I ve spent the last few months shooting the second season of ABC s Jamie Oliver s Food Revolution in Los Angeles, where I ve been asking a lot of questions about school meals and also dipping into the powerful world of fast food. The Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) feeds an incredible 650,000 kids every day, so in this series I wanted to find out if their meals were any better than the ones I saw being served last year in West Virginia. Unfortunately, I wasn t able to take the Food Revolution cameras into any LAUSD schools, but from what parents were telling me, the story was largely the same as in West Virginia: kids were being fed mostly processed food with nowhere near as many fresh ingredients as they wanted their children to be given. All of the kids and parents I met in Los Angeles were incredibly passionate about changing this situation, and were scared for their health and for their future. I didn t realize until I spoke to them just how big the fear of diabetes and heart disease is out there, especially among teenagers who are sadly at risk, thanks to years of eating heavily processed food in schools and at home. To get a clearer picture of what was happening outside of schools, I worked with my man Dino, owner of a fast-food restaurant in Los Angeles. What I took away from my time with him was that most people don t seem to really think about what they re eating. And amazingly, the folks who are running the restaurants don t always know what they re selling, or even care as long as they re making a profit. As a chef, that blows me away because I always want to know exactly where the food I serve comes from, and I wouldn t serve anything to customers I wouldn t be happy serving to my own kids. We ve got to work together to turn this campaign into a movement powerful enough to challenge those big organizations and change lives all across America. The Food Revolution is about getting people cooking again and asking them to really think about what they re eating and where it comes from. Change is possible and it is necessary. Without it, America s kids face a very tough and unhealthy future. Please join me now! Love, Jamie Oliver to food revolutionaries all across america: join the food revolution by signing my petition: www.jamiesfoodrevolution.com
why we need a revolution: Nationally, the prevalence of overweight teens has more than doubled in the past 30 years and of these overweight adolescents, 75% of them are likely to be overweight as young adults. 5 Obesity rates will continue to rise unless we make changes. Today, fried potatoes, including french fries, make up almost 50% of vegetable servings for children 2 to 19 years old 1. And on any given day, 45% of children don t eat any fruit, and 20% eat less than one serving of vegetables 9. In the state of California alone, 90% of all school districts sell fast food such as pizza, chips, cookies, and soda. 6 With 30.5% of children in California already overweight or obese, 7 change is needed! MILK REVOLUTION! Jamie fills a bus with sand to represent one week s worth of added sugar found in flavored milk that is served in LAUSD One 8 oz. serving of flavored milk contains more than 3 teaspoons of added sugar compared to plain milk 8 diabetes in the united states One in three boys and two in five girls born in 2000 are estimated to develop diabetes. 2 Diabetes kills over 71,000 people each year. It s the seventh biggest killer in the United States. 3 Research suggests that lifestyle changes such as exercising more can reduce the development of Type 2 diabetes by 58%, which is more cost-effective than taking medication. 4 1. NCHS 2000: National Center for Health Statistics, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.Washington, D.C.: 1999-2000 data 2. Narayan, K.M. Venkat, Boyle James P., et al. Lifetime Risk for Diabetes Mellitus in the United States, JAMA 2003; 290 (14): 1884-1890. Available at: http://jama.ama-assn.org/content/290/14/1884.full.pdft 3. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Leading Causes of Death, available at: http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/lcod.htm 4. National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse, National Diabetes Statistics, 2011. Available at: http://diabetes.niddk.nih.gov/dm/pubs/statistics/ 5. California Center for Public Health Advocacy, The Growing Epidemic: Child Overweight Rates on the Rise in California Assembly Districts, August 2005. Available at: http://www.publichealthadvocacy.org/pdfs/research_pdfs/fullpolicyreport.pdf 6. Public Health Institute, California High School Fast Food Survey, 2003. Available at: http://www.phi.org/pdf-library/fastfoodsurvey2003.pdf 7. Childhood Obesity Action Network. State Obesity Profiles, 2009. National Initiative for Children s Healthcare Quality, Child Policy Research Center, and Child and Adolescent Health Measurement Initiative. Available at: http://nschdata.org/viewdocument.aspx?item=526 8. Driftwood Dairy: http://www.driftwooddairy.com/nutrition.htm 9. NCHS 1994: National Center for Health Statistics, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey III.Washington, D.C.: 1994.
IT STARTS AT HOME There are plenty of opportunities to teach your children about nutrition through everyday activities. Lead By Example Act as a role model to your children. Children are better equipped to make nutritious choices if they see you choosing nutrient-rich foods such as fruits and vegetables, low-fat or fat-free milk, cheese, and yogurt and whole grains. shop Together and cook Together Family meals promote healthy eating habits and good nutrition. Involve your children in planning, shopping and preparing meals. Use these activities to understand children s food preferences, teach children about nutrition, and encourage them to try a wide variety of foods. let the kids make dinner You can even designate one night a week for your children to make dinner. Put the kids in charge of picking the recipes and making a shopping list, preparing the food, setting the table, and plating the meal. When kids are invested in dinner, chances are they ll eat it. Turn the kitchen into a classroom What makes a cake rise? How many quarter cups are in a whole cup? What s the third step in that recipe? Math, reading, science it s all in the kitchen. Beyond measuring and mixing, kids can be taught to pluck herbs, wash vegetables, crack eggs, crumble toppings, mash potatoes, and more. Make each meal prep a part of your daily routine with no guilt that it s stealing time from homework. Be More Active We know that part of the cause of the current obesity epidemic is that people are much less active than they used to be. Getting kids involved in organized activities (such as team or individual sports) and cutting back on the amount of time in front of the TV and computer, is a great starting point. Family activities such as hikes, bike rides, and exercise classes are another great way to get the ball rolling.
what s for lunch? A Community Revolution WHICH MEAL WOULD YOU LIKE YOUR CHILD TO EAT? Do you really know what your child is eating for lunch? Sometimes talking to our children about healthy eating habits is not always enough to stop children from choosing unhealthy options when it comes to lunchtime at school. To address this issue, we re challenging parents to get involved in their child s eating habits! Have your child take a picture of what he or she is eating for lunch every day and help us spread the word and make a change!
jamie oliver s food revolution season 1: huntington, wv steve willis As a Pastor at the First Baptist Church in Kenova, West Virgina, I witnessed first-hand how Jamie Oliver was a godsend to our community. When I heard that the Center for Disease Control had named Huntington, WV the unhealthiest city in America, I was determined to act on my growing concern for the overall well-being of the community. Luckily, we were blessed with the opportunity to work with someone who was willing to take an active interest in helping our community make the changes that we needed. Working with Jamie and the show was not only a life-changing experience but a live-saving one. By the end of the process, our community had undergone a dramatic transformation. Since our involvement with Jamie and his crew, our nutritional habits have changed, our exercise regimens have increased and our lives have been truly revolutionized. Now, more than 3000 healthy meals and snacks have been served in the First Baptist Church s new kitchen and our children are eating more nutritious foods than ever before! Jaime Oliver has made an incredible impact on our community and we are thankful to have been a part of the Food Revolution. Best Regards, Steve Willis patrick o neal As the principal of Central City Elementary, I wasn t sure what to expect when I heard Jamie Oliver was coming to Huntington, West Virginia, and, to be honest, I didn t understand the purpose of his mission. However, as hesitant as I was, I listened to Jamie as he passionately spoke about the health problems surrounding our children and as he tried to educate us about what we were feeding our students in school every day. As Jamie took us through, in great detail, what really goes into each meal we were serving I was astonished. It didn t take long before I decided to explore how we could do things differently. As the principal, I was extremely concerned but I knew that with Jamie s help we could start to make a change. Together we began to make the necessary adjustments in order to help our students eat healthy meals and ultimately live longer, healthier lives. I know change doesn t happen overnight, but when you open your eyes and understand the severity of these issues you too will stop at nothing to fix it. We can t thank Jamie and his Food Revolution enough. They have opened our eyes and we are committed to changing the way we feed our children. All the best, Patrick O Neal Jamie teams up with Steve Willis and Patrick O Neal on Season One
frozen fruit smoothies Smoothies are not only deliciously tasty but they re also perfect to have for breakfast. Adding quick cook oats to them is great, because it adds fiber which moves slowly through your body to help give you more energy for a longer period of time. The great thing about frozen fruit is that it s been picked at its best, at the right time, and hasn t been forced to grow out of season, like so much of the fresh fruit on offer to us these days. It s also cheaper and far more convenient it will last happily in your freezer for months on end, so any time you want a smoothie, you can have one! Ingredients: (makes 2 glasses) 1 ripe banana 1 cup frozen fruit of your choice: mango, blackberries, blueberries, or strawberries 2 heaped tablespoons plain yogurt 1/4 cup quick cook oats (not instant) 1 cup of 1% milk, soy milk, or apple juice 5 ice cubes PREPARATION 1. Peel and slice your banana and put it into a blender with your frozen fruit and the yogurt. Whiz it up and add the oats. Add the fat free milk, soy milk, or apple juice and the ice cubes and whiz again, until nice and smooth. 2. If it s a bit too thick for you, just add a splash more milk or juice and whiz around again. Give it a good stir, then have a taste. Rarely with a frozen fruit smoothie should you need to sweeten it, but if you think it needs a bit of extra sweetness you can add a little honey to taste you won t need much. Jamie s top tips These smoothies are best made in a blender, as opposed to a food processor, as this will give your smoothies a lovely silky texture. Feel free to use any fruit you like, either one type or a mixture. Raspberries are really tasty and you can use them here, but I tend to stay away from them because of the seeds. Photography by David Loftus Serving suggestions: If you re in a hurry and not a big breakfast eater, this is fine on its own. If you love breakfast, round out the meal with a slice of toast and a small spoon of peanut butter.
caesar on the lighter side I ve made my own version of the classic Caesar salad which is a little bit healthier on the dressing it s all about taking influences from the original dish and bigging up the flavors and textures where you can. If you have some leftover roasted chicken, then adding it to this salad is a great way of using it up. Ingredients: (serves 4) 1 head romaine lettuce 1/3 cup 2% Greek yogurt 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese, (plus 1-ounce for sprinkling over the top; optional) 1 small clove garlic, minced Juice of 1/2 lemon 2 chopped anchovy fillets 1/8 teaspoon sea salt 2 teaspoons Worcestershire Sauce Photography by Dan Jones PREPARATION 1. Snap off any wilty or dark green outer leaves from the head of romaine. Cut off the tips of the leaves, then cut the head in quarters lengthwise. Cut into chunks and get rid of the core. Wash the lettuce and dry it in a salad spinner. 2. Whisk the yogurt, olive oil, grated Parmesan, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, lemon, and anchovy together in a serving bowl. Season with the salt and pepper. 3. Toss the lettuce with the dressing and scoop the salad into serving bowls. 4. If you choose, coarsely grate your small chunk of Parmesan over the salad and toss again. Serving suggestions: This is great as a starter or can accompany just about any meal. Turn this into a main course salad by adding sliced grilled chicken breast, grilled shrimp or broiled and flaked salmon fillets. Jamie s top tips You can buy all sorts of lettuce there s soft and buttery, red leaf or green leaf, bitter varieties like frisee and radicchio, and then there s crunchy such as romaine and iceberg pick and mix different elements to keep your salads interesting. In my opinion a good dressing is the key to making a cracking salad it ll mean you want to eat it, rather than feel you have to. This is a full-flavored dressing so add just enough dressing to lightly coat the lettuce leaves don t overdo it, or you ll spoil a perfectly good salad. If you want to ensure a really good even coating, use clean hands to quickly toss everything together.
chargrilled chicken kebabs with barbecue salsa Light and tasty, this kebab recipe will give you a taste of summer even if it isn t quite warm enough to get the barbie out. The salsa works well with all kinds of chargrilled or barbecued meat. Ingredients: (serves 4) 4 chicken breasts, about 20 ounces Leaves from 2 sprigs of fresh rosemary, chopped Zest of 1 orange 2 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon olive oil 1/8 teaspoon sea salt 2 large handfuls of baby arugula, mesclun or baby spinach, about 4 cups Handful of fresh mint leaves Juice of ½ a lemon 4 pita breads or flatbreads Freshly ground black pepper, to taste SALSA 1 teaspoon olive oil 2 red onions, peeled and sliced 2 tablespoons honey 1 teaspoon smoked paprika 1 teaspoon Dijon or English mustard 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce 2 tablespoons brown sugar ½ teaspoon chile powder 2 large handfuls of cherry tomatoes, roughly chopped A small handful of fresh parsley leaves, finely chopped Photography by David Loftus PREPARATION 1. Chop the chicken breasts into 1-inch cubes and put in a bowl along with the rosemary, finely grated orange zest, and olive oil. Cover and leave to marinate in the refrigerator for at least half an hour. 2. When the chicken pieces are ready to cook, thread them on to 4 skewers. Season the finished kebabs well with the salt and pepper. 3. Using a grill pan or barbecue, grill the kebabs for 3 to 4 minutes on each side until they re nicely charred and cooked through. Check the center of the biggest chunk of chicken to make sure. 4. Wash and dry the baby arugula, or lettuce you are using, and place in a bowl with the mint leaves. Squeeze over the lemon juice, a good drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and season. 5. Serve the skewers in the middle of the table with a pile of warmed flatbreads; the peppery salad and a bowl of homemade smoky barbecue salsa to spoon over. barbecue salsa 1. Heat a saucepan and add a splash of olive oil. Add the onions and fry on medium heat for around 10 minutes, or until sweet and soft. 2. Add all of the other salsa ingredients except the tomatoes and parsley. Allow the sauce to cool slightly then stir in the cherry tomatoes and parsley leaves. Serve warm or cold with any kind of chargrilled or barbecued meat.