It was the moment of ultimate irony last night. We were watching the introduction to your new show, Jamie’s Food Revolution, when breaking news cut in that congress had passed a health care bill. Health care that wouldn’t be as needed if the people in our country could learn to eat smartly, and more nutritiously.
As I watched this show last night, sitting on my couch, I felt such a pull to stand up and applaud. I wanted to applaud when you and Pastor Steve were talking about saving the town from eating themselves to death. I wanted to applaud as you sat down with the cafeteria staff and tried to explain your heart and your passion. And yet I also understood where everyone else was coming from. I, too, once engaged a “lunch lady” in the fine conversation about improving lunch fair. I’ve heard all the arguments about how it meets dietary guidelines and the kids eat it. Ultimately though, it always comes back the dollar- and how much that lunch costs to put on the tray. Oh, do I hope the people of America watch this show!
This is such an important message! I cannot put into words how important I think this is for people to watch. There have been movies and documentaries before that espouse healthier eating, but they aren’t really accessible to the average joe, and they don’t show the reality of how the normal family eats. This was real last night. This was my backyard too! This town may be the unhealthiest in America, but the rest of the country isn’t that far behind them.
I cook from scratch almost every day, my family eats well, we eat fresh fruits and vegetables as much as possible, but I know that we are not the norm. I can share my passion for real cooking and real food here on this blog, but this blog does not convey just how important healthy eating really is. The family that we saw last night was eye- awakening. (Bless them for agreeing to accept the challenge before them!) I cannot imagine the idea that I could be responsible for shaving 14 years off the lives of my children- simply by the choices that I make for dinner.
This message is real. It’s important, and it could conceivably save the lives of millions, if only they would listen. I hope everyone tunes in Friday nights on ABC. Everyone. I’m wishing you all the best, and all the success in the world. Literally.
Best Wishes,
Erika W., Food Blogger and Mother
Dear blog readers, don’t know what I’m talking about? Go to abc.com and check out the previews for Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution. Then tune in, watch it, and get inspired to make real changes.
I watched the show too. I was amazed what that family ate, and kudos to them, to agreeing to be on the show.
I am interested in wathing the other episodes. It is mind boggling that people can eat such junk ALL the time. Hope the show helps them and others.
If the cafeteria food is indicative of the typical school, something has to be done. And from what I have read in the past, it seems that it is way too common. But kids are going to resist (or at least might be reluctant) if the only thing they know is chicken fingers, pizza etc. Really sad.
Interesting show. You can tell he really cares.
I watched the show and was incredibly amazed and frustrated at the reaction of the people. It seemed they didn’t want to try (at the school). He didn’t meet guidelines because he didn’t have BREAD?!?! As far as I’m aware, BREAD is not a food group but GRAINS is/are! Jamie had brown rice and that is a healthy grain yet he had to put white hamburger buns on the tray to qualify as healthy? Seems to me there needs to be an overhaul of what our schools guidelines are.
Can’t wait to see how things go as the show goes on. I hope there begins to be an attitude of at least being willing to try without expecting failure! Healthy does not have to be (and really isn’t) iceberg lettuce, like the radioman said. You’re right…our entire country, not just that one town, is like this or heading in this direction. Something must be done…and I don’t think that a swooping healthcare bill is going to help it!
If you feel inspired by Jamie’s campaign, he has created an online petition, promoting healthy food for children, that he will present to the White House. You can find the petition here:
http://www.jamiesfoodrevolution.com/petition. Pass it along!
Thank you Jess, I will share that link.
Claire…I totally agree with everything you’ve said. While I can’t say that i’ve been a fan of the whole health care bill fiasco, I am hopeful that if the government is looking in the direction of health, that they will see that the guidelines that are out there are so inaccurate. It would behoove the whole health care system to revamp those guidelines and give the whole school lunch system a tweaking.
I can even see how simple changes would benefit. Using that school as an example, we saw so many whole apples being thrown out in the trash. Of course they were! Grade school kids are constantly losing and growing teeth- my kids cannot eat a whole apple, it’s frustrating to them, but their apples need to be cut. I bet if the cooks took that small step and ran the apples through a slicer, they would see an improvement.