Heather Armstrong, Jamie Oliver, and Food Assholes

So, as you might have heard, Heather Armstrong is in Washington, D.C., sharing her insights as part of a groundbreaking White House Forum on Workplace Flexibility, and of course, I'm going "what in the hell does she have to share about workplace flexibility like is it when she has to ask her husband if he can hold the baby so she can finish typing or who puts the kids to bed before her HGTV Twitter Parties because seriously how more flexible can making a chillion dollars off your blog be?"

Then I went on. "How dare she represent me? I mean, other than being tall, she's certainly not Asian. Though she did basically steal my youngest kid's name and all, so we are sort of connected."

Oh wait. That wasn't me. That was Twitter.

Because of course, Heather, other entrepreneurial women, and SAHMS, those lucky bitches WHO DON'T HAVE TO WORK (PS ever think that they may have left their job because their former place of employment did not offer them any flexibility?) never held any other jobs before, or wouldn't have anything to share about workplace flexibility because there is always someone better but we can never actually pinpoint who that might be and how exactly the White House might find such a person, you know, looking through the blogger yellow pages of "Blogger who has experienced workplace inflexibility."

Bah. People. C'mon.

But really, I could give a hoot about workplace flexibility because how does it affect me a privileged WAHM and a rich pilot husband anyway because all I care about is me and not that there's a mom blogger at the freaking White House talking about issues that matter so let's talk about food! Like Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution that I am completely obsessed with, mostly because I love him and his accent, but really because holy crap the stuff they are feeding those children at school makes me want to throw organic tomatoes at McDonald's or something crazed like that.

Seriously. It's shocking.

Now look, I'm no food asshole. And if you know a food asshole, then you know what I'm talking about. There's always one in every group. Sometimes two. And then they really go at it don't they - waving their delicious hemp milk cheese and their fresh garden grown peppers dipped in hummus they made with their windpowered blender around as you were just feeling particularly rad about giving your kid cheddar bunnies out of a plastic container and NOT a Ziploc bag (which btw you use, you sometimes throw away without reusing and well there you go).

I certainly don't chide people for sugar cereals or high fructose corn syrup juice boxes or deep fried chicken nuggets. Okay, so I might raise an eyebrow if you're giving your kid them on a regular basis, or you attempt to convince me of their nutritional value, or something like that. But I'm not going to tell you that you're killing your kids.

Because hey, I'm not perfect. My kids eat at Chick Fil A every 4th day and sometimes Saturday now and then, and we sometimes buy conventional fruit.

Ha.

And if we're at a party and they've got Hi-C juice boxes, our kids will drink one.

Thus is life. I know for a fact that one or more of my children have dipped their hands into the toilet and then stuck their hands in their mouth so who am I to judge?

But generally speaking, we do our best to avoid the HFCS, we buy organic when we can, and we make sure our kids eat vegetables that have not been breaded and deep fried. I honestly don't see that as assholery so much as I figure it's part of my job as a parent to make sure my kids know what a banana is before they get to sex ed.

But as I looked around at all the kid's lunches during yesterday's Kindergarten field trip to the zoo, which by the way, where are all your "GOOD GOD THE SCHOOL FIELD TRIPS ARE HELL" posts because well, that would have been helpful when I was trying to save money and use my zoo membership rather than just pay the darn $8 and enjoy some bon bons and soap operas while my kids played with electrical cords since that's what we WAHM/SAHMs do all day and we were the only people, out of 30 or so kids and their parents, drinking real juice drinks, hold the extra sugar.

I mean Capri Sun has cornered the freaking market, people.

Granted they don't do the HCFS anymore, but still. Between the Bugles and the Doritos and the "Real Fruit Snacks" (LIARS) it's no wonder the kids at the lunchroom in Huntingdon, West Virginia look at salad like it's a plate of worms.

And yes, I know that much of this could be a socio-economic issue because God knows $5.99 that people might spend on a pack of organic strawberries buys a lot of non-organic milk and white bread for many families.

But in this particular case, which would be 30 or so kids who pay to go to a Catholic school, it was not. And it definitely was not the case on the show.

So really, this is all to say that I'm much more aware of what goes in and out of my mouth (and my kids' mouths), and it makes me feel a little bit better about slightly obsessing about reading labels and gently chastising my in-laws for buying Splenda popsicles and juice for my kids.

It also makes me realize that I'm turning into my mother, the crazed woman with honey-sweetened candy and carob balls whose bagged lunches I feared as much as getting hit in the head with one of her homemade pumpkin pan rolls. Oy.

Granted, moderation is key. I'd sell my soul for a TastyKake pumpkin pie or 12 right about now.

But if I may be so bold, I hope that if the White House ever has a groundbreaking forum on Food Assholery, they will invite me.

Comments

[Sugared Harpy]

I hate Jamie Oliver. Hates him because he doesn't think, he just judges. he works against the systems that limits schools, thinks the cooks somehow are the ones who make the decisions, and in the latest case, actually puts the school's federal funding at serious risk because he won't follow federal nutrition guidelines, he was providing too-low calorie, but way higher fat foods for the children.

But this link explains it better than I ever could:
http://shakespearessister.blogspot.com/2010/04/skinny-jesus-chef-less-messiah-more.html

[mom, again]

I watched the original version of this show as it aired when I was living in the UK. It was good, but the carry forward thing got really bogged down.

I was surprised 15-18 years ago at what the other children in our neighborhood were sent to school with in their lunch box. Sure, some of the kids were from poor fmilies & were fed according to stereotype. But just as many were the children of wholefoods shopping academics: they still were fed junk.

[melissa]

Its sad how much your jealousy and envy of Heather Armstrong seeps through in this post. Just be happy for the girl!

[Emma]

I was just thinking the other day I'm turning into a bit of a hippie... I've started making my own grainy rye no-salt bread, I routinely reduce the amount of sugar by 1/3 to 1/2 in any cake/cookies/dessert I make (no one even notices!), I hide the lollies my kids receive until they forget about it, I've started eating wholegrain porridge for breakfast (and my kids are only allowed bread, museli or shredded wheat), I even cut the kids' fruit yoghurt with plain yoghurt to reduce the amount of sugar, I take a lot of pride in the way my kids shovel down broccoli like there's no tomorrow... But they ate a heap of chocolate over Easter, so at least I haven't lost all perspective!!

[muskrat]

I don't really give a shit how someone gets to visit the White House. I got to go because my fraternity brother is in the Secret Service. No one bitched about my getting to go, either.

I wrote about food a week or so ago. I don't watch that Jaime dude's TV show, but if it's getting people to talk about their bad decisions, it sounds like a good thing to me.

[Jen]

Ps I should add that I do not judge those parents who feed their kids junk food. Instead I look very smug when my child chooses an apple over candies at a party. If ony because I know my dentist bill wil be lower ;)

[Jen]

I am a bit of a food a-hole but it is deeply
ingrained. I panic if I put a small bag of cookies in my son's lunchbox. Though
I can smugly say that my kids only wanted 2 miniature eggs from their Easter chocolate stash before they decided they had enough. And both kids prefer fresh plums to cake.

Juice, however, is used only on special occasions eg birthdays, the choice is milk
or water. And we only have bought cookies when guests bring them, I am happy to make flapjacks etc from scratch. Eggs are only from our local organic free range farm, and meat is organic too. We don't eat so much of it as a readily. Veg are from a local organic box scheme and both kids can name obscure veg at 100 paces.

So, sorry. Total food Nazi here but not ashamed. I have relaxed a lot about candy, cakes and cookies in last 5 years. I buy fishfingers (no cod) but def not McDonalds. I make my own pizza. Convenience food for me is pasta with pesto sauce.

Ps Jamie rocks ;)

[Deanna - The Unnatural Mother]

Fantastic freaking POST!!!! WELL SAID!!!!!

[Jerri Popovich]

I'm a food service director for a small school district in PA, and although I know some school's menus leave alot to be desired, some are really trying. Our kids have a choice of the meal, or salad every day of the week. We have fresh fruit at least 4 times a week. We use all whole grain breads, 1% fat milk or skim, lowfat cheese, etc... We received a grant this school year to give fresh fruits & vegetables to the students every day of the year, delivered to their classrooms. Most of our students are starting to like eating healthy.
Nothing against Jamie Oliver, but I'm getting tired of being stereotyped, and of being the butt of "lunch lady" jokes. We're working and giving everything to our kids that we can. It's not just feeding them, we do alot of emotional support too. Sorry that this is so long-winded, but I wanted you guys to see it from a "lunch lady's" point of view.

[amanda]

I have asshole tendencies with food, but don't picket or create scenes by bringing my own food to parties.And Jamie and his ladies make me swoon.

[Kevin (Always Home and Uncool)]

You want to talk about needing work place flexibility: try being a man at a Fortune 500 company (who's not an executive) who wants to take paternity leave. Barry -- call me.

http://www.dadcentric.com/2009/05/a-family-man-leaves.html

[Zoeyspeak]

I was one of those people who always argued that healthy food was more expensive. And granted, organic food is more expensive, but healthy food? Not so much. It wasn't until we started to try and cut back on our spending that I noticed that healthy food is ludicrously cheap - it just means that I might have to actually cook something from scratch.

[Lori]

I'm going to add my 2cents here. My son has a huge issue with food texture. He almosts throws up every time he tries a new food. He might even like the flavor but not be able to handle the texture. Maybe it's just me caving or not being a great mom by forcing him to eat the food I think he should. Or maybe it has something to do with that whole I work until 8 every night and don't feel like waging war over trying new foods only to have it turn into me cleaning up vomit. I let my son eat chicken nuggets and pizza like it's his business. I bake it all versus deep frying his nuggets or ff. I always make sure he's eating some yogurt or peaches or bananas. And he tries new food, but its a battle. So please don't automatically assume that parents aren't attempting to feed their children a more healthy menu. I'm doing everything in my power to get him to open up to trying new things. We're even growing a garden to grow our own veggies and fruit to hopefully spur some interest in eating.

[jodifur]

Yeah, I'm a total food asshole. But when my son started having behavior problems, cutting out food dye and sugar and processed crap helped. So we eat all organic and non food dye. That is how we eat.

That being said, when we go to other people's houses, he eats how they eat. I'm not that asshole. And he had a RED fire truck cake at his party. And he eats cake at other people's parties.

I've said my piece on the Dooce on the white house thing. I just hope more than one type of working mom was represented.

[WarsawMommy]

The interesting thing about living in Poland is that the whole 'boxed and pre-packaged' food thing is really just coming onto the market now. Just the other day?? I saw FROZEN PIZZA. I almost dropped dead. Partly of joy and parly of despair: I sort of liked not having that short-cut, lazy option. It was kind of nice having to buy fresh food and combine it to make a meal.

I didn't buy the pizza. But I did buy the frozen fish fingers and the vanilla-flavoured soya milk in a box. Compromise??

[Aimee Greeblemonkey]

I am a double asshole since we build health education sites at my co that I own, AND buy organic food. Oh wait. Triple asshole considering my similar post this week. Assholes are awesome!

[Aging Mommy]

Glad you like Jamie Oliver - I'm English and although I did not get to watch the British version of his show I heard all about it and the uproar it caused, but he revolutionized school dinners as we call them (confusing I know, dinner at lunch time and tea in the evening). He has also done a lot of other great things like helping youngsters with no hope of getting a decent job to train as chefs etc. So I'm really pleased he is now doing the series here and I can get to see it. My daughter is three and eats well but from a very limited selection of foods - however she knows what all the main vegetables and fruits are and can name them even if she usually won't eat them, as we do. What shocked me the most was that an entire class of 6 year olds did not know what a potato or tomato was and seemingly had never seen broccoli, cauliflower or a whole host of other vegetables before. But yes, they knew what fries and ketchup were even if they had no clue what they were made from. Hopefully the end result here in the US will also be that school meals are transformed from servings of heavily processed foods back to meals made with ingredients we can recognize!

[Kami]

Food Assholery! Ha!

[Motherhood Uncensored]

BoozleBox - CapriSun has definitely changed their ingredients as they used to contain HFCS.

I agree the regular juice, albeit real juice, can be high in sugar, but that's definitely different than the processed sugar that you're going to get the juice drinks.

We're trying juice in the morning with breakfast and then we do water for the rest of the day. It definitely does cut down on the grocery bill, that's for sure.

I started buying the HonestKids drinks because they have no added sugar however they're way low in sugars overall compared to regular fruit juice boxes.

And great point Mandy. It's great that you can get a dozen eggs for under a $1, but oy. Quality, taste, and how the animals are treated are important to me.

[BoozleBox]

Can I stick my head above the parapet for a second? I'm in the uk and I give my kids Capri Sun in their lunchbox because it contains fruit juice, water and sugar - all natural ingredients. No fructose syrup - does the US version contain HFCS?

I'm actually not a huge fan of pure juice as it contains alot of sugar and calories and none of the really good bits of fruit. My kids are complete fruit addicts anyway so juice is not something I feel compelled to give them. I also see alot of people give their kids sugar free drinks as they are supposedly healthy whereas I think sugar in moderation is preferable to artificial sweeteners. I agree with your general point though that the contents of alot of lunchboxes are atrocious. I have to remind my children that the bags of crisps and chocolate bars their friends get are not 'food' -they don't get them after dinner at home so why would they expect them for lunch?

[Amanda Daybyday]

Love Jamie Oliver and his new show. Also couldn't agree more with your take on food. I like to think that's how I am...well...most of the time.

[Issa]

I am so confused. It makes me sort of happy. I think I've successfully stayed offline this week.

That being said, I'm not a food asshole. But holy hell there are some in my kids school. I'm going to ask one of them about hemp cheese next week. I just want to see what they'll say. Ha.

[Emily]

When I went to the pumpkin patch with my son's class, I was appalled at the lunches I saw. One boy had 2 huge doughnuts and a Mt. Dew. This is a kindergartner so I don't think he packed his own lunch. Another child had a lunchable pizza kit (cold pizza sauce and cheese on crackers). Every child (except my son) had soda or HFCS juice. And almost no one had any fruits or veggies.

I am NOT a food snob by any means! I live in Portland, Oregon where most people claim to be all natural, pesticide free, hormone free, etc. I just believe in moderation. My son had some chocolate dipped graham cookies for "dessert" in his lunch that day. But, he actually was more excited about his sugar snap peas (his favorite snack) and cutie oranges. My kids would almost always choose fruit over cookies. And it's not because I deprive them of cookies. We have always just made a big deal about "always" foods and "sometimes" foods in our house and it seems to have stuck.

Can I go to the White House now? I'd love to try some food out of Michelle Obama's garden...yum!!

[Miss Britt]

This? Is all kinds of awesome.

I don't even obsess about organic as much as just "can we PLEASE just eat REAL food?"

[Kristy]

I love this post! Totally relate. There are food assholes out there lurking. Not here! There's a picture 2 posts ago on my blog of my child's orange face and hands deliriously happy because he is eating Cheeto's. Man, I love Cheeto's. But, hey, at least they were Baked Cheeto's! By the way, I gave you a Beautiful Blogger Award and One Fine Blog Award!

[Mandy]

I don't know if they aired it in the US, but up here in Canuck land, we taped Jamie Oliver's Fowl Dinner (or something like that). It was a toned-down version of the chicken and egg farming industry in the UK. Made me weep.

I buy as much organic (eggs, meat always) that I can afford. I don't view it as a luxury, b/c we sacrifice other areas to do it. But honestly, it's scary what we (as a culture) expect to pay for food. We want our food prices to be ultra low so we can also support a (generally speaking) lifestyle based on consumerism.

I wish everyone in America had to watch Food Inc. I think that alone would revolutionize our food industry and what we put in our bodies on a daily basis.

/off soap box

[B]

So um. I give my kids Capri Sun for field trips and when friends are over. Cheap, and most kids I know don't drink plain water like my kids do.

That felt good.

Jamie Oliver deserves a Nobel Prize. That is all.

[laura]

when you go to the White House you better be live-tweeting every detail so people like me can live vicariously through you too. i promise not to judge but i just might be jealous...okay, i will be jealous.

[Motherhood Uncensored]

Anyabeth & Jonniker -

I personally don't have any issues with anyone asking questions, but as you both probably know, a few questions turns into "Britney Spears would have been a better choice" tweets.

Sure, Heather's current situation is not one that I would say lends itself for participation in workplace flexibility, because my mind quickly goes to daycare, and sick leave (for both parents). However, I do know she's held many positions before this one, and she's well spoken, articulate, and has a pretty freaking huge audience.

And, I get the sense, even from the short period of time that I got to speak with her at Mom 2.0, that's she's pretty sure her situation is unique and would definitely attempt to get answers and share thoughts that represent as many situations as possible.

So, perhaps I just turned my initial surprise into "Yay, a mom blogger is going to the white house" as opposed to letting it spin (which I'm not saying you did at all - but it happened) into another Heather Armstrong whine fest.

[Linda Cheng]

excellent rant, and timely too, given that they've found junk food to be addictive, not completely unlike crack: http://news.health.com/2010/03/29/food-addiction/?xid=hts100331&utm_source=health&utm_medium=email&utm_content=feature-link-3&utm_campaign=hts100331-html&PromKey=XET
as a parent to an almost school-aged child, i'm afraid, very afraid, but will make every effort at keeping her diet as balanced as possible...

[lcc]

excellent rant, and timely too, given that they've found junk food to be addictive, not completely unlike crack: http://news.health.com/2010/03/29/food-addiction/?xid=hts100331&utm_source=health&utm_medium=email&utm_content=feature-link-3&utm_campaign=hts100331-html&PromKey=XET
as a parent to an almost school-aged child, i'm afraid, very afraid, but will make every effort at keeping her diet as balanced as possible...

[jonniker]

Anyabeth, I appreciate your comment more than you know. I felt really cornered and shitty about how it went down on Twitter, and to see it being characterized like I was a total douche who hates other women (not here, but plenty of places and comments) was really, really hurtful to me.

I found it ironic that in people's defense of one person, they were so willing to attack and tear down others. And if anyone thinks referring to those who asked questions as petty, jealous and borderline misogynistic isn't tearing them down, you're wrong.

[Anyabeth]

You know I saw the so-called blow-up on Twitter and I didn't see what you saw. I saw people over-reacting to people having questions. Heather is an amazing person but her situation is unique. And she and her husband have sort of made their way up as they go along. Which is great for them and wow am I impressed that they could do it. But it would be impractical to expect every mother in America to do that (which is how the system is currently set up).

This is the same thing that made me turn away from Momversations after they did the working moms episode. It isn't that the women who worked in those episodes don't work hard--THEY DO. But their situations have nothing at all to do with the situations that most working families are in. Writers are able to do their work from home--they have to make huge sacrifices to do that and maybe that is worth discussing. But it is on the table. So what about the millions of us that don't have that option? What kinds of flexibility is there to make our lives work?

Heather is a really smart business women. But I don't think that she knows about that.

[el-e-e]

I am SO the opposite of a food asshole. I sort-of wish I could be one. I'm doing my best to feed them well, but yeah, we buy juice boxes and "fruit" snacks and brightly colored yogurts. The show (I love it) is making me think. And pushing me to go from "wishing" to "trying." So that's something.

[Julie @ The Mom Slant]

When Tacy goes on field trips, she packs a water bottle and a bowl of peas to go with her organic PB on WW bread sandwich. We have the most boring pantry of all my kids' friends. And I like it that way.

Call me an asshole. The shoe fits.

[Half Assed Kitchen]

Hey, I'm not a food asshole.

[Julie]

I'm with ya. But I noticed that over at bitchphd and the fat nutritionist, there appears to be some definite Jamie bashing going on. Is there something to that? I keep Oreos in the house and buy them with all deliberation -- they're called a pantry staple. Ha.

[April]

I worked in schools for many years and walked around watching kids eat all the junk off of the lunch trays and throwing out all the fresh food (like it showed on Food Revolution). I also saw some kids who brought lunch bring things like mini donuts, pop tarts, soda and doritos (that was actually all in ONE kids lunch box, in the same day). I think it starts at home. You could tell which kids were familiar with eating fresh food. They were the ones asking for everyone to pass them their tomatoes off of the fried chicken patty sandwich. My Mom always packed our lunch, and that's what I plan on doing w/ my girl. Fresh, balanced, as organic as possible. Healthy habits start at home. There's nothing wrong w/ that.

[SoMo]

We picked my daughter's current school because everything was homemade and pretty healthy. There were some snacks that were questionable, like the Sam's size cheeseballs that my daughter constantly asked for, but I am not going to rant and rave over a few little indiscretions. Now with 3 kids and soon 2 entering private school we had to make a switch for financial reasons and school lunches were not high on the list. Would you know, I found the one Catholic school in a city of millions of Catholic schools that has revamped their lunch programs and I think are a little militant about it. Oh well, if she gets smacked with a ruler by a nun because she has a verboten snack we will chalk it up to her learning to have better reflexes. (And yes, I know there are no longer nuns and corporal punishment in Catholic schools.)

I will say that after seeing Jamie Oliver's tweet about a delicious dressing for a squid salad, I would have turned and run if I saw him coming. I think it is a noble idea, but you need to ease people into. You can't walk in, take over the kitchen and serve the kids squid, raw veggies and MYGOD a fork and knife! And really? None of those kids knew what a vegetable was? Come on. My son wouldn't touch a veggie to save his life, but he knows what they are.

[momtrolfreak]

I am finding it hard not to be a food asshole. I became a vegetarian. My 4YO insists that HE is a T-Rex and therefore, a carnivore, which is fine. I still buy him ham for sandwiches and kosher hot dogs and stuff. And i LERV Jamie Oliver and his new show. Really shocking. THere are kids in my son's class--THREE YEAR OLDS--whose parents send them to school with two GLAZED CHOCOLATE dunkin' donuts for breakfast, and two reese's cups (regular size) in their lunch. are you kidding me? If my kid's gonna get a reese's cup, it's gonna be behind closed doors where no one can judge me. Just like when I beat him (kidding).

Also: I did in fact warn you about school field trips. I didn't yell loud enough, I guess, but the warning was there:
http://www.momtrolfreak.com/momtrolfreak/2010/02/top-10-things-that-made-me-want-to-put-a-bullet-in-my-head-preschool-field-trip-part-ii.html

[mom101]

If Jamie Oliver can come here and fix our nation's food problems, then it's only fair that one of us go to the UK to fix their teeth.

[oregoncoastgirl]

I'm with Maria.

[Karen (SubMommy)]

Oh. You've hit on one of my "issues." I'm working very hard to NOT be a food asshole. I'm teetering on the brink. When they go to birthday parties and whatnot, I won't be that annoying mom who brings vegan carrot cake, or some such thing that's not really cake, and not let her kids participate in the fun of a Costco monster cake with all the trimmings.

However....I watched the Jamie Oliver show, and what stood out to me was the fact that the school cooks, who applied for jobs to BE school cooks, didn't want to actually COOK. I find that really really wierd.

Good post!

[magpie]

Excellent rant.

[Esther Crawford]

The food issue has been a big deal for a long time but no one seemed to care until after I got out of school. In both middle school we had McDonalds catered - no joke. And in high school Pizza Hut, McDonalds and Taco Bell actually had food stands IN OUR CAFETERIA. So yah - I got fat, and have spent my 20's trying to kick the habit and learning how to cook & eat 'real food'... ya know, the kind that doesn't come wrapped in paper or plastic. Oy vey.

[Melissa]

In response to Stephanie, Huntington WV was chosen because they're categorized as the unhealthiest area in the nation (heard it mentioned on the show last week), so it's not necessarily intended to be representative of the nation or East Coast or what have you as a whole. But yes, it was appalling to see what kids are eating in schools and Kristen, I hope you do all you can to make sure you're invited to that forum!

[Rita Arens]

Dude, today must be rant day. I ranted forever on my blog this morning. Is it the wind? The moon?

[jonniker]

You know, honestly, after people took the time to (non-hostile-y) talk about the broader issues around workplace flexibility, and reading Heather's own interview on BlogHer, I became convinced, and it made me think about ALL the issues in a different light. I think, had people not jumped to get mad at anyone who asked the question, the conversation could have gone differently. Really!

PS, I am a SAHM because my career offered no flexibility. Yeah, YOU try being a journalist when the news happens 24/7 in a dying, competitive industry (newspaper) where youth is valued above experience and ... oh please. No way was I sticking around THAT hot mess.

So see? If both sides don't react douchily, then we all do learn something. Really!

As for food, I will admit looking at myself yesterday as I drizzled agave nectar over my daughter's organic, local, whole-milk yogurt and thinking, huh. I am a bit of a food douche.

This makes me feel better.

[Amelia Sprout]

If I were a food asshole, my kid would not be going to the daycare she is, because they serve crap like pizza rolls and tequitos. In turn, at home, she doesn't eat anything but lean protiens, fruit and veggies. OK, so maybe that isn't true, her dad took her out for Culvers frozen custard last night. However, it will last her a good three treat nights before it is all gone.

I hate to break it to anyone, but that school is awfully true to what kids in schools eat right now. Remember Regan making ketchup a vegetable? HFCS filled ketchup? Yeah, school lunches are screwed. However here in MN some places are making progress. The elementary school M will go to has a community garden run by volunteers. They grow the food, cook the food, eat the food in the school. The key is to not just send your kid to school with good food, but get involved. Us part time food assholes owe it to the kids who's parents don't give a damn.

[Maria]

I just want to bang Jamie Oliver.

[stephanie]

Just so you know, it's Huntington, not Huntingdon (sorry, I promise I'm not a spelling asshole).

That episode really made me think. I'm not a holier-than-thou foodie type, but neither do I want to feed my kids what is essentially trash. I have made efforts to pare down our consumption of HFCS, but wow, is it ever ubiquitous.

It did bother me a bit that they chose West Virginia as the centerpiece. Mainly because it seems like an easy target (I grew up there and know how people react when you say you're from there). I also can't help but wonder how representative this one school is of all the schools in the nation.

[chris]

I don't even buy any juices ever. My poor deprived children are forced to drink water.

I see the kids at school eating lunchables, washed down with chocolate milk, gatorade, and brightly artificial colored stuff that now passes as yogurt. Yuck.

I don't consider myself a food asshole at all. I give my kids junk food, in moderation. In fact today they all have a Little Debbie snack cake thing in their lunches.

[Goddess in Progress (@etowndz)]

I haven't watched the Jamie Oliver show yet, but I need to. I'm also not a total food asshole. My kids eat their share of chicken nuggets and chocolate milk. And yet, when I see the moms who bring the bucket of supermarket cookies or box of munchkins to every playdate, and those creppy packets of Capri Sun, I shudder a little. Fine line? Maybe. But I guess that at least tells me roughly where my line is.