"Let them eat pizza" - the Jamie Oliver campaign isn't working

[Maninadirndl]

According to BBC Breakfast the School Food Trust project set up years ago has failed to make a significant change in children's eating habits.

As someone who took up this eating "thing" and who feels like the only one interested in eating good food around me - I also grow my own veg, fruit and herbs - I found this depressing news that the children still eat fish and chips. I know people who eat awful food and whose idea of a great day out for the kids is with Ronald McD.

Has the eating better food thing changed around you?

[MissisBoot]

I would suggest that the school food trust need more than 5 years to make a significant change to children's eating habits - it would be better to have a look at the difference in 15-20 years time. By then healthy eating will be mainstreamed in schools and the memories of chips with everything will have faded.

I've always tried to eating healthily and cook from scratch but have real occasional weaknesses for fish and chips!

[Mamazon]

i know what im about to say will have me shunned from Mn forever more but, i really like Greggs sausage rolls and have no worries about giving my children one if we are out and about.

having said that, they don't have them every day or even once a week. they have good home made food most days at home and have hot school mealsat lunch time.

the lunch menu's at the school are actually very good and the parents are invited in to sample the menu each term, something i always do.

Until people manage to get it into their heads that good healthy eating is not about all or nothing the message will nevcer stick. whilst people assume that all take away is bad, all fat is wrong and only raw veg is suitable for their PFB people will be put off by the healthy eating campaign.

[ShauntheSheep]

What's wrong with fish n chips exactly?

[piscesmoon]

It is changing in the primary school-it will take longer to get through to the secondary school which is where the problem lies. You can't change people's habits overnight-it needs to be viewed as a long term plan. They shouldn't even be worrying about it yet-as MissisBoot says 15-20 years is more realistic.Not everything can be a quick fix.
Just because DCs like pizza and chips it doesn't mean that you have to give it to them-other than once in a while for a treat.
(I am appalled that anyone could think that chips go with pizza!)

[piscesmoon]

'What's wrong with fish n chips exactly? '

Nothing at all-once in a while. However fish and new potatoes is a great alternative this time of year. A cookery book would give hundreds of fish recipes.

[FAQinglovely]

yea what's wrong with fish and chips? Small (being the size of a mountain ) cod and chips is DS1's all time favourite once a month treat from the chippy .

I think Mamazon sums the problem up well in her last paragraph. - and I think part of the problem stems from the healthy eating stuff they're taught at school.

When I have to explain to my DS's that no food is really bad - it's just about moderation and quantities it does make the work much harder.

[piscesmoon]

I never label food as bad-I think it is counter productive. If you have a balanced diet at home the odd McDonalds doesn't matter in the least.

[thefortbuilder]

totally agree with mamazon's last para - the ds's eat a great diet - mostly homemade, as much organic as we can (local farmers market is very reasonably priced) etc. BUT...ds1 loves sausages, so we get either local trusted butchers ones, or 98% pork organic ones.

he also loves fish, but has never had chips - he's 3 next week and has never asked for them and I just figured he's going to have long enough to eat chips so put it off for a bit longer

[FAQinglovely]

pisces - I hate the "bad" term as well - and it is often an uphill struggle at home to just sit down and enjoy something that's not on the "healthy foods to eat" lists.......(or even worse on the "bad foods" ideas they've got in their head.

Hey you know what kids - A greasy fish and chip supper once a month 'aint gonna kill ya and is actually rather nice - just don't eat it all the time >>>

[Hulababy]

They haven't given it long enough IMO. They need to wait til the children who are being brought up with the message are grown up and see what they do.

Changing eating habits that have taken years to adeteriorate will take years to get better as well.

To be fair I don't think JO advocates a "this is bad" type approach to food. And in the school I work in, and DDs school, they don't teach abput good and bad food, but about proportions, variety and moderation.

[FAQinglovely]

well that's basically what all the healthy eating sheets (externally produced stuff) seems to be telling my children and it's doing my nut it

pictures like this (not something they've brought home from school - just something I found while googling) with a "thumbs up" "thumbs down" image (good/bad to most people) I think just sets the wrong tone.

[Maninadirndl]

I'm not even that "healthy" myself in a way. I think it si a perception and attitude thing now. People don't like being preached to.

I feed my kids pizza but the difference is I make my own bases and top it from the garden e.g., my oregano is in a pot outside. I mould mince into burgers chock full of rosemary from the garden, bound with eggs from the local farm. My Dad said the burgers were the best he'd ever had.

So it's possible to eat what kids think is "junk" food, only make it better quality and not processed in a factory. That at least is my approach. I also drop in a salad on the plate when we eat this. Sneaky thing that I am.

[Hulababy]

Have never seen the sheets and yes, I agree, I think they do go about it wrong. I don't like the idea that something is good or bad either.

Fortunately they are not being used by DDs school AFAIK and not seen them in the school I work at either. I shall keep a look out.

[Maninadirndl]

I think it's still possible to improve even the quality of the food even if it's perceived as junk food.

Take a typical cafe meal - old fry up - bacon eggs, sausage and beans. Take every item there are try to source it locally. The eggs could be free range, the sausage made by local butshers using locally sourced meat. The bacon - refer to Jamie's campaign to get people eating British pork. The beans - ah I think that can still comefom Mr Heinz. My point is that we can still eat the same kinds of food just better quality ingredients.

Did you see Heston Blumenthal trying to change Little Chef? He didn't fit to that imho as his stuff is experimental (and fascinating I might add) but didn't fit to what ordinary people want to eat. He should have tried to change the menu in less dramatic ways than he did, rather seasonal ordinary British food. e.g. lamb with mint sauce but locally produced lamb from that region and mint grown nearby! I mean the stuff grows like weeds!

My dream would be restaurants, schools, hospitals and old people's homes all with a small patch where stuff is grown like tomatoes, simple herbs. There is always room to improve. Alongside school football pitches (at least the ones the Tories didnt sell off, could be large veg gardens for kids and school canteens alike.

Rant over. Back to other stuff.

[fufflebum]

I think that the Jamie Oliver plan is working but it is a long term change that will happen not a short term fix.

For secondary school children who have had 10 of a poorer diet a sudden change to healthier choices will take a while to get used to. (As reflected in the fact that it is more successful in primary schools)

It is like anything involving educating people it is not a quick fix at all.

I think it is a shame that the media have headlined it as a failure as I do not think that it is but it may be that there is a generation that will continue to want salty/high fat foods because this is what they were exposed to as younger children. It is unfortunate the media do not explore the issues properly but go for the headline grabbing/attention seeking aspect of the story IMO.

[JesuslovesCatholicSchools]

my kids were really too old to have been indoctrinated through school regarding this issue.

however they were pissed off when they couldn't buy anything to eat for their £1.80 anymore. as the healthier recipes cost more.

but there has been a massive cultural shift with the government getting on board with this issue and schools taking on board zealously the eating habits of lunchboxes.

Jamie Oliver is an annoying twunt. However He did put this issue on the map - he did ask why our schools feed our children crap.

and thats a bloody good question to ask.

ask away - change school dinners make it work.

brilliant.

it then gets fucked up when we have lunch box monitors and kids aren't allowed a penguin in their butty box.

what is this communist China? who is the parent here?

if you want parents to feed their kids differently - if you want a cultural shift in parenting at all levels we need to introduce parenting classes linked to the reciept of child benefit.

its pizza tonight in this household from freezer to oven to gob in 13 mins.

[TrinityRhino]

my active convos is stuck at about 20 to nie HELP ME

[Maninadirndl]

"it then gets fucked up when we have lunch box monitors and kids aren't allowed a penguin in their butty box."
Wow do they really do that? That's very Communist.

JO does have his faults definitely but he has at least put his head above the parapet and had a go. Who else did?

[UnquietDad]

At the secondary school up the road, there are two takeaways in the row of shops opposite the school, and they are thronged with pupils at lunchtime. It's too easy.

When I was at school you were not allowed to leave the premises at lunchtime unless you had an exeat signed in blood by the headmster.

Lock the gates. Issue an edict that you have a school lunch (healthy) or you bring a lunchbox (healthy). And ignore any PC squealing about "rights".

[JesuslovesCatholicSchools]

we had an icecream van - in the school yard - at secondary school!

[pecanpie]

schools can't do the job single handed - it's all about parents promoting the same messages at home, which they probably aren't.

[throckenholt]

are kids all allowed out of school every lunchtime ? When I was at secondary we had to have a letter from our parents giving permission and then only once per week (special 6th form privilege was to be able to go out without a letter and every day ).

I presume most schools don't do this now - but wonder why not ?