up going up to bat with the politicians to stress the importance of these changes. If they can weigh these costs against projected savings in health care costs, maybe someone will get a clue about the value of the $250 salad spinner.

[Adamsmama]

Originally Posted by Grace and Granola

I hope Jamie Oliver or someone will end up going up to bat with the politicians to stress the importance of these changes. If they can weigh these costs against projected savings in health care costs, maybe someone will get a clue about the value of the $250 salad spinner.

Ohhh...good point!

[rlandnl]

Originally Posted by emamum

oooh i love jamie oliver, hes done really well over here (uk) with his school dinners but on the show there were mums pushing burgers and fish and chips through the school gates because they didnt want their children eating what he was making!

the problem with school dinners is that it was invented to feed poor children and because it was their only proper meal in the day it was heavy and filling, and that hadnt changed

i have friends that give their children what i would consider to be a snack at night because they get a meal at school ds gets a cooked meal at home as well.

YES THIS!

I don't get that, I know people feed their children what I would consider a breakfast (cereal) or a lunch (soup OR a sandwich). And by soup or sandwich I am talking a processed, canned soup full of sodium, and msg, and PB&J as a sandwhich.... also not both only of them not enough for a growing kid IMO.

While we aren't perfect and from TIME TO TIME we have cereal for supper, normally it's a home cooked meal, with a VEGGIE. ALWAYS a veggie.

I didn't think hubby would like the show but as I was watching last night he said, I LIKE THIS! I want to watch it. We didn't get to finish it as it got too late, but we will try to finish it tonight I guess. I just wish they would get to our schools here in Maine.

Thankfully my son is homeschooled now, and when he went to school he never chose the donut, cinnamon bun, breakfast pizza or the breakfast bar they often offered he made the "better" choice of cheerios or something like that. Lunchs are just as bad. I don't understand the mentality that if this is their only meal let's make it crap. I say if it's their only "meal" of the day then make sure they get some real nutrition!

[NiteNicole]

I'm just about fifteen minutes into watching on hulu and I feel a little sick and scared that this is how things are going in the US right now and it's a HUGE thing to change.

I'm an NOT super strict about food. I try to make sure that MOST of the time we have home cooked whole foods but we do have the odd fast food here and there. I bake. We eat cookies. Sometimes we make ice cream, sometimes we buy it. It's very hard to buy local and seasonal and organic but we do the best we can. What I'm saying is, I am not someone who is overly controlling about what we eat as a family but OH FREAKIN HECK. This is scary stuff.

I also watched an episode of Anthony Bourdaine's (sp, sorry) No Reservations and we just have totally forgotten how to eat in this country. It's SCARY. Sure, I didn't especially want to rush out and eat most of what he was eating but you could SEE what was in the food and it was local - hey, we eat this because it grows here, or it lives in that river right there.

Most of what these kids were being fed at school wasn't even FOOD, much less local and I think a lot of people eat like that all the time.

I totally get that most people's lives are not really set up for a lot of home cooked meals. For the most part, both parents work. Kids have a long school day and a lot of activities. Most of us have only regular old super markets for shopping and a limited budget. Our whole culture is making us fat. So it's not like I blame individual parents or even the lunch ladies, people have just really REALLY lost touch with what food is supposed to be like. A lot of people my age grew up with working moms who relied on convenience foods and fast food and hell, we don't even know how to cook.

It's scary. It really, honestly scares me.

[griffin2004]

Very well put, NiteNicole. You hit all the points.

Don't school districts have nutritionists? How can they hold their heads up while they feed these kids such unmitigated crap twice a day, five times a week, nine months a year! The fact that my DD's school doesn't serve hot lunch was one of its attractions for me.

I have not enjoyed Jamie Oliver's cooking shows in the past, but this show looks to be very different. And a desperately needed wake-up call for this crazy country of ours.

[LoveLife]

Originally Posted by rlandnl

I didn't think hubby would like the show but as I was watching last night he said, I LIKE THIS! I want to watch it. We didn't get to finish it as it got too late, but we will try to finish it tonight I guess. I just wish they would get to our schools here in Maine.

This is my DH too. I thought he wouldn't like the show and would tease me about it, but he said yesterday that he can't wait for the next one!

Now I'm trying to get my mom to watch it.

[NiteNicole]

Don't school districts have nutritionists?

I don't know about schools, but my grandmother was in a nursing home a few years ago. After seeing what was in their cafeteria, we took her every single meal for the duration.

They DID have a nutritionist on staff (I know her, she has her masters) and guidelines to follow and it was disgusting. Diced tomatoes from a can, period. Nothing added, not added TO something, just dumped on a tray. Burnt white heat and serve rolls. A "meat" we honestly could not identify. No wonder so many people decline so fast, they had nothing to EAT.

The horribly sad part (well, one of them, anyway) was that one of the men who lived there had a small but very productive vegetable patch outside and the nutritionist refused to use it. Direct quote: if it don't come off a truck, I ain't serving it (Oh yes. Has her masters. Lives in this community. Had to face the families of those people and still feeding them canned tomatoes dumped on a tray). It was such a waste, especially when so many of these people grew up with gardens and eating fresh vegetables. I can't TELL you how many times my grandmother and her friends would ask for whatever was in season (you can't bring three meals a day to one person and not end up taking them for a lot of others, too. It just feels mean).

If this is "up to standards" for our older population, I doubt it's much better for our young people.

[KristyDi]

Originally Posted by HarperRose

Let me try to C&P here.



I REALLY hope this goes through smoothly and ppl can adapt to the change.

Thanks for doing that. It sounds like the main hurdles are red tape and $$.

It worries me that the food that was being served met the fed's guidelines for healthy food. What in the world do those guidelines say?


I noticed it mentioned donated food several times. I wondered who is donating stuff and if they could be convinced to donate foods that could be used in the new program?

[spughy]

Originally Posted by KristyDi

Thanks for doing that. It sounds like the main hurdles are red tape and $$.

It worries me that the food that was being served met the fed's guidelines for healthy food. What in the world do those guidelines say?


I noticed it mentioned donated food several times. I wondered who is donating stuff and if they could be convinced to donate foods that could be used in the new program?

The "healthy guidelines" are for ridiculously huge amounts of grain products (recommended whole grains, but not required), low-fat dairy (no mention of sugar-added or no), fruits and vegetables with no requirement that they be fresh or even minimally processed, and "lean meat" which includes mechanically separated chicken bits.

My bet is that the donations are from the manufacturers or distributors. In the same way that formula companies reap huge profits from placing their product in hospitals to get people used to it, my bet is that processed-food manufacturers would actually pay to put their products in schools, where they can be served to vast numbers of children, some of whom will no doubt take a liking to them and subsequently beg their parents for them. The fact that the schools serve them (lending an aura of "approval of authority" to the products) will make parents much more likely to agree and buy the products.

Just my cynical thoughts...

[NiteNicole]

I've been watching the show in bits and pieces all day and although I have loved Jamie Oliver since back in the Naked Chef days when it was cool to hate him, the "sweetie darling honey" and "girls" business gets on my nerves and I will not be surprised if someone calls him on it. I don't think it's meant to be condescending but it sounds it. A lot.

[nia82]

I think so too, I think manufacturers donate that stuff. Of course, no proof here, but it makes sense. I also see at Target and Walmart how they say they donate to local schools, maybe they donate that food? Who knows!

After watching the show I asked DH how the food at his school was (he always went to Catholic schools in the Bay Area) and he honestly doesn't know - he never ate a school lunch. His mom always gave him sandwiches and stuff to eat. I was worried about that, cause I would never allow my children to eat that stuff (it is not food!).

@ nicole: That is horrible... Frankly though, canned tomatoes are still better than what those kids on the show got to eat. Yuck.

Those guidelines are horrible, and I doubt they will be changed. Some pp mentioned how the grain lobby heavily influenced it.... I also have to laugh out loud when I hear it has to be lean meat. Goodness, a steak would be way better than that processed stuff. Then again, I love butter and red meats and I'm not shy about it, just processed stuff doesn't enter my mouth (DH will eat more crappy foods, but I sort of control that, hahaha) - and I'm not obese. Meat and butter won't get you super obese, it's HFCS and all those pseudo foods full of calories, void of vitamins and real nutrition.

[Sativarain1]

I watched the first hour on the website, it is a great concept and I just hope changes will be made to all of the school lunches eventually. We live in the midwest and what I saw being served on the show seems similiar to what the kids are eating at our local school.