Live Webchat with Jamie Oliver this Friday 15th October between 9 and 10 am.

[RachelMumsnet]

We're delighted to announce that Jamie Oliver will be joining us on Mumsnet on Friday 15th October for an early brunch between 9 and 10 am. Jamie's groundbreaking new book Jamie's 30 Minute Meals is now on sale and his TV series of the same name begins tonight on Channel 4 at 5.30pm and runs daily on week days for four weeks. Jamie needs no further introduction to Mumsnetters; you've discussed everything from his School Meals Campaign to his baby name choices. Now's your chance to put your questions to the man himself. If you can't join us next Friday, post your questions to Jamie in advance on this thread.

Jamie, how can i get my fussy 4 yr old to eat sandwiches? (he will only eat cocktail sausages in his packed lunch )

also, if you could choose a halloween name (take note of mine) what would it be?

I think you're facing the big quandry that many familes face. I've worked in the last 8 years with many families and mothers that are tearing their hair out trying to cater for everyone's individual tastes. I've witnessed mothers cooking 5 different meals for their kids and husbands - love will drive you to deliver that.

At some point you have to stop, rethink, and find enough things that they have in common and feed them one big tasty meal. You've got to be a bit more strict about it. You may have tears and a bit of playing up for a day or two, or a week, but ultimately if they are hungry, they will eat. You need to do this in conjunction with NO SNACKING. Most of the fussy eating comes with not being truly hungry as they've gorged on food after school. I've genuinenly seen this and worked with families in this exact situation. You'll be happier, it will be cheaper and more time effective in the long run, if you take tough approach upfront. Instincts are often right, but modern solutions can take us down the wrong path. Dinner time ain't always perfect - that's really normal.

But if you can try and get your family together eating a meal together around the table, that's a great thing in itself. Another idea - try to get the kids to choose a day when they get to agree on what to cook, so that it's not always something that you are dictating, as a way to give them a reward for going along with what you're cooking the rest of the time.

@LauraNorder

Hi Jamie, I have really enjoyed your American programme and I am currently enjoying your 30 Minute Meals both on TV and the book.

As a mum of 3 I have discovered that despite feeding them the same food I have 3 children with very individual tastes. DS in particular, while not a fussy eater, prefers his food very plain.

Obviously excluding Buddy (congratulations BTW) do your children all enjoy the same food or have you got different appetites amongst you 3 daughters?

Hi Jamie,
I find it really hard to get my kids to eat their greens...I'm sure most mums have the same problem! I am constantly trying to come up with new ways to disguise them and make them more appealing. What's the most inventive way you have got your little ones to eat their veggies?

Jamie, I think you're spot on about dealing with fussy eaters via natural hunger. We had an exchange student over recently and his mum was despairing, so we stopped him eating rubbish, gave him meat and two veg, and told him to get on with it. By the time he left he was eating normal meals quite happily and his mum was delighted.

Hi Salina. Pass it on did OK in Rotherham but the thing I'm really proud of is the Ministry of Food movement. Three centres now, all really busy - Rotherham taught 6500 people to cook last year. We've got a mobile ministry opening in the North East soon. We're launching in Australia this year. I agree with you that it's shocking how many people can't cook, but really, where can they learn? That?s why I set up Ministry of Food centres ? to give people somewhere where they could come in, feel welcome, and learn those essential skills. It?s brilliant, these centres really do work. If you feel there should be a centre where you live, please lobby your council and MP.

C

@TitsalinaBumSquash

Oh bum i have just realised im not going to be here, DS is in hospital on Friday.

Ok Jamie i shall ask you now (and then fall over in delight if you answer)

Im am flabbergasted that people get right through to middle age without learing to cook at all and i totally don't get the whole 'i don't have time thing' so its great that you have brought out 30 minute meals.

My question is, was your 'pass it on' campaigne as sucsessful as you would have liked and if not why do you think that was?

Love your work, keep it up!

p.s - your Children are gorgeous! [samile]

@TheSquodgit

Jamie how much importance do you place on eating organic produce?

The truth is organics are often wonderful - they don't use chemicals and a lot of the v strict requirements mean that organic food is more likely to be produced using old fashioned farming methods. Saying that it's not a passport to better flavour and if it's been hanging around the warehouse for days then it's not a passport to better nutrician. Fresh and local would be my preference. I would suggest every Mnetter buys into organic milk and dairy. Dairy is generally in a mess and organic dairy farms are in real danger so I wholeheartedly support organic farms.

To sum up, the chances of getting something tastier and more nutricious are probably higher in organic produce but ultimately it's about not having chemicals in your diet and that's up to your preference. I think buying locally is the real key.

Hello Jamie

I'm joining in from Mumsnet's "country outpost" (am about 10 miles from The Cricketers).

I'm preg with number 2 and struggling to get my 2.5 son to eat more adventurously/ same food as us

Are any of your kids fussy - how do you/Jools deal with it?

TIA

I ate recently at Jamie's Italian in Cambridge and was appalled at the large amounts of oil, cheese and salt in the dishes. I had expected to be served healthy food, but left very concerned. I will not be going back. Such a shame and does not do your reputation any good.

Hi Jamie

do your girls like all of the food that you cook? Or are there things that they won't touch? How do you deal with that?

Have they come home asking for things that you simply won't entertain giving them? (eg: Cheese strings or chicken nuggets)

Keep up the good work. Love your programmes and love your Italian cookbook - it is one of my favourites.

@VinegaRigamorTits

Jamie, how can i get my fussy 4 yr old to eat sandwiches? (he will only eat cocktail sausages in his packed lunch )

also, if you could choose a halloween name (take note of mine) what would it be?

I've worked with loads of parents who struggle with packed lunches and like any other aspect of cooking you need to get them involved, sandwiches can be done 1000 different ways , burritos, pittas, mini rolls etc etc try and find a way that gets your kid into it. There's not a simple way. Don't take the sausage thing as a negative, use that as a vehicle to get him to eat different things and most importantly have fun with food . This solves nearly all problems. It doesn't happen over night and at the same time kids' palettes are changing monthly so perfection doesn't exist. If you're expressing your concern you're already showing that you're a brilliant parent and your natural instincts in conjunction with interaction and having fun with food will get you where you want to be.

my dd (Laura) would like to know if you teach your children to cook.

Good question, I have a great team of people who all believe in what we're trying to do but I always make sure there's enough time in the diary to take care of the things that need my input. The books, for example, take a lot of my time because I choose all the importatnt stuff like the type of paper as well as writing all the recipes which we then test at least three times. A lot of love and sweat goes into everything from the magazine right down to the pasta sauces.

@thereistheball

Hi Jamie - firstly I'd like to congratulate you on all the different projects you've started to improve the world you find around you. Aside from being a great and inspiring cook, I think you deserve credit for tackling the school dinner problem, and for starting 15, and for trying to educate the nation about delicious, healthy food.

My question is about how your empire runs: how do you balance your interests in the books you write, the TV programmes you present and appear on, your two restaurant chains, the cookware you deseign, the magazine you publish, and so on. Running any of these is a full time job. How closely can you be involved with any one project?

Allison2

Did you have macaroni cheese?

@ Allison I would be appalled to have an Italian meal that didn't have loads of oil in it

you cant expect to go for an italian and not get lots of oil and cheese, salt is a personal preference i think, peronally i love lots of salt (and cheese and oil)

just saying like

I'm going to a Jamie Oliver party at SIL's house next week. What would you suggest I buy?

Brideofblatherstein
If they sell the well-handy platters, get one or two of those - in constant use in my house.

Whats a Jamie Oliver party?? I feel like i need to attend one

This is the question of the century. You can have a direct/indirect route, or another way of putting this would be honest/dishonest way.

When I was faced with 1700 school kids that didn't want to eat veg. I used to make a 13 veg tomato sauce that went in their pizza, curry, pasta, and soups and they all ate it when they said they hated all those vegetables that I'd hidden. You could take this approach at home as well - using a hand blender to mush up all the veg in the sauce so your kids never know it's there. So it works, but hiding veg is short term fix as it doesn't open their minds to making the choice to eat veg for themselves.

At the same time, I have never ever worked with a child of any background ethnically/economically where if they have grown/picked something haven't then at least tried that something. This is why my next ten years is about trying to get vegetable gardens and fruit frees in primary schools. If you see it, and are involved in it, you will always eat it. That really is the metaphor. Getting them involved and engaged is the metaphor for you to recreate in the market, the supermarket. Allow kids to smell, touch, try. They might not like these things right now, don't worry that's normal and getting them to try something at all is a great first step. The most powerful thing you can do is to have a culture of being open minded, always try something even if you end spitting it out, so be mindful of the example that you are setting your kids about your own attitude to trying new things.

@AvocadoBrother2

Hi Jamie,
I find it really hard to get my kids to eat their greens...I'm sure most mums have the same problem! I am constantly trying to come up with new ways to disguise them and make them more appealing. What's the most inventive way you have got your little ones to eat their veggies?

thanks Jamie

btw my brother cooked us christmas dinner last year from your christmas recipe, it was THE best meal ive ever had

Thanks Aitch. If you're in the UK then I?m annoyed because there shouldn't be any need for flavoured milk in school. Milk's milk isn't it? I've dealt with many councils over the years and some are brilliant but sometimes you just get someone who can't see common sense. Keep fighting.

@Aitch

Hi Jamie, I am currently discussing why on EARTH children in dd's school need to have a choice between plain, strawberry and chocolate milk with some annoying woman at the council. she tells me that it 'meets nutritional guidelines'.

are you happy with the current nutritional guidelines?

maduggar AFAIK, it's like a posh betterware party

Hello Jamie, my DS1 is 10 and he loves cooking we do alot together as he helps with every meal. and some times he cooks for all of us. (I deal with the oven and draining ect)
He wants to have cooking lessons but we can not find one that allows Children his age( I have said I would go as well.) How are we going to keep him and others intrested when they have lernt pretty much what we know?

Hi Jollydiane. Your mum sounds like she was a lovely lady. It?s funny you should mention leftovers because they might well make an appearance in one of my books at some point so watch this space. But a good general get-out-of-trouble suggestion would be to go to the recipe section at www.Jamieoliver.Com and type in the ingredient you've got left over. You should get plenty of ideas for using it up. Good luck.

@jollydiane

I lost my mum who was a wonderful cook; your books gave the inspiration to cook for my family as mum had done for me. When you get tired or fed up, remember people like me who are so grateful. I have just finished my cod wrapped in rosemary and bacon dinner.

One request, could we have a chapter or two that gives you a weekly planner so you know what to buy and can plan so there are no leftovers. I get annoyed with myself for forgetting ingredients or have leftovers ingredients that I don?t know what to do with.