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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Aibu to think jamie oliver can't win??

122 replies

MOTU · 19/10/2015 23:15

You'd think this would be his key demographic what with people vociferously shaming people who dare give their child squash or a sprinkle of sugar on their weetabix; but every time he speaks out about public health, people seem to erupt with indignation that he dare criticise our diets and accuse him of patronising poor people.

The latest one being that his suggestion of a sugar tax on sugary drinks is penalising poor people but allowing wealthy people choice.
Actually I think the tax would mostly just differentiate between the sugar added drinks and others, making it a more obvious choice across the socio economic spectrum and if you're so poor this would price you out of the market then you really couldn't have been afording these drinks to start with, their not exactly the cheapest option.....

OP posts:
JeffsanArsehole · 19/10/2015 23:18

Actually I think sugary drinks are by far the cheapest option, you get huge bottles of them for about 40p in the supermarket. 2litres of value lemonade is about 20p.

Original poster
MOTU · 19/10/2015 23:22

Cheaper than sugar free squash?? I personally love a Pepsi and have recently switched to own brand to save money but even so it's still a treat cos squash/water is so much cheaper. Often when discussing taxing junk food the argument that in some areas poorer people have no access to alternatives and to a degree I think that's true but in the case of sugary drinks it's not. There's no necessity to drink pop, it offers no nutritional value beyond sugar so if your struggling to afford basics surely it's the first thing to go??!

OP posts:
UncertainSmile · 19/10/2015 23:23

I think the problem is that a lot of people just think he's a patronising posh twat. It kind of eclipses the message.

expatinscotland · 19/10/2015 23:25

This reply has been deleted

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FetaComplete · 19/10/2015 23:27

I posted this on the other thread but

He's just ahead of his time. When the obesity epidemic worsens, the health service crumbles trying to cope with diet related disease and people see younger generations dying/having amputations/going blind/having strokes/heart disease it will eventually be accepted that sugar should be regulated in the same way as other harmful substances which cause death and disease.

Until then we will keep our heads in the sand and call him a health fascist/doomsayers/rich nutter.

What is wrong with water, anyway?

nilbyname · 19/10/2015 23:32

He's not posh. He's from a working class/ pub owning/ quite monied, but not wealthy family. He's done well for himself from a prett average background.

I like him a lot!

Mistigri · 19/10/2015 23:32

I don't think he is always right but I like that he has a conscience and the courage to take on vested interests. And he does seem genuinely willing to listen to the evidence.

Original poster
MOTU · 19/10/2015 23:33

Feta I really agree, sugar is in itself way more worrying than the larger problem
Of obesity, especially as many people are heading towards diabetes having never been obese; and interestingly so far the anti J O sentiment seems to be summed up by "he's rich and posh so I don't like him" which is neither relevant nor entirely true...

OP posts:
FetaComplete · 19/10/2015 23:37

As you say, he is very rich and could just sit back and collect interest on his capital.

He doesn't, he is trying to use his fame and influence make people eat better so they can feel better and live longer healthier lives.

Even though he knows he will be vilified widely. For his views, for his accent and for his looks. Even for the shape of his tongue.

ladyblablah · 19/10/2015 23:39

He's quite fat.

Confuses me.

arethereanyleftatall · 19/10/2015 23:44

Yanbu.
Here is someone who tries to help.
And he gets slammed for it on here.
Makes no sense.

kissmethere · 19/10/2015 23:51

I like him and agree we have to start somewhere and he's making a good start with bloody sugary drinks. I just watched news night and Ian Wright just showed himself to be the bad guy big style. He was the one talking out of his behind!

Verypissedoffwife · 19/10/2015 23:59

Can't stand him. He tilts his head back when he talks si that he can look down his node. And his restaurants are absolutely dreadful. Dry chips (with no fucking vinegar ) and really badly cooked food.

The last thing this country needs is MORE tax for the end consumer.

Verypissedoffwife · 19/10/2015 23:59

Nose not node.

captainproton · 20/10/2015 00:05

Certainly where I live the HV, children's centres, libraries, now the playgroup have a zero tolerance on juice/pop. Some won't even let you bring a dairylea dunker or yoghurt through the door. I didn't really notice it until I became a SAHM, and you certainly get judged openly by the people who run them if you try to ignore the rules.

I know why they do it, and tbh if Jamie Oliver can get this sugar tax sorted I know my DH would soon stop buying this stuff and sneaking it into the cupboards to treat the kids. At moment I'm stuck between a rock and a hard place. Kids screaming for juice and saying, "but daddy gives us..." Yeah he isn't the one on the coal face.

I've got a mouthful of fillings from a childhood of unlimited pop and sugary shite. Replacing fillings is not cheap either. Kids don't know better we should as parents, I wish him well tbh I don't see how this tax negatively affects anyone except the likes of Pepsi and Coca Cola. My heart don't bleed for them.

CharityBarnum · 20/10/2015 00:05

Is there another Jamie Oliver who is trying to do good while on the poverty line?

Or are you talking about the one who is a multi-millionaire?

Topseyt · 20/10/2015 00:21

He annoys me. Irrationally and stupidly annoys the hell out of me.

It isn't that there is nothing in what he says. It is that it was one of his campaigns years ago that in the end resulted in the primary school lunch box police in all their ill-informed glory. Schools snooping in children's lunch boxes and patronising their parents about it.

He may be well intentioned, but I would rather he wound his neck in.

HoneyDragon · 20/10/2015 00:23

Fgs sake he admitted in his web chat on here that his economy cook book wasn't actually one.

So that does cause pondering of his motivations.

HoneyDragon · 20/10/2015 00:27

He is and always will be to me, thanks to the lovely purpley sue, be "that rubbery faced olive botherer".

I've been on Mnet years thank you and am firmly in the he gets on my tits demographic.

howtorebuild · 20/10/2015 00:30

He means well, he just comes across as patronising and smug.

LuisSuarezTeeth · 20/10/2015 00:30

I couldn't give a toss whether he can win or not. He's a patronising twat, regardless of what he earns.

KoalaDownUnder · 20/10/2015 00:31

Is he fat now, then? Shock

I haven't properly looked at him in years, but surely not!

howtorebuild · 20/10/2015 00:34

His hair has changed colour, you may not recognise him as he's filled out too.

Topseyt · 20/10/2015 00:51

His "economy" cookbook was ridiculous. Some very expensive ingredients, like a £6 (something like that) bag of pasta. Save with Jamie my arse.

The 30 minute meal book had ridiculously long recipes that took far longer than that to even prepare, let alone cook.

He is patronising and very out of touch.

Awholelottanosy · 20/10/2015 01:06

I really admire a lot of things he's done over the years. He's put himself out in a way most celebs wouldn't and I think his heart is in the right place.

However I think the knee jerk reaction of taxing everything that is bad for us is not the right way to go about improving health and people's eating habits. Feels like just penalising the poor even more.

What about forcing companies like MacDonalds and Coca Cola etc to subsidise our health service cos of all the health problems their products cause? Banning junk food in hospitals, near schools or in advertising? Creating healthy fast food takeaways? E.g. Leon's. So many other things you could do to help this problem...