Do you think Jamie Oliver did more damage than good?

Question

I'm really sad to see that the good efforts of Jamie Oliver are not turning out as expected. Do you think it's partly the parents to blame who give their kids all sorts of junk? Surely, if kids can get away with eating junk all the time, they'll soon get a taste for it and will not want anything else. Like those mothers who were taking chips over the shchool fence - are they fuelling this? Have kids been spoilt rotten in our wealthy society where food is easily available everywhere? Why has Jamie's effort gone so bad?

Answer 1

I don't think he did more damage than good, or that his efforts were in vain. But what we're being shown now is that it is not enough that schools push the healthy eating message at school - if kids get used to salty, fatty processed junk AT HOME then of course they are going to complain about getting something different at school

The other day I gave to some teenagers at a local conference centre. One girl was complaining that she'd had no lunch - we thought "how terrible, the food muct have run out". But no. Her teacher then came in and explained that the conference centre "had never catered for teenagers before" and had put on their usual lunch of dips, samosas, sandwiches, mini pork pies etc (we had it too - it was lovely). She APOLOGISED to the girl that what was provided was "not to her taste", and said she could go home early to get a snack! I'm only 24 but I'm quite sure that if I'd behaved like that when i was at school I wouldn't have been pandered to in such a way. What a performance!

The girl was also very fat. Figures.

Answer 2

People seem to be forgetting the main point here!

Jamie Oliver is putting all his effort into making our children healthier, all children! More than I can say for some parents!

But he can only take it so far, after that it is up to the schools, the parents and society as a whole to grasp on and keep it going in the right direction, if it is failing it is because of bad schools and bad parents, dont give Jamie all the blame!

Answer 3

Jamie is too outspoken about this.

I don't beleive the odd bit of "junk" is wrong as long as the child eats a good diet otherwise and is active.

I sometimes ate fish and chips, sweets etc as a kid but I also ate lots of decent home cooked food and was very active - training in dance from an early age, school sports etc. I have never been overweight or had health problems.

Everything in moderation is the key.

Jamie is just being offenseive - making statements like:

"Parents who give their kids crisps are tossers and arseholes"

- thats just going to piss people off and make them less likely to listen to him. It certainly would make me less inclined to give a toss what he says.

The odd bag of crisps now and then - as long as the kid also gets all the healthy food they need - isn't going to hurt. This "all or nothing " attitude is silly.

I like to think I have enough common sense not to feed my child with chips every day, but hey a MaccyD's once in a while as an occaisonal treat ain't going to hurt them as long as their lives are otherwise balanced.

Jamie doesn't even look that healthy himself - he's a bit on the pudgy side if you ask me. I'm much slimmer!! And I still do eat crisps occasionally.

Answer 4

Jamie tried really hard and was and still is very passionate about this challange. I don't think his efforts were in vain. You are right about the parents, they are to blame, if my boy came home from school saying he didn't like the healthy options there is no way i would put him on packed lunches. I hope my child becomes a happy healthy adult, the parents passing chips thro the gates have no care for the children

Answer 5

No I cant see how he did any damage, what he did do was allow parents and kids to really see the junk content of school meals and what they were actually putting inside themselves, its sad that it isn't working out but until parents start taking the lead and feeding their kids healthy but tasty food then the only road these kids are going to go down is one of obesity and ill health in later life and be a drain on the NHS and the state if they're not fit to work. see what happens to them in twenty years time

Answer 6

I think Jamie tried to do good but you have to go to the roots of a problem to solve it and the roots are not as visible as the problem.
I am not a parent but Jamie's cocky attitude doesn't make me want to hear him. He comes across as a know all and needs to choose his words wiser as the people he wants to hear him are usually the ones who do it all their way and don't want to listen to other and disagree with a lot of problems in society and politic.
Jamie's comments on parents who give their kids cola been Ar5ehole did him no favours as. Some people give their kids cola every day. we only drank it as kids on special occasions and I hate the stuff but does that mean he thinks my mum is an ar5ehole as she gave us cola?
Jamie needed to understand the society and others lives and struggles more that just jump in and try be a hero

Answer 7

I found him patronising - I decided not to give my children school meals as I didn't think they were healthy - my daughter was given macaroni and one plain boiled potato for her lunch, followed by a slice of apple. I also noticed that if her class was the last one to be served, all the interesting food was gone and she was given the leftovers.
So I made her sandwich - usually with a slice of meat and salad, a yogurt, a piece of fruit or cheese and a fruit juice. Maybe she'd have a kitkat or some other biscuit as well.
Our school decided to inspect the children's lunch boxes, which I considered an insult, after seeing what they were serving the children themselves.
I'd also like to point out that as a member of the PFA I was often in the kitchen. It wasn't clean, to say the least.
Most of the parents who gave their children packed lunches, had the same reasons. So to be told off for being bad parents for giving your child a packed lunch, to having your child's lunch box inspected - when they serve baked puddings and custard, how dare they confiscate a kitkat? and to be told that everyone should eat school dinners, is an outrage!
Parents can be educated, that is true, as to what good food is. But it is my child and I am wise enough, old enough and with enough intelligence to feed her myself without having some tv chef coming and telling me twhat to give her.
Parents who give their kids McDona;ds and Red Bull for lunch,should be reported to the NSPCC They obviously don't know what they're doing.
Yes, I do think parents should be made aware that most of the cost of their dinner doesn't go towards the food content and they're only getting 30p worth of food. But to come across with such a nannying approach is offensive.
When it first came out, I encouraged my daughters to watch the programme -but Jamie's language soon put paid to that.
If he'd used less offensive language, if he hadn't come across as patronising, then he would have done more good.
Also, why does healthy food always include lentils???? Do you know anyone who would eat it, willingly?

Answer 8

I can't see how Jamie Oliver did any damage by introducing healthy eating habits to children. It's the best thing he could have done for these poor unfortunate children, for heavens sake they aren't getting any nutritional advice from their lazy parents or from the school system. If Jamie hasn't succeeded at least he tried and the fault lies elsewhere.

Answer 9

I think he did a good job getting healthy eating for kids on the agenda, but ultimately if parents are gonna let their kids eat trash - it's they who are to blame.

God help our society when people are this irresponsible - what possible reason could there be for not wanting your children to have the best start in life by getting the right nutrition? Oh yeah hang on, it probably comes under the heading 'too much hassle'

Answer 10

I think Jamie should get a medal for his efforts, let's face it, he care's more for these kids than their own lazy parents who cant be bothered to put a good meal up for them, how can any parent go against what he tried to do? Good for all the parents who are trying to do their best to improve their childrens eating habbits.