Channel 10 is currently airing Jamie's 'Food Revolution' series on a Friday night. Being the avid food-TV lovers that we are, we sit ourselves down and watch.
I sit with tears in my eyes through much of each episode. It is heartbreaking to see kids dealing with the very real and scary consequences of obesity. It makes me angry to see what kind of food kids are being fed in their schools. I sit and silently applaud what Jamie is setting out to do.
What has been very interesting is my kid's reaction to the show. We chat a little as it goes. We chat throughout the week as we eat our dinner. My children were horrified that there are other kids their age who don't know the names of vegetables, let alone what they taste like. Before they could get too big-headed about how superior they might feel, I stopped them. I explained to them that the reason they know anything about vegetables or fruit or good food is because it is important to me. I want my kids to believe it is normal to cook good healthy meals at home from fresh ingredients. I want them to know the skills required to make those meals. I want them to enjoy eating those meals. And I want them never to have to struggle with their weight, or the avoidable health problems that are the result of obesity.
I hope my kids think twice before asking for chicken nuggets ever again, as well!
5 comments:
I found this show painful to watch as well. Do you have the same problems with obesity in Australia as we do in the States? We eat so much junk! I've totally kept my kids away from fast food--everything about it is bad, from how it's produced to how it's cooked. I think Jamie has done a great service--I just hope people are paying attention!
frances
I've watched high lights of this, this happens here in the UK too, I recently ran a whole week teaching kids to cook real food with real ingredients, some didn't know what they had so I had to start each day by unpacking the shopping and making sure they knew what they were dealing with e.g carrots! then I had to teach some to eat with cutlery............they were 14!
Obesity in Australia is not far behind the US Frances.
I would say that Australia is more focused on good quality produce than the US. BUT busy families with two parents working full time means that a lot of parents think they don't have time to cook so they fall back on less healthy options.
For me, cooking dinner is part of my regular daily routine and I plan quick meals for nights when I know time is short. I know a lot of my friends do the same. But I live in a middle class area so I have no doubt that people in poorer areas would choose cheap, less healthy choices.
Obesity in Australia is class-based: working class people are far more likely to be obese than the rich, and far less likely to cook and eat well in general. It depends a great deal on a person's food background. However Australian raw ingredients are pretty good and fresh.
Funny isn't it...that overweight people used to be the wealthy ones who had access to plenty.
I know plenty of middle class people who are overweight though Chookie. I think while in general you're right, the lines are becoming more blurred.
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