Local School Dedicated To Healthy Eating

Famous chef Jamie Oliver is trying to change the way we eat through his new ABC show “Food Revolution”. Oliver is dumping out fried, sugary foods and encouraging families and schools to start fresh before it’s too late.

“This is going to kill your children,” said Oliver.

Oliver says poor options and poor habits are to blame for the growing obesity epidemic.

“I’ve never seen pizza for breakfast,” said Oliver.

In the West Virginia school, where the show is taped, kids are served fatty meals. KESQ took a look at some of our local schools and it’s a completely different scenario.

“I got pineapple, oranges and grapes,” said Emma Vanderwerf, student at Washington Charter School.

Desert Sands Unified School District is ahead of the game, it offers fresh fruits and vegetables.

“You need to start when they are young and get them trained,” said Cindy Frazer, DSUSD nutrition services director.

DSUSD takes some of the old classic meals and turns them into healthier versions. Cooks use whole grain bread and pasta, they use low-fat dressing and never fry anything, they said.

The healthy switch wasn’t widely accepted by the kids at first, but leaders say they’ve adapted.

“There’s a learning curve for everyone to learn how to eat healthy foods instead of the fast food we are comfortable with,” said Frazer.

One of the many complaints on “Food Revolution” and in real life is that kids don’t like healthy food, but leaders at DSUSD encourage them to give it a shot.

“We are trying to educate the students,” said Frazer. “We tell them about fresh fruit and how it’s grown.”

Fresh items are nowhere to be found in the West Virginia cafeteria on the hit show, but California’s school lunch requirements are much healthier.

“Throughout California we don’t use trans fats – we don’t fry foods,” said Frazer.

Frazer says there’s still room for improvement in the local schools. She wants to see more fresh produce at all schools, but it’s not up to her.

“There needs to be some changes at the national level,” said Frazer.

That’s Oliver’s goal, to create a national food revolution.

“If you don’t think I can do it, just watch me,” said Oliver.

“Food Revolution” airs on Friday nights at 8p.m. on ABC. To find out more about the show and what kids think of the healthier foods chef Oliver is serving up, go to http://www.kesq.com/health/22998531/detail.html