Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution
on ABC
By Ally Matteodo
Noted British chef continued
his quest to promote healthier eating in American public schools in the April 16th
episode of Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution (9:00 p.m. ET), causing the ABC
series to again be named Best TV Show of the Week. In this
episode, the fifth in the six-part series, Jamie attempted to secure funds from
Doug Sheils, head of the Cabel County Hospital, the largest employer in
Huntington, West Virginia. At first, Jamie receives a lukewarm reception from
Doug and his associates, who don’t appreciate their community being touted as
the “unhealthiest” or “fattest” city in America. They fear the effect on the
community; what business would want to base their company in the most obese town
in the most obese country in the world? Jamie explains he means no harm, and
only wants to bring wholesome, healthy ingredients to Huntington, asking for
$150,000 to keep his program afloat. To fully persuade Doug, Jamie knows he
must show him a stellar example in the schools. Once back at Huntington High
School, Jamie gives the teenagers a choice by reopening the French fry line.
They can either eat his buckwheat spaghetti with homemade tomato sauce, or pizza
and French fries. Shockingly, the kids all wait for Jaime’s fresh food,
eschewing the junk. At the end of the episode, Jamie brings Doug to the
elementary school, where he shows him the healthy nachos the kids are eating,
and a school free of sugary chocolate and strawberry milk. Even Alice, a
tough-to-impress lunch lady, admits to Doug that Jamie has a lot of great
ideas. Surprised and delighted, Jamie senses he may be on the road to success.
This show arrives in the
nick of time for America, where the levels of obesity continue to rise. Jamie’s
hope is that a successful grassroots campaign in one community will initiate a
chain reaction in the rest of the country – a success Jamie achieved in the
U.K., where his series Jamie’s School Dinners acted as a catalyst of
change for school dinner programs in all of England. Parents should be
forewarned that occasionally bad language (“ass,” “piss”) is used on this show,
although any extreme profanity is bleeped, and these instances make up a small
portion of the episode. The larger and main point of the series explores not
only how to make school meals healthier, but also how everyone, by making small
changes in their diet and eating habits, can achieve major changes. Jamie’s
emphasis on nature and fresh ingredients as opposed to synthetic foods and
preservatives clearly represents the healthier, happier selection. Furthermore,
Jamie refuses to inflict changes upon the students without their consideration
and opinions. At the high school, Jamie gives the teenagers a choice between
two lines of food, one junk, the other healthy, and everyone’s surprised when
the kids overwhelmingly choose the healthy food.
Best TV Show
of the Week
The Parents
Television Council -
www.parentstv.org
