From Phyl on Fri, April 16, 2010

I am hopeful that the results in Huntington, WVa
are not indicative of other parts of the country-
although it appears this location is where change is needed
the most.
It should also uncover the deep-rooted problems
that seem to exist in this school district - ones
that go beyond the food they eat.  Not being able
to identify foods that are traditionally and
commonly used in learning the alphabet says
something about a child’s reading skills.

From Virginia Carlsten on Fri, April 16, 2010

I have been watching this show for the past few weeks and think that what he is doing is phenomenal. He’s brought the problem to the mainstream on prime time television on Friday nights and really painting the dire picture of America’s food problems in black and white. Now I just hope that the chicken nugget kids of American will start wanting some more color in their diet!

From kjrstin on Sun, April 18, 2010

i’ve been enjoying the show.  it’s great to watch after i recently viewed food, inc. 

i was amazed that they counted french fries as a vegetable.  oh boy!  it’s become a joke at our house.  “we need more veggies… let’s run to mcdonald’s and get some fries.” 

i’m glad for the show.  i think the publicity is great!

From Mary Engvall on Sun, April 18, 2010

Thanks for this blog and the links.  Prior to Jamie’s show, I naively thought that the problem with the American diet was to be blamed on the food industry and their use of hydrogenated oils, added salt and sugar (to counteract the reduced fat)and concern for shelf-life over human life.  I thought that because highly processed and fast-foods taste good that Americans just didn’t want to give them up.  Retraining taste buds reared on Big Macs and Cheeze-It’s to enjoy leafy greens and whole grains is a big task. 

But now I see it is more than just that Junk Food “tastes better.”  It has become ingrained in communities…a way of life…it represents one’s place in the world to some extent.  There is a hint of a class issue at play here, that I never would have thought of.  The words “arrogant” and “cheap food vs. expensive food” are riding under the surface of all this.

I was also completely unaware of the green-eyed experts who feel Jaime is stealing their thunder.  Get over it!

I see now our challenge is not just to convince people that natural, whole foods are good tasting and good for them—we also need to show them this is how their ancestors ate so it is a part of their DNA—it may have been lost, but it can be recovered and become part of their lives and their communities.  This is not how the “wealthy eat”...this is how we all ate at one time and need to again.

From Liam O'Malley on Mon, April 19, 2010

Jamie Oliver’s show is fantastic and I really hope he achieves his goals in Huntington and it sets up a model for the rest of the country, as he has done before in the UK.

It’s disheartening to see how strong an opposition can come from such a varied group of people when Jamie is just trying to get some very basic ideas across - eat good food, that’s fresh, that you cooked yourself, and you will be healthy. It seems incontrovertible, and to most Slow Food members it seems like such a basic and natural truth.

But really I think one of the biggest challenges to Jamie’s Food Revolution, and in fact to Slow Food as well, is to bring these ideas to people who have now long been divorced of this connection with food - people who, now even for more than one generation, have virtually no exposure to fresh food and good ingredients. It can’t simply be shouted from an ivory tower as that will only encourage further backlash - i.e. Rod on Huntington’s DAWG radio station - but it has to be made real to the individuals. Jamie does a really good job of walking this very fine line.. he’s not afraid to make enemies along the way but he makes a point of doing his best to convert those enemies because they will ultimately become his strongest allies. It’s not those enemies that are the biggest obstacle, in my opinion, but rather those who are simply indifferent. At least those who strongly oppose have a passion about how they eat, even if it is misguided. Jamie has done a great job so far of turning those people into the strongest parts of his Food Revolution, and I seriously admire him for that.

I’ve blogged about the show a few times on my own site, and I’m happy to see it get recognition here with Slow Food. I can’t wait to see how the season winds up and I sincerely hope that it is only the beginning.

From mattbg on Mon, April 19, 2010

I am a fan of Jamie Oliver and have enjoyed all of his other series, but I find this one contrived and maybe even fake. It might have something to do with the “reality TV” style that he seems to have picked up.

Facts evident from the show:
- most kids at the schools are not obese
- most kids at the schools are not lethargic
- the high school kids chose the healthy option after only two tries by Jamie to give it to them
- those kids chasing the pea did not look unfit

So, either he is fabricating this or a lot of his premises are not true—especially that one that never seems to die which says that if you don’t give kids an appetite for healthy food at an early age then they will forever prefer junk food. His high school experiment, if true, proved this to be false.

Still does not mean that feeding kids pizza for breakfast is OK, though…

From Lola on Tue, April 20, 2010

I’m really impressed with all of the efforts of Jamie Oliver and his crew. Personally, my own daughter was raised on wholesome food found at local farmer’s markets and grocery stores. While other kids would stop for a snack after school, she would prefer the Japanese “fast food” while her friends would have a slice or donuts. She has continued that style of eating with her son. Exposure is so important. Parents have to be on board also. Maybe classes could be held for parents and students for other meals at home also. Get them involved in the cooking process. Most children love it.

From Jennifer on Wed, April 21, 2010

Please help to make a difference and call your representative now and tell them to support the Healthy School Meals Act, H.R. 4870. It’s so easy and empowering!

To find your representative’s contact info, go to
http://www.healthyschoollunches.org/lobbyday and click Call Congress Today !

Please spread the word!

From Wendy MacPherson on Wed, April 21, 2010

My belief is that Jamie Oliver is doing a wonderful service to America and it’s children.                    People are afraid of change. This explains why so many people are against the food revolution. People are afraid of the work that cooking from scratch entails, others finding out that they can’t cook without processed food, that they may not like real food, the extra cost of good ingredients. I could go on. I myself use any excuse to get out of a regular strength training regimen out of fear. What am I afraid of? I don’t know.
I have 5 children whom my husband and I home-school. I have realized how lucky we are to be doing it. When I was in Jr. High I took a class called “home economics” that taught kids how to cook and sew. In high school there was a class offered called “food and nutrition” that taught kids about food and how to cook. Sadly, within 2 years of my graduation these classes were discontinued. That was a huge disservice to our nations children. Fortunately for my kids, they have an opportunity to learn at home (a great way to teach fractions). Alot of parents nowadays don’t know how to cook, so they cannot teach their children. Most of us could not survive without a microwave. Our kids need to know what they are putting in their mouth. The best way to do that is to serve them identifiable food. Chickens don’t have nuggets.
Jamie is helping to show America what we are teaching our future leaders about food. And maybe saving their lives in the process. Quite a few of those Huntington kids aren’t obese now, but come back to them in 5 or 10 years and you will find a different story.
It’s too bad that it took an english bloke to show the general population what’s going on in our school system. The movement has been going on for quite a while before he got here,his celebrity is what got him out in front. Christopher Kimball of “Americas Test Kitchen” has been working on reform as well, but on a smaller scale. Now that the world knows, we can get more support and actually get something accomplished!
Jamie is a good guy who took time out of his life and away from his family to help save americans. I applaud his effort and really hope it pays off. His heart is in the right place. We are all human, no matter where we live in the world and deserve love in the form of good and healthy food.
Go Food Revolution!!

From Lori S on Wed, April 21, 2010

I hope it works, but I fear the worst. Look at how long the Biggest Loser has been on the air.  And yet, I was ready to start judging and critizing a mother for the food she was feeding herself and her children at the food court in the shopping mall.

What will work is if the people who are truly passionate about this change will talk to their schools, principals, administrators, PTO’s, etc.  It needs to be a grass roots movement and works it way up.  The other option is by using our dollars and sending our children with brown bag lunches and boycotting the school lunch. That will wake “people” up.

From Ruby Love on Wed, April 21, 2010

I’m not sure WHY I am hopeful… I don’t have much CAUSE to be hopeful! And yet, I refuse to believe that parents won’t protect their children’s health by demanding all food be free of chemicals, hormones, genetic modifications, inhumane practices - argh! We need to outlaw corporate ownership of our food (seed) and allow all farmers’ access to certified organic seed. The PBS “POV” documentary about Monsanto Corporation was MADDENING! To think our government has allowed this food business to run our lives, our childrens’ lives,  is truly frightening.  Thankful for brave Brits!

From Punctuation Mark on Wed, April 21, 2010

Today I saw Food Inc and was shocked and disgusted not just at what they are trying to feed us but also at how many lives the corporations have ruined. Taking business from hard working individuals and driving them to bankruptcy is morally wrong and the government should protect the people instead of allowing the abuse.

As for those engineering our foods and cloning it… they are the ones being driven out of business. We deserve to eat healthy food!

From valetta sueppel on Sat, April 24, 2010

Kids need real food.

From Kid on Sun, May 02, 2010

Ok I live in Huntington, heres the thing, I like what JAmie is trying to do here, but the thing you people don’t understand is that YOU DONT HAVE TO EAT THE FOOD THE SCHOOLS SERVE US NOW!!! I’m in middle school and i am a very healthy kid, I play sports and get much exercise. The school serves us nasty stuff that nobody eats, which is bad because the unhealthy kids won’t eat it and then they will eat unhealthy when they get home. If you ask me I’d say this town is not going to change on bit, the people are too ignorant to realize what they are eating, but seriously if a change would ever come the food would at least have to be good. And all you people saying the people here are rude, you would be too if you had to eat this garbage.

From Patricia A Ellson on Wed, May 05, 2010

I realized last year, as my granddaughter and her two friends ran towards the car, that all three had large tummy rolls.  They were all about to go into High School fat.  The first thing we discussed that day were the “disgusting lunches” mandated by the government.  Meat patties that contained 50% “other or unknown…dog food?” and tasted as such.  Pizza slices that dripped in fat and fried cheese sticks for lunch.  Since that day, none of the children have been eating at school, and all are in an exercise program.  They will enter high school beautiful and slimmer.