Jamie Olivers school kitchens.
Tue, 2007-02-06 02:18
#1
Jamie Olivers school kitchens.
Tue, 2007-02-06 02:18
#2
Just saw the update of this, he's doing a great job getting good food into UK schools.
[url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/guidelines/editorialguidelines]http://www.bbc.co.uk...
(gap inserted to prevent side scroal, please delete if looking, shows me trying to find out weither to use UK or British)
/advice/reportinguk/styleandlanguag.shtml
I was wondering if anyone from there has any personal experience, what's changed in your area regarding school lunches?
Here in NZ some primary schools have banned junk food from the canteen and the school grounds, about one in ten? Many children bring their own lunches, often sandwiches but now more often muesli bars and crisps, and no (?) schools have the facility to cook lunches. Most school canteens sell lollies, cakes, pies, sandwiches, and a few salad rolls. Several more schools have banned cola. The schools don't make too many rolls as they have to be thrown away if not sold, and sales are affected by the weather. Staff often buy some of the rolls, and many of the hot chocolate buns (they don't have to que up with the kids).
Whats it like in Canada? any changes?
As a teacher I would love junk food banned, but it is more difficult in a high school.
Tue, 2007-02-06 04:54
#3
Hey Southlander, if you don't mind, I'm going to move this to the youth issues forum since it's about school cafeterias and is just made for that (underused) forum. [img]smile.gif" border="0[/img]
Tue, 2007-02-06 06:26
#4
Southlander, the provincial government in Nova Scotia has very recently developed a "school food and nutrition policy."
quote:
Q: What does this policy mean for schools and students?
A: When serving and selling food, Nova Scotia’s public schools will emphasize healthy,
affordable food and beverage choices that meet established nutrition standards and
contribute to health and learning. This policy applies to cafeterias, canteens, vending
machines, as well as any school-based breakfast, lunch, or snack programs that take place
during the school day.
There's lots of information on it [url=http://www.ednet.ns.ca/healthy_eating/pdf/healthy_food_q&a_september_29_... here.[/url]
I think many of the vending machines have been removed from schools (or replaced with fruit and milk product machines) and french fries and pizza have been taken off most menus.
Wed, 2007-02-07 05:40
#5
quote:
Originally posted by Sharon:
[b]...pizza have been taken off most menus.[/b]
No pizza?!!? That can easily be turned into a healthy food. That's like saying we won't serve any type of whole grain bread because it could be "Wonder Bread"(TM). [img]frown.gif" border="0[/img]
I have no problem with schools serving fast food as long as the food is made slowly. For example, most Mexican, Vietnamese, and Thai street food (aka fast food) is extremely healthy to eat. Yet most school boards don't seem to understand this simple point.
Wed, 2007-02-07 08:38
#6
quote:
No pizza?!!? That can easily be turned into a healthy food. That's like saying we won't serve any type of whole grain bread because it could be "Wonder Bread"(TM).
IMO, the elimination of "fast food" like this reflects the limited views of what constitutes cafeteria food, on the part of many school boards. Traditionally at least, the food served up in the average school cafeteria seems to follow a greasy spoon model with selections like burgers, fries, and frozen pizza. I'm assuming it's because this kind of food is judged to be easy to prepare and cost effective, but I've never understood why it ends up being the final and only option. Like scooter said, pizza can easily be turned into a healthy food, and this applies to many of the typically greasy and unhealthy food options out there. For example, fries can be baked, burgers can be grilled and offered in veggie options, etc.
What prevents cafeterias from taking this route? I don't think the cost would really be that high and can't accept that as a good enough reason to continue serving unhealthy food.
It sounds like Nova Scotia is starting to take some steps in the right direction. It's at least progress from my days in high school in NS, when my favorite meal in the cafeteria was a chicken burger platter with breaded fried chicken, fries, and nice pool of gravy. Those were the days. [img]smile.gif" border="0[/img]
[ 07 February 2007: Message edited by: M.Gregus ]
Wed, 2007-02-07 09:26
#7
The lack of nutritious food in schools goes beyond middle school and high schools, it is a huge issue on university campuses.
Most campus hot spots favour sugary and high-fat foods, making it difficult to find a nutritious meal, let alone one that caters to vegetarian or vegan students. The few that do are forced to compete with big budget McDonald's and Pizza Huts. Those few that do offer healthier alternatives are often much higher priced, and difficult to fit into the typical student budget.
The best example of this is Carleton's G-Spot, or Garden Spot, a pay-what you can healthy choice for students, that is constantly being squashed due to lack of campus space prioritized for such an organization.
I'm sure that banning junk food on university campuses is not an option, nor is it viable for economically-strapped, starving students, however, it is much needed for campus's to prioritize these healthier options.
[ 07 February 2007: Message edited by: jrose ]
Wed, 2007-02-07 10:15
#8
TemporalHominid
yeah, Oliver's done smashing job, teaching parents, students, and staff to empower themselves and rethink how they consume.
Thu, 2007-02-08 07:36
#9
quote:
The lack of nutritious food in schools goes beyond middle school and high schools, it is a huge issue on university campuses.
You're absolutely right. In fact it probably extends to workplaces too or really anywhere that cafeteria services and their accompanying culture exist. Spending lots of time at Carleton these days, I constantly encounter the fast food bias of the kiosks/outlets on campus. The new food court in the renovated student centre is very much a mall type food court, if the wafting smell of grease is any indication. And the on-campus food services like Aramark aren't much better, catering as they do to easily transportable food with a long shelf life.
I have seen signs for the G-Spot lately and wasn't completely sure of what it was until you mentioned it. I will have to check it out!
Thu, 2007-02-08 15:16
#10
Le T
Aramark! Oh god. I'm a student at Trent University and the main campus is located 15mins by bus north of the city. Not only does Aramark serve the most unhealthy food (Pizza, Pizza; burgers; energy drinks) all the prices are about %20 higher than the same food downtown.
After a long, hard struggle we were able to create The Seasoned Spoon, a vegetarian student co-op that sells locally grown food and Fair Trade coffee. It's only open during the day but is doing amazingly well.
Aramark originally would not allow it because their contract gives them a monopoly on food service. They have also banned potlucks on campus.
Thankfully a report just came out that Trent students, staff and faculty steal about $25 000 of food from them each year.
Thu, 2007-02-08 15:47
#11
Boom Boom
quote:
Originally posted by Le Tйlйspectateur:
Aramark! Oh god. I'm a student at Trent University and the main campus is located 15mins by bus north of the city. Not only does Aramark serve the most unhealthy food (Pizza, Pizza; burgers; energy drinks) all the prices are about %20 higher than the same food downtown.
I graduated from Trent in 1977, and we had a different food service back then, and it was pretty good. Traill College had by far the best meals, and that's where I lived in residence. I hated everything else about Trent, though. Too much of a country club atmosphere for rich people to my liking, at least back in the 1970s.
Thu, 2007-02-08 15:49
#12
quote:
Aramark! Oh god.
It's funny -- this is a typical response to university food services like Aramark, in my experience. The very name "Aramark" or "Beaver Foods" or "Cara" or whatever strikes fear and repulsion into the heart of every student who has encountered the ingestibles masquerating as food they sell! The atrocious food, unreasonable prices, and controlling terms of their contracts gives these companies terrible reputations. I mean, banning potlucks?? Good for Trent for taking the initiative to open a student co-op with healthier fare.
quote:
Trent students, staff and faculty steal about $25 000 of food from them each year
That's crazy! How did they go about doing this? More importantly, why did they? [img]biggrin.gif" border="0[/img]
Thu, 2007-02-08 15:53
#13
Boom Boom
BTW, I stayed in residence at Traill College for both years [i]only[/i] because of the meals. They were great (that was the 1970s, mind).
Thu, 2007-02-08 16:06
#14
Le T
Boom Boom - I should tell you that the Trent Administration has Trail on the chopping block. It's a huge political issue at the school now. They got rid of Peter Robinson a couple years ago. To add insult to injury they then named the Aramark private cafeteria (you have to pay $10 to just get in) after Peter Robinson.
If you liked your time at Trail you should write a letter to Trent telling them not to sell off the last remaining downtown college.
As for the $25 000 in stolen goods. People just pick stuff up and walk away with it. I think this is because after 5pm the only place you can get anything to eat or drink on campus is from Aramark and most people have a problem with the prices, the company and the food. I would guess that it is a mixture of anger and direct action, although it does raise prices for students in residence who are forced to buy a meal plan.
When Aramark started putting up signs that read: "Stealing hurts everyone. Report people who steal to management." People from the Seasoned Spoon pointed out that it's very easy to steal from The Spoon but they have not noticed any loss due to theft. I think that pretty much sums it up.
Thu, 2007-02-08 16:19
#15
Boom Boom
quote:
Originally posted by Le Tйlйspectateur:
If you liked your time at Trail you should write a letter to Trent telling them not to sell off the last remaining downtown college.
I hated Traill other than the food. Really, the meals at Traill were almost like eating at home, except you stood in line to get your meals. In second year, my room on the second floor was next to the lounge or TV room, every weekend it was noisy as well and made it impossible for me to study and sometimes to sleep. I hated the damn place. My complaints went nowhere.
Fri, 2007-02-09 18:44
#16
This is off topic, and Jamie Oliver is as close as one of his cookbooks at Chapters, but I must do a plug for L'Orйe du Bois. It's about 15 minutes north of Ottawa on the Gatineau side. It's in the middle of some woods on the way to Meech Lake. I've only been there once with a group of people, but the food was magnificent. En Route magazine's Guide Debeur rates it 4-star. I don't think they do Yorkshire puddings and roast beef, but it's possible I suppose. [img]wink.gif" border="0[/img]
[url=http://www.oreeduboisrestaurant.com/]http://www.oreeduboisrestaurant.com...
Sat, 2007-02-10 17:16
#17
quote:
This is off topic, and Jamie Oliver is as close as one of his cookbooks at Chapters, but I must do a plug for L'Orйe du Bois.
Judging from its stellar reviews, L'Orйe du Bois provides an instructive contrast to the type of food that's found in a typical cafeteria. Something to aspire to! Since it's located close to me, I will have to check it out.
Thu, 2007-02-15 10:29
#18
An article on cafeteria food in U.S. schools from MotherJones:
[url=http://www.motherjones.com/news/feature/2003/01/ma_207_01.html]Unhappy Meals[/url]: School lunches are loaded with fat -- and the beef and dairy industries are making sure it stays that way.
Thu, 2007-02-15 10:39
#19
That's interesting. I never made the link between the government subsidizing the animal torture and murder industry by buying their products and giving them for free to school meal programs.
Are meals free in all US schools? That's something Canada could learn from if so! But not if it's unhealthy crap like that.
Thu, 2007-02-15 10:49
#20
Great article, thanks. I would like to see healthier milk and meat products eg yoghurt, they could also make the flavoured milk only low fat, if they want whole milk they drink it plain, half the cheese, and what about salad in the burgers? Not radical changes, but much better.
There was a report the other day that said they changed the diet in a prison, added all sorts of good stuff, and violence went down by 40%. Unreal!
It's so much easier for the teachers and the other students if the kids eat right! At least the diets are low on sugar, and hopefully they arn't too hyper after lunch.
I teach in NZ and would love them to ban rubbish from our canteen, but seems the teachers making the decisions are the top guys, who often teach the higher socio economic classes, and there's no problem for them!
[ 15 February 2007: Message edited by: Southlander ]