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.

I put on a stone after obsessing cooking MOF for a month.

I have never used so much olive oil and dh reckons you're obsessed with lemons.

And ideas?
And please don't say just eat less, I can polish off the roast chicken in less than 30 mins whilst batting away my children.

Hi Jamie...really enjoying your new series and I will definitely be picking up the latest book! 30 minute meals sounds right up my street.

I am a mum of 3 and I try to get the kids to eat as healthy as possible (not always easy!)...the youngest one is quite happy to eat mashed up banana or avocado which is great as they are super healthy but how do I get the older ones to eat these kind of things? Any tips?

Thanks!

sorry if this is explained in the book (have ordered it but not received yet) - why i the recipes divided into 4 different colours (on the contents page)?

Hi Jamie, love your books and MoF has taught my brother how to cook and now he is obsessed with cooking proper meals from scratch (which all taste yummy) - obviously I have just bought him your 30 Minute Meals for Christmas.

My question is more of a request really - could you do a book on weaning/toddler meals/teaching children to cook and learn about where their food comes from. I'd love it if my DD grew up loving food and cooking right from the very start and as I'm not so confident it would help me get her started and hopefully avoid the weight issues that I have had during my adult life due to poor diet and portion control.

Oh no I am going to miss it as I have to take my son to look at a high school

Hi Jamie,

I second sniggers question about domestic science in schools, I dropped out of school because I hated it the only thing I wanted to learn when we were told to pick subjects was cookery. I was told I couldn't because it wasn't a popular course and I had to take needlework insted.
I had our first babys at 18 and I didn't know how to cook anything - my mum hated cooking and never taugh me(the only vegatables I had ever eaten were carrots and peas) So me my DP and our son ate frozen fish fingers and chicken peices for a whole year untill I started watching cookery programs and my MIL and saw how simple it was to cook, now I cook everything from scratch. I just wish at school they had taugh us the basics so I could at least knock up a couple of dishes by the time I left home.

Just wanted to say I loved the food revoloution and I love the minstry of food book it is great.

Oh and by the way I think your children have lovley names and you and Jools look like you're fantastic parents.

Hi Jamie,

I would echo MidnightExpress' question about school gardens and growing food with young people: is it something you are planning to "take on" as a campaign? Can you comment on the links between school or community gardening and healty eating?

Thanks...

I love the 30 minute dinners programme. I would go so far as to say it is the best yet - inspiring dishes and, even better, no gimmickry.

As fillet steak is beyond my pocket what cut would you suggest for a speedy "roast" beef?

Dear Jamie

While I laud your efforts to make school dinners more healthy, do you realise that only 20% of meals in a year are eaten at school.

Am part of a group of mums currently working with our school meals provider to offer enticing & healthy meals.

Its a long & challenging process (as you know).

What would be really helpful is a proforma menu plan mapping out 30 days meals, ideally with accompanying menus.

That would then give us a basis to work with the provider which we can flex for seasonal variations etc.

Being able to present this as something with the Jamie seal of approval would really help!

Any chance....please please please please please please?!

2nd question

DO YOU THINK MORE NEEDS TO BE DONE TO TEACH COOKING IN SCHOOLS?

My 14 year old started high school and was "taught" to make cornflake cakes, rice crispy cakes, a pizza with a crumpet for a base!
The only decent thing he was ever taught was a couscous salad.

I have been teaching him at home basic things.

I feel schools need to educate children early about healthy food and how to cook it

Hello Jamie
I can't make tomorrow but I do have a very silly question: I found some of our older books and I reckon you must have a whole room set aside in your house just for checked shirts! How many do you have?!

My daughters' school dinner menus look healthy, as in they are not unhealthy but I don't think that is necessarily the same thing as being healthy.

The problem is they are obssessed with having an item from each food category, separate on the plate. So you get the main item, e.g pasta bake, then a carb item, e.g. potato wedges or herby bread, and then a veg option e.g. sweetcorn or carrots.

The county don't seem to get that you can serve a one pot meal to children and put all the vegetables inside. I tried a school dinner with my daughter when she started in Reception and it was vile. Overcooked potato pieces and overcooked brocolli and sweetcorn. You don't need veg on the side if the meal allows you to put veg inside.

I sometimes think these children would be better off with a vegetable soup and crusty granary bread than 2 anaemic sausages, some dried up potato pieces and overcooked carrots.

So, is it likely they do the best they can with the money they have or are they just being unimaginative and worrying too much about ticking boxes?

(My county do claim to be one of the ones that use the most locally sourced foods so that is at least a string to their bow)

Hi Jamie, I live in Cornwall and have been lucky enough to have lunch at Fifteen at Watergate Bay. Had a great time - fab location and lovely food.

At the table next to us was a family with several young children ordering and whilst I don't like to deny anyone a good meal, I did think blimey they're lucky and a small bit of me thought clear off I don't want my lunch ruined by children's noise and a baby crying! (this was pre-baby so I'm less fascist now but have to admit my dream meal still doesn't involve children...)

Q What are your dos and donts for taking a baby /child to a restaurant?!

Having to say again, Jamie you have been inspirational on America... are you planning on doing a childrens programme...?kids food?
that would be awesome :)

Hi Jamie,

I love your work too. But my dd has just been diagnosed with a dairy allergy, and I have to avoid refined wheat because it brings on asthma. That wipes out loads of the recipes I used to use. Some substitutions are working OK (I've just made pesto using sunflower seeds with the basil, which tasted as if it had cheese in and the whole family liked it on spelt pasta). But really, it would be great to have an allergy recipe book written by a great chef, rather than by another not-quite despairing mother. (fawn, fawn). And food allergies are very common - something like 7% of children are allergic to dairy (according to the paediatrician). Would you consider it? I really miss rissotto!

And, as a sneaky second question, have you ever considered looking into how dangerous to health infant formula is? We are always told that 'Breast is Best', (rather than 'breast is normal unless you happen to have given birth to a cow), but the real statistics don't come out: formula feeding an infant hugely increases their risk of leukaemia and neuroblastoma, amongst many many many other illnesses. And, it is fuelling the obesity epidemic, with all the ill health that that brings in its wake. According to WHO, about 98% of women, given adequate support, (and I repeat, GIVEN ADEQUATE SUPPORT) will be able to breastfeed successfully, but that's not much good to the business of selling the excess cow's milk produced in factory farms.....

(small rant. if you want references, see The Politics of Breastfeeding (Gabrielle Palmer) or Breastfeeding Older Children (Ann Sinnott).

Oh, please please answer these questions. Thank you very much.

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?

RunawayPumpkin - my 8y DD (in Y4) started cookery lessons at school this year. They do an afternoon every fortnight (alternates with woodwork) and DD is loving in. They have mde healtier versions of muffins and scones so far, and cookies next week. They do mainly baking this year and some cooking next year I believe.

My DD loves cooking and I supervise her at home. She's always cooked with me from bieng tiny and is now becoming more and more independent. She will also try just about anything and especially so if she has cooked it. She helps menu plan for the week and loves to choose - and her choices have on occasion suprised me too. DD loves to read cookbooks and loves cookery programmes. We try and let her cook one meal a week as often as possible.

I do think we should all be trying to cook with our children from a young age, and doing it in schools as well.

Another vote for a kids programme please. My 3 and 6yo watched your 30 minute meals tonight and ever since have been dreaming up salad recipes - they're totally inspired.

Please don't abandon them to Big Cook Little Cook

pollyanna - whilst I agree that it is nice to have some meals without children making a racket I do think that restaurants, including nice ones and expensive ones, should be open to children. Children should be allowed to eat out and have good food; it's often where they get to try new things and also learn how to behave acceptably. We take 8y DD out for meals all the time and have done since she was a baby and she loves eating out. We do avoid going later in an evening but she has often been the only child in the restuarant, to the point that most people wouldn't know she was there.

But I do agree with children's noise and I personally don't tolerate children out of seats, shouting and being silly, and would always take a crying or loud child outside.

Hi Jamie, I'm also a big fan and think the MOF book is fab.

I was wondering if Jools was planning on writing a follow up to her book?

Thanks xxxxxxx

Hello, I've just been watching a 30 minute Jamie.

Q Is the stuff in the kitchens you cook in on telly actually really yours, or is it just set dressing, made to look all casual?

There was a thread on mumsnet once about someone who was proud of her ability to tell all of her jars of spices and herbs apart without labels on and it made me think of her when you were chucking cinnamon about from an unmarked jar...

sneaky other q; Q)How long does it take to film a 30 minute meal?

Good work though, keep it up, you sounded very vunerable in the G2 article I thought, but not surprising if you're knackered.

Hi Jamie, love your work.

I have a question about eating in schools. My children go to a local Swiss school and the meals are fabulous. They have 3 course meals, things like boef bourguignon, paella. Served with salad or veg, dessert often fruit or tarte tatin. Sometimes cheese as dessert, which my children find quite weird.

Recently there is a new dinner lady and they have started to have little competitions, who is finished first, who eats every thing up.

DD told me today that she was given sweets for clearing her plate for the third time in a row.

I am a bit concerned as we have always said, "Eat as much as you want, don't overeat". And I am not that happy about rewards/bribes being used.

What do you think? Worth having a word with the teacher?