Jamie Oliver should talk to Dana

Seems the effort to improve school lunches in the UK is hitting some bumps in the road. This CS Monitor article, Kids say 'Yuck!' to healthy school lunch, shows how different England is from the US. It also tells me they now need less star power, like Jamie Oliver. Instead, they need more pragmatic input from the likes of Dana Woldow and SFUSD.

The pace of change in the UK has been remarkable. When Oliver adopted the cause it was quickly picked up by government officials including Tony Blair. Changes were funded and implemented quickly. Maybe a bit too quickly. They forgot to make sure the kids would eat it.

Starting this term, pupils must be offered at least two servings of fruit and vegetables a day, oily fish at least once every three weeks, and no more than two portions of deep-fried foods a week. Processed meat products like burgers and chicken nuggets are to be served only occasionally. Salt shakers and ketchup bottles are banned from dinner tables. Chocolate and fizzy drinks are similarly taboo. But bread and water must be freely available.

Unfortunately, the campaign appears to have turned many children - and their parents - off the idea of school lunches. Some pulled out when they learned from Oliver's television series just how shabby school lunches had become. But ironically many more have recently deserted school lunches because their children don't like the new fare.

Here in SFUSD the healthy food initiative had to directly confront this issue. Skeptics were sure that healthy reforms would turn kids off and reduce consumption— and more importantly reduce revenue. For SFUSD that was not an option, so all changes have been kid tested. Of course they want pizza and soda, but that's not an option. They have been given input on which of the healthy choices are offered, and trust me, they would never condone "Quorn burger with gravy and lentil curry". I'd say 'Yuck' too!