I love the “Food Revolution” being led in by well-known Jamie Oliver. His show is based in Huntington, W Virginia, slated as the most unhealthy city in the US. His first task is making school lunches healthier but ultimately he is teaching families and kids about eating real food instead of processed food (he had a huge impact in the schools in the UK!)
“I believe that every child in America has the right to fresh, nutritious school meals, and that every family deserves real, honest, wholesome food. Too many people are being affected by what they eat. It’s time for a national revolution. America needs to stand up for better food!” ~ Jamie Oliver
I love the show! He is fabulous and has a great sense of humor too (and great accent!). Just watch the shows to see his shock when:
□ he saw the kids eating pizza for breakfast
□ he saw them drinking “luminous pink milk”
□ he heard the kids don’t use cutlery at the school cafeteria
□ when the 6 year olds could not identify a potato or tomato and basically any fruit or vegetable
□ he got slammed for serving an Asian stir-fry with 5 or 6 veggies and yet the burger with chips (and a salad on the side that no-one ate) was ok!
□ the kids were happy to eat chicken nuggets even after he showed them the gross ingredients that went into them
He admits he “wants to cause a big fuss and change things”. Go Jamie!
Be prepared to shed a tear or two – is sad to see how so many folks know so little about real food but also very inspiring to see them making changes and taking control of their health.
See the shows online, tell everyone you care about and everyone who eats especially if they eat fast food and drink luminous pink milk! http://abc.go.com/watch/jamie-olivers-food-revolution/250784/254757/episode-101
And watch them live Fridays 9/8 central on ABC
And you can also learn more and join his “Food Revolution” here http://www.jamieoliver.com/campaigns/jamies-food-revolution
I haven’t seen the show yet but was THRILLED to see the previews. As someone who grew up in the country on wholesome food, I understand the value. It’s nice to see someone is finally addressing this issue.
I’m also impressed (all political opinions aside) to see a garden at the White House & appreciate the efforts Mrs. Obama is making to educate the world.
I still remember when I was young child and was visiting my cousin who lived in the city. I told her where milk actually comes from and she hasn’t touched it since. She thought it grew in containers at the store.
Thanks for sharing and I hope the “food revolution” catches on.
Write on!~
Lisa
Lisa
I also grew up on real wholesome food! aren’t we fortunate? Too funny about your cousin not knowing where milk is from – but also sad. I’ve spoken to kids who only know cream in a can and had no clue real cream comes from a cow. In the series, the kids can identify fries but have no clue that they come from potatoes.
I also haven’t seen the show yet, but I am very interested in seeing it. It really is disturbing that kids are eating such unhealthy foods.
Thanks for sharing!
Ellen
You’ll love it I’m sure – Jamie is very entertaining and a real fighter!
luminous pink milk~ oh my!
with our current society of fast food and corporations plugging their products nutrition information can get lost in one-sided marketing (that benefits the corporation and not the health of the individual)
It is essential that we become aware of what is truly good for us and make decisions to support that.
thanks for the work you do to bring awareness to this very important topic!
I am so excited about this series shedding a light on what we are serving/teaching our kids. ♥ Katherine.
People here are talking about the show a lot. Ugh, pink milk?? It continues to amaze me that we have one of the most undernourished populations in the world.
Sue Painter
Oh boy Trudy, don’t let me get up on my soap box! I’m dangerous!
On our 2000 mile drive from Yuma back to B.C. last week, we visited more that our usual number of eating establishments, I see seriously obese parents with seriously obese two and three year-olds in restaurants and I could cry for those kids.
Then I look at the menus and everything is various shades of grey. No colourful vegetables except some salad bar offerings which are often sweet and/or fat laden concoctions.
It has been said that the enemies of the West don’t have to wage war to conquor us, they only have to wait for us to kill oursleves with our diets.
I hope your star rises to the extent of Jamie’s and many more voices join yours. It is the only chance our future generation has.
Thanks for helping open eyes and close mouths (from overeating)!
Lynn
Lynn – love your comment “It has been said that the enemies of the West don’t have to wage war to conquer us, they only have to wait for us to kill ourselves with our diets”. Thanks so much for your support
Trudy — I am such a fan of what Jamie Oliver is doing and I’m so happy you raised the issue in your post! We need a serious food revolution in this country.
Every where I look, I see what Lynn saw on her trip: obese parents with obese kids eating grey food in out of control portions. I am determined for my daughter to know and love healthy food, and to make healthy choices for life. It is a challenge when there is a McDonald’s on every corner and all kids’ foods are full of sugar, food coloring and who-knows-what?
I moved to a agricultural area of New Mexico last year and am so excited to now be living in a place where organic, seasonal and local veggies, meats and dairy are desired, and where there are farmer’s markets for most of the year where you can get food that is all the colors of the rainbow!
Thank you for bringing attention to such an important issue!
xo
Jessica
Jessica
Sounds like you are living in the perfect place to raise your daughter – she’s very lucky. Even in big cities, we have no excuse. Whereever we live, farmers markets are such fun and make shopping an adventure and not a chore. And kids love the whole scene too and get to see real food and yes, rainbow food, not grey food or pink milk!
I have been watching (and loving) the show! It’s sad to see the lack of cooperation, and how much people are concerned with cost rather than health. And it is outrageous that fresh fruits and veggies can cost more than frozen, overprocessed foods.
Terry
So glad you’re loving it too. Yes, plenty of sad and shocking stuff – BUT it’s raising so much awareness…
Luminous pink milk…gag! Children are being fed junk food and everyone wonders why we have behavior issues and obesity in our country. I hope more and more parents stand up for the health of their children and help make the change. Thanks Trudy.
Dr. Robert Fenell
I too am a fan of Jamie Oliver but have not seen the show. A concept that is much needed in the schools.
Now if only the corporations would step in….I travel to the States quite frequently and always comment on how big the portions are in restaurants and even fast food.
I haven’t heard of the luminous pink milk yet but I will be sure to keep my nephews away. Thanks for the read.
One of the reasons I love traveling to places such as Italy is that the food is so fresh – right out of the ground or off the bone, which no preservatives or other crap we put into our bodies. I am convinced that most of the USDA food pyramid is goofy, because most of our “grains” intake is hyper-processed crap.
My biggest challenge is finding the time to prepare good, wholesome, fresh foods without (1) Paying too much at the local fresh foods store and (2) not ruining it by using the wrong preparation.
I know intellectually it doesn’t take much more time to eat well…but those Outback commercials keep tripping me up!
Phil
I have been watching Jamei for years (we get his shows in OZ) and loved the revolution he created in UK schools – I have never eaten cicken nuggets and absolutely wont feed them to kids after seeing how he showed whats in them -yuk! I have a vege garden and just a couple of weeks ago watched as my 3 year old grandson picked cherry tomatoes inone hand and basil in the other and munched away like a little piggy in mud – he will have such an amazing unspoilt palate!
Philo – cooking healthy food is simple – almost no skill required!
Pinky – I just love your cherry tomatoes and basil story – it warms my heart! your grandson is a lucky little chap! and all kids deserve this don’t they!?