Jamie Oliver is a twat!!!

[MrsMertle]

Discuss......

Pagwatch - I agree that it is positive that he's trying to do something. Ever since he came into the public eye he has struck me as a decent and passionate person about food.

Perhaps there is an element of marketing etc about it but he is still there doing more than most famous people do.

Totally understand about the temptation to eat crap and the practicalities of it all but I still think that in the case of the lady featured on TV, it was beyond that.

Did she not have a DP? Or have I got that wrong? Even if no car, she could have got him to help her with a bit of shopping surely?

I guess it's all speculation !

Missdee I have scoured the JO books for you and can't see a Crunchie,. toffe type icecream recipie in it - any ideads what its called?

I have not read all the thread but I really don't understand how someone like that young mother who smokes and has gold chains dangling around their neck can claim they cannot afford to buy fresh basic ingredients but buys takeaway food. It is lazy and ignorant behaviour.

At health clinics, you can pick up leaflets that tell you about a healthy diet with simple recipes. You can learn how to cook by loaning a free book from your local library or spend the money that you spend on cigarette on buying a back to basics cookbook.

There is no excuse for people not being able to cook a simple meal. Surely jacket potato with baked beans is not beyond these people? Considering how many of these people are experts at making sure they get the maximum amount of benefits, why can't they apply those same skills to cooking a nutritious meal?

Spokette - I too, was amazed at how simple meals were not within capabilities.

I don't want to be judgemental but it is very difficult to comprehend that things like tinned soup, Jacket spuds etc are so hard.

Someone mentioned before about the fact that they can work DVD players etc so why is cooking beyond them?

The cigs didn't bother me, but the constant takeaways did. Not only the fact that it's such a waste of money, taxpayers money unless I'm mistaken, but it's so bad for the children. Reach out for some help if you know this, which she did (know) !!

I think he's a bloody good egg. Yes he's naive sometimes, but that's a lot better than being cynical in my book.

It's just occured to me that none of them ate ready meals. I don't like them and it's no substitute for a freshly cooked meal but there are some OK ones out there that are still cheaper than a takeaway.

During the war when 'the ministry of food' was created, people had to learn to cook with whatever was available through their rations (or the black market I guess), so even if their habits were to eat richly and wastefully (which I don't believe) they'd have to learn a new regime to survive. A whole generation had to know how to stretch what little they had so I don't believe it's out of anyone's reach nowadays. They should know what's at stake with the way that they eat and poison feed their children.

SOMething else that has occurred to me (because I didn;t actually see the programme) - are all the people Jamie teaches, women? If so, doesn't that say something more worrying than some people's bad diets?

If she could afford £10 per night for a takeway then she could afford salmon. I did wonder at her mentioning her debts in a very hopeful voice, perhaps wishing that Jamie would step in.

I'm on benefits at the moment, not ideal but it won't be forever. Since dts were born I've worked on a fairly tight budget and have always ensured they have fruit and veg and decent food, I taught myself to cook starting with an Annabel Karmel book from the discount book shop. It doesn't cost as much as they were making out. Poverty is not having a roof over your head, it is not found with a huge cooker. And cookers are not supplied in council rented accommodation.

A lot of my neighbours have these loans where someone comes to the door to collect payments. When they describe how it works and how much they pay it is obvious where their benefit money goes.

It is all about living within your means and doing the best with what you have. Laziness and ignorance are not about where you come from or how much money you have.

Solidgold there were men in his class, I would say about half of them, including the old guy in his 80s.

I used to find him reallllly annoying (pukka arrghhh) but now I have nothing but respect for him

he has a go and puts himself in the firing line, he doesnt have to care he could have kept on churning out reciepe books and made a fortune still but he hasn't he probably has single-handley made people think about what they are eating more than anyone else in the country.