Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution

[VikingWarlord]

I started watching the show and have really liked it so far. Last Friday was the 2 hour premiere and last night was the next episode.

It's a little different than most of the "health nut" type shows on television in that it's not really going to any extremes and there aren't really any games being played. Of course, he ends up using some extreme examples to get his point across when the subtle stuff doesn't work but, overall, it's a really interesting idea.

For those that don't know, he's in Huntington, WV, the unhealthiest/fattest city in the country where his biggest mission is to get schools to serve real food instead of frozen and precooked garbage. This is to give kids the opportunity to make good choices. If the only choices are pizza and hamburgers, not only do both those options suck, but the kids don't have a chance to learn what real food is.

If fries are considered a vegetable according to school guidelines, there is DEFINITELY a problem with the system. There were 10 year olds that didn't know how to use a knife and fork properly. When he showed kids real vegetables, they couldn't identify them. First graders that had never seen a potato that wasn't cut up and deep fried? Something's wrong with that.

In all, it's a pretty interesting show. I'm sure mrelwooddowd is really familiar with it, actually living in WV.

[Mercuryblade]

I haven't watched it yet but I've read a few articles about him.
I'm thrilled with the concept.

[Mark!]

It's a bad ass concept. I hope it stretches across the nation like the plague. I was watching him on CNN, Ryan Seacrest is in on it too right? I think it may be the best thing he's ever done, lol. I saw one kid and his mother that deep fried everything, they ended up literally burying the deep fryer in the back yard and were eating clean healthy foods and getting outside to do things. I think it's awesome.

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[VikingWarlord]

It's a bad ass concept. I hope it stretches across the nation like the plague. I was watching him on CNN, Ryan Seacrest is in on it too right? I think it may be the best thing he's ever done, lol. I saw one kid and his mother that deep fried everything, they ended up literally burying the deep fryer in the back yard and were eating clean healthy foods and getting outside to do things. I think it's awesome.

I hope Ryan Seacrest doesn't show up. Can't stand that fruity little twerp.

Yeah, they did bury the fryer, then he gave the mother a week's worth of recipes and bought them real groceries. He opened the freezer and it was packed full of nothing but frozen pizzas.

The **** of it is that the stuff didn't get done right that week. He figured they weren't being honest when they said they followed the menu plan so he took the whole family to the doctor who told them the youngest son is at risk for developing diabetes before he's 18 and could probably die in his 30s. That pretty much knocked them back to reality.

Something else I thought was really cool is that he has a storefront with a fully equipped kitchen where anyone in the town can come in and learn to cook simple and quick meals with real food at no cost to them. THAT is a really good idea.

[CleverName]

It's available on Hulu: http://www.hulu.com/jamie-olivers-food-revolution

I hate the part where he cries, though. Cringe-worthy.

And here's a tasty bit of irony for ya: Before the episode started on Hulu, I got an ad. What as it for? Hot Pockets Mini Burgers.

[Mark!]

Yeah I looked it up, Ryan Seacrest co-produces the show. Oh well, at least it's a good cause and he's helping out with it and all.

[VikingWarlord]

Ah, Seacrest can produce the hell out of it as long as I don't actually have to see him.

I don't know what was up with the crying either. It was out of place.

[WBBIRL]

I actually liked the show and think it's a good step in re programming a lot of america's bad habits out of new generations. I found it pretty shocking when kids weren't allowed a butter knife and they didn't know any of the fruits or vegetables.

Teaching kids the value of a proper diet is the best way to go. Too many people go for the faster options which are often the poorest nutritionally.

I was really surprised to see the kids eat those chicken byproduct nuggets after he showed them how it was made. I thought for sure no one was going to eat that crap

[VikingWarlord]

I don't think the kids actually ate them, he just asked if they would.

It seems like the biggest obstacle he's coming up against is the list of "nutritional" guidelines that the schools have to follow. The woman says 1 1/4C of fruits and vegetables need to be served but a handful of french fries meets that requirement whereas the stir fry he made with real vegetables in it didn't. It's indicative of the to-the-letter beurocratic nonsense behind most systematic issues we have in this country.

It's also difficult to educate properly when people still believe that god damned food pyramid is still valid. It's crap.

[J.C.]

Oh, interesting!

He did the exact same thing across the pond here a few years ago. It was big news, as he did actually get things changed in school lunches and had quite a big impact on how children are fed. Certain products were removed from the standard school menus and a load of new options were introduced nationally. He annoyed some as being self-righteous but it is a great idea. And yeah the same thing happened with kids not being able to name vegetables, or knowing how they were grown.

[VikingWarlord]

The success there was why it's happening here now.

Well, that and the fact that American TV execs are so unoriginal that they steal every idea the UK has ever had and rework it for US audiences.

I hope it's as successful here as it was there, though I'd be willing to bet it's a lot more challenging here just because of the numbers.

[CannibalCrowley]

There were 10 year olds that didn't know how to use a knife and fork properly. When he showed kids real vegetables, they couldn't identify them. First graders that had never seen a potato that wasn't cut up and deep fried? Something's wrong with that..

Was he in an inner city school or something? It's just hard for me to fathom kids never having seen real vegetables unless they're in a place where outdoor gardening is impossible.

[VikingWarlord]

Was he in an inner city school or something? It's just hard for me to fathom kids never having seen real vegetables unless they're in a place where outdoor gardening is impossible.

Nope, like I said. The entire thing happens in Huntington, WV. I think they said the population is 50K.

It's just the climate there and probably the reason it's the unhealthiest city in the country.

[drew]

It looks like a great show and Jamie Oliver seems to be really passionate about what he's doing, not just going for TV ratings. Hope it catches on. I bench Friday nights so I realy can't watch the whole thing. I did get to watch the first show though.

[VikingWarlord]

It looks like a great show and Jamie Oliver seems to be really passionate about what he's doing, not just going for TV ratings. Hope it catches on. I bench Friday nights so I realy can't watch the whole thing. I did get to watch the first show though.

That's the magic of DVR!

[drew]

That's the magic of DVR!

With two little kids, I just can't justify the cost of DVR when I will probably never have the time to watch it.

[VikingWarlord]

I know. I wouldn't have it if it wasn't included as part of the U-Verse plan.

But, as was pointed out, it is on Hulu if you get time.

[Borschtbeet]

I had trouble watching it. I only watched the first episode. Those dumb lunch ladies were pissing me off tremendously with their ignorance and their bitchiness towards Oliver.

[Nik00117]

IMHO kids are getting dummer, and dummer as time goes on and it's scary. Good food needs to be served in our school, if you think about if a kid eats 1,095 meals in a year, 360 (a bit more then a 1/3) of their yearly food intake is coming from the school.

[mrelwooddowd]

In all, it's a pretty interesting show. I'm sure mrelwooddowd is really familiar with it, actually living in WV.

LOL..I live in Huntington!

He raised a pretty big stink when they were initially filming, saying stupid stuff like "these people have no fresh vegetables." Apparently he didn't pass Kroger, Wal Mart, or any of the plentiful mom and pop grocery stores on the way into town. I think he was dying to find a city with crap for food, ignorant people, and no health facilities, and when he realized that isn't the case they found whatever they could. And he damn sure didn't find Crossfit Thunder! They should have invited him over and worked him until he vomited. LOL

He grew on people after a while, though. I think his heart's in the right place. I haven't had a chance to watch the show, but I'll get on it soon and give it my Huntington resident critique.

[CannibalCrowley]

IMHO kids are getting dummer, and dummer as time goes on and it's scary.

I LOLed

[mrelwooddowd]

I LOLed

LOL..at least he freely admits he can't spell.

I just watched episode 1. Those are classic school cooks around here. I like him thus far.

[Nik00117]

LOL..at least he freely admits he can't spell.

I only proved my own point, granted it didn't make me look any smarter.

[VikingWarlord]

Just so you know,

IMHO kids are getting dummer, and dummer as time goes on and it's scary.

and

Good food needs to be served in our school, if you think about if a kid eats 1,095 meals in a year, 360 (a bit more then a 1/3) of their yearly food intake is coming from the school.

are pretty disparate statements. The fact that kids aren't getting good food in schools because of bureaucratic nonsense has little to do with kids getting dumber. I'm sure that has more to do with the cuts in education budgets and parents being less involved in their kids' educations.