Jamie Oliver's New Show? - Page 4

[Violet2]

I don't know. I have mixed feelings on the show. Great idea, but the execution seems off imo.

When a palate is oriented toward junk food, fresh food does not taste good. WHY doesn't JO start with healthier versions of the 'junk'? I mean, I make taco salad at home but it's seasoned by me (no taco packets) and the 'crunch' comes from almonds and we use fresh salsa, fresh guacamole--it's delicious and not too far from what people are used to eating.

He's trying to take people from the Standard American Diet (SAD) to gourmet ole and it's not going to work. It has to be a transition of baby steps.

I also don't think his stir fry with the noodles was low glycemic enough for the kid with prediabetes. JO may know how to cook but I don't think he really understands the medical side of hyperinsulinemia. His food may be better but based on what he's cooking, it's not going to be enough ime.

Also, JO just needs to stop thinking he doesn't have to follow the rules. Does he not realize if he doesn't dot the i and cross the t, they will shut him down? Next week's preview where he gets in trouble for not enough veggies seems so silly to me and so easily preventable. It's great to be a rabble rouser but sometimes you can erode all your credibility by being too extreme. The way you rabble rouse matters. He's over budget and not meeting the US nutritional standards (however dumb they may be, they are the law of the land and it's not within his means to change them at the moment)--this could be the kiss of death.

Why isn't he working with nutritionists and setting up advisory teams to take on more families??? I'm sure some people would volunteer.

I just think he's off the wall. I will be surprised if he's able to do anything productive.

V

[rhiandmoi]

Originally Posted by Mama2Kayla

Just caught up on both episodes and I honestly love this show. What Jamie is doing is badly needed here in the U.S.
What I can't understand is why they keep harping on "well, only if the kids like it".

Yeah, the kids threw away a lot of their junky lunches too. Only eating the complete crap and throwing away all the "good" stuff.

It takes time to adjust to fresh food especially if you are a kid used to eating pizza. Seriously, a couple weeks of eating Jamie's food for lunch and I bet the kids will be fine with it.

Considering that the kids loved the burritos, he could work more on having his menus be more "kid friendly". There is nothing wrong with eating pizza or chicken fingers, or anything else that kids like to eat. I make these things at home from scratch all the time. Honestly, I think the biggest problem with this show, is the drama. This could have been done on a planned out way with cost effective kid friendly menus, that have similar prep time requirements as the existing school lunch program. American schools used to all cook from scratch, and it wasn't that long ago either. My school got along with USDA approved fresh prepared lunches. And they were good too. We had a rotating menu of about 25 lunches of entree, side, fruit/veg and milk. Our biggest complaint as kids was that we had too many vegetables.

I really don't see how those lunches the school is providing are actually meeting their own school lunch guidelines on calories from fat, which other than having crazy high sodium allowances are not too bad.
http://wvde.state.wv.us/policies/p4321.1.pdf

Frankly, I'm a little dissapointed in JO for not just printing that doc and waggling it in Rhonda's face whenever she criticizes his menu offerings.

Menu Requirements
Lunch:
1 Cup fruit or veg
2 oz meat or meat alt. (At least 1/4 cup a week in dried beans)
1 serving grain per day/9 per week
8 oz milk

Breakfast:
8 oz milk
1/2 cup fruit or veg
1 serving bread or cereal + 1 serving meat or meat alt
or
2 servings bread or cereal

Using those offerings meet the current Guidelines for Healthy Americans:
http://www.health.gov/dietaryguideli...l/chapter2.htm

[KristyDi]

Originally Posted by Mama2Kayla

Just caught up on both episodes and I honestly love this show. What Jamie is doing is badly needed here in the U.S.
What I can't understand is why they keep harping on "well, only if the kids like it". Who cares if they like it or not right now. Serving junk just because they like it better shouldn't be an option. That head school woman was driving me crazy!

It takes time to adjust to fresh food especially if you are a kid used to eating pizza. Seriously, a couple weeks of eating Jamie's food for lunch and I bet the kids will be fine with it.

The bolded is exactly what I was coming to say. Of course there is going to be an adjustment period where the kids are unhappy with the change. But talking about "plate waste" like it's this big bad deal breaker seems like a red herring to me because look at how much was going in the trash when Jamie just observed the first day.

Rhonda could be A LOT more helpful. I get the feeling she's just waiting for him to fail to prove that she's been doing the best job possible and any attempt at improvement is futile.

Originally Posted by Violet2

I don't know. I have mixed feelings on the show. Great idea, but the execution seems off imo.

When a palate is oriented toward junk food, fresh food does not taste good. WHY doesn't JO start with healthier versions of the 'junk'? I mean, I make taco salad at home but it's seasoned by me (no taco packets) and the 'crunch' comes from almonds and we use fresh salsa, fresh guacamole--it's delicious and not too far from what people are used to eating.

He's trying to take people from the Standard American Diet (SAD) to gourmet ole and it's not going to work. It has to be a transition of baby steps.

I somewhat agree here. Notice that the last thing he cooked was a burrito like thing and the kids seemed to be eating it.

I didn't think he was too far off with the chicken legs he cooked first, but anything he cooked was doomed because it was up against pizza.

Originally Posted by Violet2

Also, JO just needs to stop thinking he doesn't have to follow the rules. Does he not realize if he doesn't dot the i and cross the t, they will shut him down? Next week's preview where he gets in trouble for not enough veggies seems so silly to me and so easily preventable. It's great to be a rabble rouser but sometimes you can erode all your credibility by being too extreme. The way you rabble rouse matters. He's over budget and not meeting the US nutritional standards (however dumb they may be, they are the law of the land and it's not within his means to change them at the moment)--this could be the kiss of death.

I was thinking last night he needs a partner or something helping him with the nit-picky stuff. With all the verbiage that filled those binders Rhonda pulled out at their first meeting I can see how he might get lost in the details.

Originally Posted by Violet2

Why isn't he working with nutritionists and setting up advisory teams to take on more families??? I'm sure some people would volunteer.

We don't know that he isn't do we? Or maybe that's coming in the future. Or maybe he looked for other families but none were willing to work with him for whatever reason.

Originally Posted by Violet2

I just think he's off the wall. I will be surprised if he's able to do anything productive.

V

I wouldn't write him off. As I understand it he managed to make a pretty significant difference in UK schools so this isn't his first time attempting something like this.

[LavenderMae]

Maybe I'm really biased because I was already a fan of his but I don't think he's off the wall. I think he's passionate though. What those kids are being fed at school is horrible and shameful. And all the red tape and attitude faced in trying to better the food is ridiculous imo.
I hope he is able to make a difference in spite of the above.
I do agree that he should try to make some of the foods the kids are used to but healthier. Nachos can easily be made healthier for example.

[Grace and Granola]

I just had a chance to watch the latest episode and I am hooked! I couldn't believe the kids were grossed out by the processed chicken goo and then still wanted to eat it! I love Jamie and think he's fantastic, but it seems like there's something missing. Why isn't anyone teaching the kids that food is fuel. That eating the better foods will help them feel better, make them stronger, faster and smarter. It seems to me like if the kids have a motivation like that they might see why they should try it. That's what we do at our house, stress the food is fuel, bigger/faster/stronger, etc. And my kids know that they want to choose the "muscle foods" instead of foods that make you slow. I hope they address this somewhere down the line.

And OMG, they don't use utensils!! The fact that this was such an outrageous idea just CRACKED me up! "I'd like to see some documentation," says the lunch lady...seriously!?!?

I hope mainstream america is as interested in this show as I am!

[KaylaBeanie]

Originally Posted by Grace and Granola

And OMG, they don't use utensils!! The fact that this was such an outrageous idea just CRACKED me up! "I'd like to see some documentation," says the lunch lady...seriously!?!?

I hope mainstream america is as interested in this show as I am!

I know! I didn't know there was a bureau that documented school utensil use

I never ate school lunch, because I'm a picky eater, and I'm now feeling grateful! I have no idea how people can be okay with kids eating that, much less DEFEND it!

Feeding children such horrendously unhealthy food constitutes child abuse to me. I know that the parents aren't intentionally trying to hurt their children, but it's absolutely abusive for these poor kids to suffer because of our country's overwhelming ignorance in regards to eating.

Oh, and I absolutely adore Jamie Oliver too . I think his "sweethearts, girls, etc) is really cute.

[NiteNicole]

I know it's television and they have to set up plots and characters and it's all carefully orchestrated to make a point. I also get that it's only one person making a tv show and can't possibly hit every note and make everyone happy. At the same time, the editing is a little insulting. I really really just refuse to believe that a CLASSROOM FULL of six year olds couldn't identify tomatoes and potatoes. I'm guessing that kids who eat loads of fast food and processed food probably also have access to a lot of tv and you can't swing a processed bagel bite on tv aimed at preschool kids without getting the "healthy eating" and vegetables talk.

With the kids wanting the chicken "nugget" - all it takes is one smartarse to say yeah, I'd eat it and everyone else will follow along. Notice you didn't actually SEE any of the kids take a bite because ya know if they had, we would have been shown it.

It's tv, if it's not shocking we won't watch it, but it's still very artificial. I feel silly if I get too invested in things that I'm certain are set up plot devices

Still going to watch. Still loving it (except the "clean your plates" business, not cool with that). Bought the cookbook today.

[velochic]

Originally Posted by spughy

I saw a couple episodes of the British version and he just wants people to regain their food "literacy" - basically, to be able to cook simple, healthy dishes AND to teach their friends how to do so too. I think Jamie Oliver's raison d'etre at the moment is to do away with packaged, pre-made, processed food. More power to him.

Yes, I watched the whole BBC series. He *DID* make a change in the UK system, from what I've read. I hope he can do something here.

[ollyoxenfree]

Originally Posted by Violet2

I just think he's off the wall. I will be surprised if he's able to do anything productive.

V

Originally Posted by velochic

Yes, I watched the whole BBC series. He *DID* make a change in the UK system, from what I've read. I hope he can do something here.

I haven't seen this latest show. I'm not usually too impressed by celebrities, and even less so with celebrity chefs, but I am impressed by Jamie Oliver. I did see some of the BBC series and some of his "15" series, where he takes a bunch of troubled youths and trains them as chefs. He's made a real difference. Although he receives attention, notoriety, fame in return, he was already well-known and quite successful before he embarked on these crusades. He could have continued making nice little cooking shows for years with a nice financial return, without the real stress of trying to revive the importance of good food and cooking in people's lives. I know the shows are edited for manipulative effect, but I think there is a true element of hard work and perseverance on his part. Certainly, he has a passion for good food and honest cooking that comes across.

[Starr]

My family loves this show! I also was hoping that when lunch was pizza, he would also make pizza but just a healthier version of what the cooks are making. And I love the lunch ladies got offended when he called them that and they told him they were cooks, yet walking through the kitchen said they hardly use the stove. To me if your going to start you need to make babysteps so if they have pizza Monday make pizza but make it healthier and show it on the plate side by side what the cooks make. Same with spaghetti and so on. I also about gagged when they kids were eating sugar cereal with strawberry milk. Here chocolate milk is only offered on Wednesdays. And I wouldn't be putting a green salad on every plate every day. Do more cooked veggies, fruit, and that sort of thing. Overall I think its a great show but hoping things go better. In the previews the lady was telling him he didn't have enough veggies and he said there are 7 different types of veggies in this and she said well that only counts as one. Ugh I think she is clueless too..

[HarperRose]

Jamie's menu hit our school!!!

I do NOT like that they have the option of typical school fare vs Jamie's Menu. That's not right. If you take away the crappy option, the kids will eat what's there.

School: Pizza, salad, peaches, fruit sherbet, whole wheat sugar cookies
Jamie: Spaghetti & meat sauce, hot roll (whole wheat), green beans, fresh fruit

S: Cheeseburger on bun w/ lett & tom, baked beans, corn cob, fresh pear
J: Pizza, snap peas, minty potato, sweet potato bake (casserole??), fresh fruit

S: Chili con carne, cornbread, toasted cheese sandwich, apple wedges, fruit sherbet
J: Rotisserie chicken, wheat roll, corn cob, fresh fruit

S: Hot Dog w/ meat sauce, cole slaw, celery/carrots w/ ranch, strawberries & bananas (fresh)
J: Sloppy Joes, caesar salad, fresh fruit, fruity cake

That's the first 4 days. On the 5th day, it's meatloaf, no other option.

This menu is NOT what's typical for the school. I think they're trying to show up Jamie's menu, to be honest.

This is the March menu.

[RoseDuperre]

I've been seeing the show get accolades from concerned parents left and right, but then, on my blog, I was referred to this post, which accuses the show of fat-shaming and classism.

I DO think the economic realities need more attention on the show (but come on, it just started, I think there's every chance it will be addressed more), but other than that, I think she misses the point. What do you think?

[Annie Mac]

Originally Posted by RoseDuperre

I've been seeing the show get accolades from concerned parents left and right, but then, on my blog, I was referred to this post, which accuses the show of fat-shaming and classism.

I DO think the economic realities need more attention on the show (but come on, it just started, I think there's every chance it will be addressed more), but other than that, I think she misses the point. What do you think?

I never get that "it's cheaper" argument. If I buy a large bag of flour and a jar of yeast, I can make many pizza crusts with that. Fresh tomatoes are more expensive than canned, but a can of tomato sauce? Not much $. Toppings? Whatever's on sale, and cheese? Yep, pricey, but just don't use much of it. Now compare that cost to the cost of 20 frozen pizzas, and you at least break even, if not come out ahead with the fresh. And beans and rice, where you start with dried beans? You can't get cheaper than that.

Now, you might have something if you argued the time factor, but the mom on JOFR seems to be a SAHM, and should have time to cook this stuff.

It's definitely an education issue, imo. And it's not like, as the blogger implies, that the Brits are picking on the Americans. There are actually plenty of British shows with the same idea -- food education. It's also one thing to educate people, and it's another to say they're stupid. He's doing the former, in my opinion.

As far as "fatshaming," I just didn't see it. Jamie wasn't pulling any punches with the mom, telling her how that processed food affects her children, but he wasn't making things up. It's pretty well documented that eating like that over a sustained period of time *will* shorten your lifespan. He also wasn't mocking them. I thought he treated that family respectfully, and it was nice to see him take a special interest in the older boy, who showed an interest in cooking.

[HarperRose]

Originally Posted by Annie Mac

I never get that "it's cheaper" argument. If I buy a large bag of flour and a jar of yeast, I can make many pizza crusts with that. Fresh tomatoes are more expensive than canned, but a can of tomato sauce? Not much $. Toppings? Whatever's on sale, and cheese? Yep, pricey, but just don't use much of it. Now compare that cost to the cost of 20 frozen pizzas, and you at least break even, if not come out ahead with the fresh. And beans and rice, where you start with dried beans? You can't get cheaper than that.

Now, you might have something if you argued the time factor, but the mom on JOFR seems to be a SAHM, and should have time to cook this stuff.

It's definitely an education issue, imo. And it's not like, as the blogger implies, that the Brits are picking on the Americans. There are actually plenty of British shows with the same idea -- food education. It's also one thing to educate people, and it's another to say they're stupid. He's doing the former, in my opinion.

As far as "fatshaming," I just didn't see it. Jamie wasn't pulling any punches with the mom, telling her how that processed food affects her children, but he wasn't making things up. It's pretty well documented that eating like that over a sustained period of time *will* shorten your lifespan. He also wasn't mocking them. I thought he treated that family respectfully, and it was nice to see him take a special interest in the older boy, who showed an interest in cooking.

I wholeheartedly concur.

That blog comes across as obnoxious and it seems that she is missing the point completely. Huntington is the fattest city in America! This isn't news, ppl! It's no surprise that he came here to change it on the most basic level -- kids' lunches in school. It just makes sense to educate KIDS, start with KIDS, because they will grow up healthier and with better eating habits. Hopefully.

[Laedi]

Originally Posted by RoseDuperre

I've been seeing the show get accolades from concerned parents left and right, but then, on my blog, I was referred to this post, which accuses the show of fat-shaming and classism.

You know, I have never considered myself "fatist" because there are several important people in my life that are, indeed, "fat". My family cannot metabolize junk food. I realized this and I jumped off of the Type 2 Diabetes Express.

But you know what? After reading that blog and all of the comments I'm sick of fighting for people who only want to be a victim. LET THEM EAT CAKE. I just don't care anymore. =\

[Grace and Granola]

Originally Posted by HarperRose

Jamie's menu hit our school!!!

I do NOT like that they have the option of typical school fare vs Jamie's Menu. That's not right. If you take away the crappy option, the kids will eat what's there.

School: Pizza, salad, peaches, fruit sherbet, whole wheat sugar cookies
Jamie: Spaghetti & meat sauce, hot roll (whole wheat), green beans, fresh fruit

S: Cheeseburger on bun w/ lett & tom, baked beans, corn cob, fresh pear
J: Pizza, snap peas, minty potato, sweet potato bake (casserole??), fresh fruit

S: Chili con carne, cornbread, toasted cheese sandwich, apple wedges, fruit sherbet
J: Rotisserie chicken, wheat roll, corn cob, fresh fruit

S: Hot Dog w/ meat sauce, cole slaw, celery/carrots w/ ranch, strawberries & bananas (fresh)
J: Sloppy Joes, caesar salad, fresh fruit, fruity cake

That's the first 4 days. On the 5th day, it's meatloaf, no other option.

This menu is NOT what's typical for the school. I think they're trying to show up Jamie's menu, to be honest.

This is the March menu.

Wow... the school really cleaned up their menu! Whatever works, right? It looks like your kids will have lots of healthy choices. I do hope that it doesn't become a battle of who wins, Jamie or the lunchladies. I wish the lunchladies would just get on board and work as a team with him.

[JElaineB]

Originally Posted by Laedi

You know, I have never considered myself "fatist" because there are several important people in my life that are, indeed, "fat". My family cannot metabolize junk food. I realized this and I jumped off of the Type 2 Diabetes Express.

But you know what? After reading that blog and all of the comments I'm sick of fighting for people who only want to be a victim. LET THEM EAT CAKE. I just don't care anymore. =\

I think that blog is to the extreme, though there are a few points in there I agree with (such as about the preacher). But overall (as a fat person who in general eats very healthy yet still remains fat) I think Jamie's show is very positive. There can be a difference between being fat and being unhealthy, and I think the quality of food one ingests has a lot to do with that. And I'm very happy Jamie seems to be focusing on food quality, for the record I don't think he is being "fatist" at all. But I can see how some people would interpret it as that.

[sellendie]

I like the show in general, but disliked his method trying to get kids to choose regular chicken over nuggets because part of the chicken is some sort of inedible garbage.

[HarperRose]

Originally Posted by Grace and Granola

Wow... the school really cleaned up their menu! Whatever works, right? It looks like your kids will have lots of healthy choices. I do hope that it doesn't become a battle of who wins, Jamie or the lunchladies. I wish the lunchladies would just get on board and work as a team with him.

I agree. It's really not that difficult to just say, "Ok, let's try it!" Give it a complete effort, not something half-a**ed.

[jessjgh1]

I'm aboout halfway through on hulu... and also saw the blog referred to above (about fat-shaming). Just wanted to sub in...
Jessica