The Processed Food Industry.......what EXACTLY are they trying to feed to the nation?

[PuffTheMagicDragon]

I've posted this on a food thread, although my thinking was sparked by the trailer for next week's "School Dinners" programme by Jamie Oliver.

He will be showing children what goes into their "non Jamie" school dinners. I saw a few seconds of it, which involved pouring a pink sludge (some kind of "meat" product) into a big bucket. The kids clearly weren't impressed.

Whilst ingredients have to be listed on packaging, it can be difficult to visualise them eg "reformed meat".

Should supermarkets etc be required, by law, to show photographs of the main basic ingredients in highly processed foods?

Our school serves chips, pizzas, burgers etc and they are not enough nice ones. ALl very greasy etc. A small range of pasta or salad which only staff buy.

a few months ago there was a thread about whether or not it was OK to give childrena a snacky type meal at 'tea time'. many peopel thought that this was fine especially if they'd had a proper meal at school. i said i thought a school meal was inadequate as a main meal and people strongly disagreed. but maybe much of this proves i was right all along

Yes it does AQ!

At my last school (where I taught), the children's meals were fairly poor; not as bad as those depicted on Jamie's School Dinners as fresh veg did run to more than a bowl of peas, but "chicken nuggets" et al were often on the menu. The head dinner lady did try her best, but the power to change things did not lie with her. Heaven knows the quality of the meat being used to prepare pasta bolognese or lasagne.

But here's the bit that will make you really . Teacher's were offered different options on top of the regular menu. There would be jacket potato, cheese and salad (among other things) available each day. I didn't buy food from the canteen and always brought my own. I did speak to the Head about the fact that if the majority of teachers didn't want to eat what was offered, and opted for a baked spud, then why were the children denied that choice? My criticism did not go down well, and the Head said the matter was out of her hands.

That's appalling. I can only assume that it is because very often the catering is done by outsiders so perhaps the head doesnt get a say. Still awful not to give them the option.