| School dinners have gone from a national joke to | | | | clearly undermining what Jamie Oliver and the |
| top of the political agenda, all because this year | | | | Prime Minister is trying to do, at school they have |
| celebrity chef Jamie Olivers TV programme | | | | to wear a uniform and conform to certain rules, |
| caused uproar over the quality of school dinners, | | | | why cant this include eating green and healthy |
| the programme followed the chef and father of | | | | food? When they get home they can then wear |
| two small children as he tried to change menus | | | | and eat what they want. Its not going to kill them |
| for pupils in Greenwich, south-east London. | | | | to eat 5 healthy meals per week is it? Wake up!!! |
| Jamie Olivers campaign to improve school dinners | | | | This also reminds me of Ian Wrights (famous ex |
| has galvanized politicians and parents alike. Even | | | | Arsenal football player in the UK) recent TV |
| the Prime Minister has got involved saying that If | | | | programme about unhealthy kids, he tried his |
| changes are made it will only be a matter of | | | | hardest to engage them in exercise to reduce |
| months before British health, education and | | | | their obesity levels and when he was struggling he |
| farming could be affected for the better. It could | | | | asked their parents to lead by |
| be one of the biggest food revolutions that | | | | example…..many of them refused! |
| England has ever seen. What is now needed is | | | | Back to healthy meals again…the Soil |
| real commitment to this change and the funds | | | | Association is encouraging the use of organic and |
| from central government to back it up. | | | | local produce in school meals by running a Food |
| In a response to the plea from Jamie Oliver for a | | | | for Life workshop at interested schools. It is a |
| school dinner revolution, the Prime Minister has | | | | one day workshop for key stage two pupils. It is |
| also said that school kitchens will be rebuilt and | | | | run by the Soil Associations education department. |
| equipped so that food dishes can be cooked from | | | | The workshop provides children with an |
| scratch, while dinner ladies are given culinary skills | | | | opportunity to consider healthy eating, local and |
| to help them create appetizing menus. | | | | organic food through the theme of choices. |
| From autumn 2006, school dinners in England will | | | | Schools also need information on good practice |
| now exclude crisps, chocolate, fizzy drinks and | | | | when sourcing healthy food for school meals. |
| low-quality meat. School children will be served at | | | | Schools can further improve childrens diets and |
| least two portions of fruit and vegetables with | | | | increase their understanding of food by means of |
| every meal and deep-fried food will be restricted | | | | farm visits, and classroom activities. Wouldnt it be |
| to two portions per week. Meals that are high in | | | | wonderful if all schools could have gardens so that |
| salt and fat from the school canteen are also | | | | kids can see that food doesnt come just from |
| banned. | | | | packets or appear miraculously in shops? |
| From a parents perspective, many want better | | | | To encourage kids at home to eat healthily why |
| school meals for their children and to swap junk | | | | not make soups with organic vegetables, while |
| food for both organic and local fresh meals but | | | | the children can make their own smoothies in the |
| there has been pictures in the national | | | | blender with organic yogurt or milk and fresh or |
| newspapers of some parents taking dinner orders | | | | frozen fruit. I bet the kids can taste the |
| at the school gates and going and buying burgers, | | | | difference. All the kids in my family love organic |
| chips and other unhealthy meals and then | | | | yoghurts, and for snacks they have organic dried |
| delivering it to their children and others. This is | | | | fruit. |