Re: Oliver food revolution

[Guest guest]

I watched it and like his 'to the point' approach. Our country is so

consumed with being politically correct in statements and rhetoric that

having someone like Oliver come into the kitchen with a different set of

eyes-is refreshing.

I don't think anyone is claiming that foodservice personnel are doing

anything but a great job! They are just following orders and not

bucking the system in order to keep their job. After a while, the

rhetoric that is being dished out is just followed along. It takes

courage, concerned citizens, parents and students to get in the face of

city/county/state school boards, food vendors/suppliers and say " STOP " .

This story highlights the basic issues that many of us are

thinking.....but he actually goes on record and says it.

As a parent of 3 public school students in elementary, middle and high

school- our community has formed a task force to address these

challenges in a conversational manner with our local schools and school

board. Wellness policies are required for every public school in the

nation but HOW and WHAT each school does with the policy is up to the

schools community. There is still much work to be done but it takes

EACH OF US as concerned citizens to stand up and speak. Personally, I

became involved with this issue several years ago from a professional

standpoint, but it has evolved into a community effort to raise

awareness among us and empowering our local community to tackle some of

the problems. There are model schools and communities across the

country that are doing better jobs with the same allotted funding from

the Federal School lunch program....in addition, the hardworking

foodservice workers of today have been pushed further and further down

the line and many of them experts at using box cutters to lay frozen

items on tray and place them in warming ovens. Where is the passion for

these 'culinary engineers' job? It has left the school building a long

time ago.

Oliver's story is encouraging and I challenge each of you to stop

talking and START DOING! Schools across this country need you and your

community!

Nodvin

Sandy Springs Wellness Alliance

From: rd-usa [mailto:rd-usa ] On Behalf

Of Nickels,

Sent: Tuesday, March 23, 2010 11:26 PM

To: rd-usa

Subject: Jaimie Oliver food revolution

Did anyone see this show Sunday. Any thoughts. I was so angered by

ignorance by the end of it.

Nickels, MS, RD/LD

[Guest guest]

I watched it and like his 'to the point' approach. Our country is so

consumed with being politically correct in statements and rhetoric that

having someone like Oliver come into the kitchen with a different set of

eyes-is refreshing.

I don't think anyone is claiming that foodservice personnel are doing

anything but a great job! They are just following orders and not

bucking the system in order to keep their job. After a while, the

rhetoric that is being dished out is just followed along. It takes

courage, concerned citizens, parents and students to get in the face of

city/county/state school boards, food vendors/suppliers and say " STOP " .

This story highlights the basic issues that many of us are

thinking.....but he actually goes on record and says it.

As a parent of 3 public school students in elementary, middle and high

school- our community has formed a task force to address these

challenges in a conversational manner with our local schools and school

board. Wellness policies are required for every public school in the

nation but HOW and WHAT each school does with the policy is up to the

schools community. There is still much work to be done but it takes

EACH OF US as concerned citizens to stand up and speak. Personally, I

became involved with this issue several years ago from a professional

standpoint, but it has evolved into a community effort to raise

awareness among us and empowering our local community to tackle some of

the problems. There are model schools and communities across the

country that are doing better jobs with the same allotted funding from

the Federal School lunch program....in addition, the hardworking

foodservice workers of today have been pushed further and further down

the line and many of them experts at using box cutters to lay frozen

items on tray and place them in warming ovens. Where is the passion for

these 'culinary engineers' job? It has left the school building a long

time ago.

Oliver's story is encouraging and I challenge each of you to stop

talking and START DOING! Schools across this country need you and your

community!

Nodvin

Sandy Springs Wellness Alliance

From: rd-usa [mailto:rd-usa ] On Behalf

Of Nickels,

Sent: Tuesday, March 23, 2010 11:26 PM

To: rd-usa

Subject: Jaimie Oliver food revolution

Did anyone see this show Sunday. Any thoughts. I was so angered by

ignorance by the end of it.

Nickels, MS, RD/LD

[Guest guest]

Well said .

On Wed, Mar 24, 2010 at 7:51 AM, Nodvin

wrote:

>

>

> I watched it and like his 'to the point' approach. Our country is so

> consumed with being politically correct in statements and rhetoric that

> having someone like Oliver come into the kitchen with a different set of

> eyes-is refreshing.

>

> I don't think anyone is claiming that foodservice personnel are doing

> anything but a great job! They are just following orders and not

> bucking the system in order to keep their job. After a while, the

> rhetoric that is being dished out is just followed along. It takes

> courage, concerned citizens, parents and students to get in the face of

> city/county/state school boards, food vendors/suppliers and say " STOP " .

> This story highlights the basic issues that many of us are

> thinking.....but he actually goes on record and says it.

>

> As a parent of 3 public school students in elementary, middle and high

> school- our community has formed a task force to address these

> challenges in a conversational manner with our local schools and school

> board. Wellness policies are required for every public school in the

> nation but HOW and WHAT each school does with the policy is up to the

> schools community. There is still much work to be done but it takes

> EACH OF US as concerned citizens to stand up and speak. Personally, I

> became involved with this issue several years ago from a professional

> standpoint, but it has evolved into a community effort to raise

> awareness among us and empowering our local community to tackle some of

> the problems. There are model schools and communities across the

> country that are doing better jobs with the same allotted funding from

> the Federal School lunch program....in addition, the hardworking

> foodservice workers of today have been pushed further and further down

> the line and many of them experts at using box cutters to lay frozen

> items on tray and place them in warming ovens. Where is the passion for

> these 'culinary engineers' job? It has left the school building a long

> time ago.

>

> Oliver's story is encouraging and I challenge each of you to stop

> talking and START DOING! Schools across this country need you and your

> community!

>

> Nodvin

>

> Sandy Springs Wellness Alliance

>

> From: rd-usa <rd-usa%40yahoogroups.com> [mailto:

> rd-usa <rd-usa%40yahoogroups.com>] On Behalf

> Of Nickels,

> Sent: Tuesday, March 23, 2010 11:26 PM

> To: rd-usa <rd-usa%40yahoogroups.com>

> Subject: Jaimie Oliver food revolution

>

> Did anyone see this show Sunday. Any thoughts. I was so angered by

> ignorance by the end of it.

>

> Nickels, MS, RD/LD

>

>

[Guest guest]

As a former school food service director (retired in 2001, after 23

years in the position), I almost threw something at my TV while watching

the show.

I had so many questions and comments that it would take a 200 page book to ask

and answer all of them!

I took the position in the Boston area in 1978--my district's food looked

similar to what was shown on the show on Sunday night. Within a

year, I had discontinued using the canned USDA chicken, beef and pork (you can't

imagine the amount of fat floating on the top of every can

that my employees opened!). I added fresh fruits and vegetables on every

serving line, as well as fresh salads on all a la carte lines.

The following year (I DID NOT CHANGE EVERYTHING ALL AT ONCE!!!!!!), I

discontinued 'sweet desserts' on lunch trays--only fresh and USDA canned

fruit for dessert. I did continue to serve pizza (it CAN be healthy!!!!),

chicken nuggets, etc., but also included baked chicken,

Stoneyfield yogurt, chickpea salad, roasted turkey, and many other 'healthy'

items in my menu cycle. Not perfect--but a dramatic

improvement that took about 5 years.

One thing that is not mentioned on the show -- who PAYS for all these wonderful

foods that are being produced? Guaranteed, it's NOT the

school district's budget. I was running a business -- all expenses, including

food costs, all non-food (such as paper goods, cleaning

supplies, etc.), ALL labor (INCLUDING ALL BENEFITS, LIKE HEALTH INSURANCE

PREMIUMS, sick time, substitutes!), repair and replacement of

all equipment. Some districts are even required to cover the cost of

custodians, lunchroom aides, utilities. I had a principal who wanted to

charge me rent because my office happened to be in his school!

Again, school food service directors are running a /*business*/! They get to

deal with unions and school administrators who view the food service

department as a source of funds for the 'important things'.

Also--in Massachusetts, many districts already charge $3.00, or more, for

lunches.

Like I said, I could go on forever!

Lois Black

[Guest guest]

As a former school food service director (retired in 2001, after 23

years in the position), I almost threw something at my TV while watching

the show.

I had so many questions and comments that it would take a 200 page book to ask

and answer all of them!

I took the position in the Boston area in 1978--my district's food looked

similar to what was shown on the show on Sunday night. Within a

year, I had discontinued using the canned USDA chicken, beef and pork (you can't

imagine the amount of fat floating on the top of every can

that my employees opened!). I added fresh fruits and vegetables on every

serving line, as well as fresh salads on all a la carte lines.

The following year (I DID NOT CHANGE EVERYTHING ALL AT ONCE!!!!!!), I

discontinued 'sweet desserts' on lunch trays--only fresh and USDA canned

fruit for dessert. I did continue to serve pizza (it CAN be healthy!!!!),

chicken nuggets, etc., but also included baked chicken,

Stoneyfield yogurt, chickpea salad, roasted turkey, and many other 'healthy'

items in my menu cycle. Not perfect--but a dramatic

improvement that took about 5 years.

One thing that is not mentioned on the show -- who PAYS for all these wonderful

foods that are being produced? Guaranteed, it's NOT the

school district's budget. I was running a business -- all expenses, including

food costs, all non-food (such as paper goods, cleaning

supplies, etc.), ALL labor (INCLUDING ALL BENEFITS, LIKE HEALTH INSURANCE

PREMIUMS, sick time, substitutes!), repair and replacement of

all equipment. Some districts are even required to cover the cost of

custodians, lunchroom aides, utilities. I had a principal who wanted to

charge me rent because my office happened to be in his school!

Again, school food service directors are running a /*business*/! They get to

deal with unions and school administrators who view the food service

department as a source of funds for the 'important things'.

Also--in Massachusetts, many districts already charge $3.00, or more, for

lunches.

Like I said, I could go on forever!

Lois Black

[Guest guest]

I agree, ! He isn't stepping on our toes at all. He is a chef who " gets

it " and cares. He has done wonders changing the English schools and I think he

will get some parents fired up to do things in their local schools here, too. I

am doing my part in my little corner of Michigan but to make nation-wide change

TV is a good media tool to use. He has star power. I have written to him to

utilize/mention RD's but I am sure the shows have been completed already, so

we'll see if he did. I feel this is an opportunity for RD's and Chefs to team

up for the common good, recruiting enthusiastic parents along the way. Get

fresh food in the door ( www.farmtoschool.org or www.csafarms.org ), show them

how to cook it, and get some good educational materials and RD's included in the

wellness policy. We all win.

J. Sheerin, RD

Traverse City, MI

Jaimie Oliver food revolution

Did anyone see this show Sunday. Any thoughts. I was so angered by

ignorance by the end of it.

Nickels, MS, RD/LD