The Naked Chef

No, not me!  Jamie Oliver, that's who.  I first became infatuated with Mr. Oliver on the food network show 'The Naked Chef.' These days Ryan and I enjoy watching his new show 'Jamie at home' on the weekends.  He takes basic ingredients and makes the most amazing dishes out of them. A week or so ago I heard about something new...a food revolution.  Jamie is in Huntington WV (supposedly America's most unhealthy city) trying to make a change in the way people eat.  I had to get myself caught up and watched the first two episodes on Wednesday and just watched the third one with Ryan on Hulu.  While I've known there are major problems in the school food system, this show really brings to light how many hoops must be jumped through to change the way things are done.  People do not like to change; we are creatures of habit and change takes effort.  Some of the major issues I noticed while watching the show are:
-Too much food is being served, even if it is 'healthy.' What 6 yr old can eat 5 chicken nuggets, a big dinner roll, 8oz milk, 1/4c baked beans, 1/2c mashed potatoes with gravy, and 1/2c of fruit?  Might I mention they just ate a snack 1.5 hours prior.

-The elementary kids do not use silverware other than a spoon. (to eat sugary cereal and pudding)

-Potatoes should not be counted as a vegetable.  Especially when they are served every day.

-Chocolate and Strawberry milk do not need to be served at breakfast and lunch, plain is just fine.

-Two servings of 'grain' per meal is fine...but two servings of white bread should not be the standard.

-Pizza should not become a staple breakfast in schools. Scrambled eggs and wheat toast would be a much better option.

-Children and adults are so brainwashed that we will eat things we know are not good for us as long as it's in a familiar shape. (Ex: chicken nugget)

I may be a member of the American Dietetic Association, which supports the USDA, who together created the Food Guide Pyramid, which is used to structure school lunch menus.  But I do not support, what is being fed to our nations children.  And I'm not even a mom.

 You can lean more about Jami Oliver's Food Revolution at his website and sign the petition to help create more change in America's school food system.  If a famous chef from the UK is concerned about the state of our nations health, and willing to come over here to help us change; we should probably listen to what he has to say.  I'll get off my soapbox now...