Who knew rabbits like sunshine burgers?
I had to hurry up and eat it before they beat me to it! This burger had (as usual) pickles, ketchup, and spinach on an Ezekial bun. I’ve stopped buying the sesame seed buns because the little seeds get EVERYWHERE! Grapes on the side, plus half a Luna protein bar for dessert. I’m also currently sipping on a Guava Goddess Synergy, because it’s Monday, and because I can.
This morning, it was supposed to be cold and rainy, but suddenly around 10:00 the sun came out and it got downright balmy! I took this as a sign from a higher power that I needed to go for a run! I had a nice 5 (okay, 4.75) mile run, and then looped back around the house to pick up the dogs for a walk. I’m glad I did, because the sky is getting darker and darker as I type—I think the rain is coming after all!
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There has already been a lot of talk around blogland about Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution, and I thought I’d throw my two cents in. I watched the show over the weekend, and I really enjoyed it. I think it’s a great way to draw attention to this HUGE (no pun intended) problem that America is facing. While I understand the town’s reluctance to trust Jamie, and their inherent suspicion about the show in general, I do think that the show will ultimately end with the town, and hopefully the school system, making changes.
Unfortunately, especially for changes to come from within the school system, I think Jamie, and more to the point, the American people, are facing an uphill battle. The major food conglomerates are making money off of our continued obesity, and I doubt this is money that they’re willing to just let go of. I absolutely am in favor of personal responsibility, but at the same time, it’s hard not to look at a government-funded system like the school lunch programs, see the crap that they’re feeding kids in a sad attempt to provide a “balanced” lunch, and not think that the government is at least partially to blame here. The individual schools do not make the decision to count ketchup as a vegetable, the government does. I think one part of the school lunch system that Food Revolution really made clear was how little power the people who work in the school lunch system really have—they simply serve what they’re told to serve, and don’t think twice about the effect it could be having on the kids. I don’t blame them—they’re only there to serve the food, not to ensure the general nutrition of the kids who are eating it. That’s not their job.
To me, ensuring that nutrition falls in two places: government, and family. In a way, it falls even more on the family than on the government, because if enough people put pressure on the government to change the system, I have to believe that the changes could come. I guess this brings me to the other half of the argument—personal responsibility. Never have I been more grateful for my own parents than when I was watching this show. In our house, processed foods were a rarity, and even when we had processed foods, it was in healthier forms—Fig Newtons, whole wheat pretzels, etc. While the other kids pulled out bologna and mayo sandwiches on white bread, Doritos, and Oreos, my sister and I were usually rocking pb&j on “health nut” bread, maybe some pretzels, and a piece of fruit for dessert. We never had sodas in our house, and we sat down almost every night to a healthy, home-cooked meal. My parents were great examples for leading a healthy lifestyle—my mom ran every afternoon, and my dad played (and still plays) volleyball two or three times a week.
My sister and I still make fun of my parents for how healthy our household was growing up, and I’m not saying that it didn’t have it’s drawbacks. Because candy and junk food was so scarce in our house, when I did get it at a sleepover or party, I would go crazy for it! But, ultimately, I know that I owe my current healthy eating habits to my parents, and especially now that I’m an adult, I’m really grateful to them for that.
When I was watching Food Revolution and the focus shifted to the mother and father who were raising the three (already obese) children, my heart was breaking for those kids. I felt sorry for the mom, too, especially when it began to sink in how much the unhealthy food she was providing for her children was going to start affecting their health. As she began to cry, I felt really badly for her. But a part of me was really mad at her too—how could she not know that those things were bad for her kids? I know that things like frozen pizzas are convenient, but what about frying individual donuts in the morning? How is that more convenient than a pouring bowl of cereal and slicing up a banana? I know that so many parents cite the fact that their lives are too busy or hectic to provide nutritious meals for their family, but I just don’t think that’s true. It doesn’t take any longer to boil pasta and chop up a few vegetables than it does to heat up chicken nuggets (which kids are now apparently having for three meals a day?!?). I know that the money argument is often made too—it’s too expensive to eat healthy. And you know what—that one has a lot more validity in my opinion, because the people who say that are right—it is expensive to eat healthy. But the truth is, you’re going to be spending a lot more money on things like health care in the long run as a result of an unhealthy lifestyle. To me, spending a little more money at the grocery store is worth not having to pay for things like doctor visits, medication, operations, and ultimately, a super-sized casket.
One thing that I liked about Jamie when he visited Oprah on Friday was that he pointed out that it’s not just a weight problem—it’s a health problem. There are plenty of people who are thin and are incredibly unhealthy. I like it that he made point to say that Food Revolution is not a diet show—it’s not The Biggest Loser. And that, to me, is a great thing. Shifting the focus away from weight and onto health makes the show even more relevant, in my opinion. There was a little boy on the show who said that he’d had chicken nuggets for lunch, dinner, and lunch again. He was skinny as a rail—he obviously didn’t have a weight problem. But a nutrient problem? Probably. And health problems down the road, most definitely.
Geez…this has turned into a long post! I probably lost about half of you in the second paragraph…but that’s okay! I needed to write this post.
Did you watch Food Revolution? What were your thoughts? Or, if you didn’t watch it, what are your thoughts on the obesity epidemic, government responsibility vs. personal responsibility, etc.?
See you for dinner, kids!
Maybe it’s time to make some homemade ones? 
