Is Jamie Oliver's 'Food Revolution' behind LAUSD menu changes?

During the Season 2 premiere of "Food Revolution" Tuesday night, British chef and healthy eating advocate Jamie Oliver gave the thumbs-down to Los Angeles Unified School District lunch items such as sugar-laden brownies, pastries and chocolate milk and carb-filled pizza.

On Wednesday, the LAUSD fired back with a revamped menu that officials won't attribute to Oliver's pressure but instead said has been in the works for some time. Among the new entrees, beginning next school year, will be Salvadorean beef stew, chicken tandoori, Asian pad thai, California sushi roll and teriyaki beef and broccoli with brown rice.

Oliver, who's on a crusade to help obese Americans lighten their loads, was locked out of Los Angeles' schools, though he'd planned to base the new season of his Emmy-winning ABC show in its lunch rooms. The tirelessly chipper chef gave himself some credit on Wednesday for LAUSD's menu changes, while still prodding officials to go further.

"Good news that the 'Food Revolution' has people talking about what Los Angeles schools are feeding our kids," Oliver said in a statement. "Wouldn't it be great if we could find out what the kids are actually eating; where the food comes from; what's on the ingredients' lists; and who is really doing the cooking."

From a viewer perspective, Tuesday night audiences treated "Food Revolution" a little like a plate of plain broccoli. The show drew 5.3 million viewers, a 36% drop from its first season premiere.

"Food Revolution" has been shooting in L.A., but because it's been denied access to LAUSD it's fanning out to cover a wider swath of the city and its eating habits. Oliver also set up a kitchen in Westwood where he asked parents to bring in examples of LAUSD's cuisine, which he examined in the debut episode and likened to "airplane food."

LAUSD, the second-largest school district in the country, serves 122 million meals a year. Officials organized a media tour on Wednesday of its central kitchen, with samples of its food.

Oliver said he hoped that event "is a signal that LAUSD is willing to work with concerned parents and local activists to make the system truly transparent."

As for being shut out of the local schools, Oliver said, "Our dialogue with LAUSD is ongoing and I'm optimistic that they will be able to implement real changes that have a long-lasting impact for L.A. kids."

There's apparently no change in his persona non grata status, at least as far as filming at LAUSD schools or officially reworking its cafeterias. Officials had offered to consult with Oliver and hear his ideas, without cameras and reality show producers.

But, obviously, that's not a TV show.

LAUSD's refusal to allow Oliver into its system, including scenes of the chef getting kicked off school property, is woven into the second season.

RELATED:

With or without LAUSD, 'Food Revolution' returns

'Food Revolution' recap: Season 2 gets underway

 -- T.L. Stanley

Photo: Jamie Oliver at the California School Nutrition Assn. in January. Credit: Rick Loomis / Los Angeles Times

Comments

[Lamont]

Thank you for putting a show like this on TV. I work within a school district that has one of the worst breakfast menus I have EVER seen. How can anyone expect to provide reasonable nutrition with breaded chicken patties, pizza, cinnamon rolls. baked pancakes, kolaches (wieners rolled in a biscuit triangle) plus the standard apple/banana/orange, box of cereal. milk and juice choices..... for breakfast???? please!

San Antonio is one of the 10 top fattest cities in the nation. Give our kids a chance!

[Bob]

I just finished watching Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution. It makes me wonder what you are hiding? The woman that followed the school principle and Jamie around reminded me of the "minders" Ghadafi uses in Libya to follow journalist around. If you were worried about the way he would make you look. No worries he could not have made you look worse then you made yourselves look. Tax payer dollars help pay for school lunches and your salaries. You have no right to keep the public from knowing what is going on. There is only one conclusion I can come up with is collusion. Exposure could jeopardize big contracts or expose kickbacks? You are making the LAUSD board look very bad. I may not have kids or even live in your area and have a say but what I will be doing is talking, twittering and posting everywhere I can about my feelings. I mean West Virginia appears more progressive then California. Need I say more?

[David Lawrence Dewey]

This is author and columnist, David Lawrence Dewey.  I have been writing about the dangers of hydrogenated oils, high fructose corn syrup, MSG, excess sugar in processed food and other toxins in the food supply since 1996.

I was the first journalist to warn consumers about hydrogenated oils and aspartame in 1996.

Hydrogenated Oils-Silent Killers
http://www.dldewey.com/hydroil.htm

I have written an extensive article about this fiasco with the LAUSD school district and I show by actual school menu items, what is in them and how deadly they are. This has been kept from students, parents for too long.  You can read it on my website at:

http://www.dldewey.com/lausd.htm

If you are a student, I asked you to please read this article and the links to my other articles on the deadly toxins in processed food andhow children as young as ten are developing diabetes, heart disease,learning problems because of poor diet.  Tell your friends about this article and if you have one of these diseases I would like to hear from you.  You can contact me through my website.

Jaime Oliver is trying to save lives, just as I have since 1996, let him in the schools!

[Kat]

I was appalled by the attitudes of what appear to be, for the most part, a "bunch of old farts" running LAUSD. It's obvious to me they are not the least bit concerned about the health of the children in their care. Get with it and do your jobs for goodness sakes. Change is good, and needed. Jamie can help improve the health of your kids, the least you can do is let him try...or you can continue to look like a bunch of idiots ruling a 3rd world dictatorship and continue with business as usual.

[Rashid]

I agree with Oliver, the LAUSD should not thnk of their pockets but the kids who need real fresh food to fuel their brains, the junk that they fill our kids with is horrid in the past year my son has come home from school sick to his stomach after lunch because of the poor quality foods he recieves on the lunch program. I depend on this lunch for my son to eat a hot meal when I can feed him one in the middle of the day. He ended up getting sick and staying home from school the following day. I am sure he would much rather would lave like to eat a nice peice of baked chicken or some fresh fruits. I hope that the LAUSD comes to its sences and lets this man into the kitchens to revamp the schools menu in a way that the kids would love and actually eat.

[dman]

great episode tonight but it's so sad to see people kill themselves... and not be able to stop... that poor girl and her family with diabetes and no one seems to care

that fella who owns the burger joint... his dad died from heart disease and he just doesn't get it... when he said that his customers don't care about the quality of the food they eat... i was so blown away

[L. Alexander]

Send this insulting guy back to England There is a lot of work to be done there I'm sure.This show I would think doesn't belong on prime time unless things are so bad that ABC has to stoop this low just to keep the lights burning. This guy is a pompous insulting person that doesn't deserve a spot on United States Television.
If he has so much to offer than I'm sure that there is a place for him in England.

[Sita levy]

Where are the parents, where are the celberties? Presidents wife been contacted?. This board I bet is corrupt and I bet getting kickbacks! The fast food owner is an idiot and basically doesnt give a crap about his customers! It's all about how much money can we make!

[leslie robarge]

Im sad that some people view Jaimies work as only a tv show. or a reality show or whatever.. some form of entertainment. This show is as important as anything you'll ever see on TV. Support him. write the school board, even if you're from another state.
If you want entertaiment, rent a video, or watch something else, but if you truly care, you'll listen , pay attention , look at yourself in the mirror and ask what you can do to help him help the kids.
I think the comment about the vendors and the corruption is right on the money. the school board doesnt want us to know its business, which is wrong. Look at that other town in Ca whose officals had paid themselves enormous salaries until the writer from the times found out . he got a pulitzer for that story and they got indicted and removed from office. this is similar.
everything is inter related and jaimie is stirring up the pot of corruption for all of us to see and do something about. get on board somehow. help him help your kids.

[seaside girl]

I 've been waiting for your show for years. If people knew what was in the deli meat at sub shops, and the grilled chicken sand.,and nuggets at fast food places they'd never touch the stuff. i applaud what you are doing, and hope you're succesful. kids grades would go up,and the mischief in class from to much sugar,would diminish with a better diet.yes good food is more expensive, but can you really call the other stuff food. you might as well drink chemicals,and eat a tub of lard because thats all you get with the processed stuff. when reelection time comes i think the parents in la and everywhere, should elect parents and nutrionists to their board rather than a stuffy old bunch who don't even have a child in the school system. school is not just a business, it' s the future of mankind. You are making a difference, even if the school won't let you in,or the ratings aren't as high as the tv company would like.the children are listening.we are listening. please keep the faith, and keep fighting to educate the world. someone once said that nothing good ever came easy. we as a society need to stop looking for the easy way out, and actually cook our meals, not just heat them up. sincerely, hypoglycemic-seaside girl

[Joan-Marie Fredericks]

Jamie this show is great and should be used is all school systems across america.
Our school district cafe is not doing well finanical and district wants to for private. This would be the worst they can do, Children today need good food, due to the fact this is the only balanced meal they will get for the day. We should serve fresh vegs, fruit and hot meals. Wish you would come out to our district in New Jersey, West Milford. Some of the board members wants change and tried but other no. Please help them out if you can.

[FishersMom]

LA isn't the only school system that fears input from outside. I have a friend who is a chef and he has made it his life's mission to teach people how to eat better without breaking the bank. He was booted from two schools systems here in the Indianapolis area. One wonders what they are hiding--is it a cozy relationship with food companies??

[Madison]

I think that this is a great program. My FCCLA Chapter (Famil,y Career, and Community, Leaders, of America) in Jefferson County, have been trying to get our school on a healther path. Such as healther food options in our concesion stands and a healthy vending machine in the middle school. Thou our school still makes cookies, brownies, and many other unhealth options for my classmates and I to buy. So I really aprecitate your effort and all of the people, that are supporting you.

[Natalie]

I'm totally discussed with the the sick grins on the board members faces! I want to reach into my television and smack some of them! They think they are so funny. Were is Mrs high and mighty First Lady! Why does she not talk to hubby about passing a law about ammonia being on the label? Why does she not push vegs from her garden to LA kids! Why are the board members grinning and hiding-same reason as everything-back pocket money at the expense of a healthy America. But it is not only the schools, parents need to also step up! Put the Dino's of the world out of business .

[Dave]

I'm not even sure why schools are feeding children in the first place. I'm from Canada, living in the u.s for work for the last 4 years. When I was in school we didn't have a cafeteria until I was in high school. My mom made me a simple healthy breakfast before school, and packed me a healthy lunch. In high school if we wanted to eat the cafeterias food we had to pay for it. I just kept brown bagging it because the cafeteria food was gross. Why do American schools take on the responsibility of feeding the kids (which obviously doesn't work well). What caused this? Was there some sort of crisis that caused this? Corporate shenanigans? Bad parenting? Don't know the history of this at all, it makes no sense to me the parents aren't responsible for feeding their kids...

[Unknown student]

LAUSD food is nasty I go to Crenshaw High school and numerous times have I gotten plastic in my food and have gotten spoiled milk or rotten food. all they do is heat the pre made food. what ever happen to good food oh but if you check out the selection of items at the student store it's nothing but unhealthy foods can you believe they raise the price on water and drop the on Gatorade and other sugar drinks.

[Seana Yates]

"Basically; try for a bit more spunk, and less frustrated resignation. While definitely understandable, American's don't go for the long suffering, turtle vs. hare, persistence pays off deal on a regular basis."
IGNIA, I'm sure Jamie Oliver's production company is worried about ratings, but Oliver is worried about us. I don't think he needs to change anything. Ratings or not, he's going to continue fighting for us and our children's best interest and that's incredibly inspiring. That frustrated resignation your talking about doesn't seemed to have slowed him down a bit.

And for those commenters who believe that fresh and healthy food is going to be WAY more expensive and cost taxpayers money and get teachers laid off, well that's just ridiculous. Stop spreading propaganda. You haven't done the calculations and you don't know what you're talking about.

To Courtney, who had the question "If I am buying grass fed hamburger or organic hamburger, is it still processed in the sam way using the "extras" and ammonia?" Wouldn't we all like to know the answer to that. Unfortunately, there is no labeling or regulating to protect us. You have to do the research yourself. Real research, not just reading the "About Us" section on the cow farmer's webpage. Chances are, the larger the company, the unhealthier the ground beef, because the more they're going to value profit over quality. There are exceptions of course, but I doubt there's many since they're driven out of business by artificially low meat prices from factory farms with disgusting practices. Read Fast Food Nation or see Food Inc. and you'll get a little idea.

[Paul Fisher]

LAUSD has disgraced itself. How can these "leaders" look themselves in the mirror every day? What part of themselves have they "sold out" to gain their ranks.

We truly hope that the children will petition these baseless non-food items from their diet. Parents please stand up and take the time to educate yourselves on what your children are eating. What they eat becomes what they think.

[Esther John]

Education is far more effective in the long run, but the menu still lacks creativity. Salad bars and sandwiches/ wraps with low carb/sugar options will help the kids to better proform in school.

As a stay home parent for the first 7 yrs. of Rhodri and Lauren I'm entrusting in the school system to provide the same if not better nurishment at a fair price. My son's school charges $5.00 per lunch and for inadequit portions of heavy processed burgers or fast foods.

This makes very sad, it's not rocket science.... or is it? If it's political, when do we say it's enough? Do us parents has a say... a voice?

I'd love to start a dialogue and learn how I can help...why not, after all, us moms are just born this way.

Esther John