h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Watched the Jamie Oliver programme on School Dinners on Wednesday. It was based at a school in Greenwich, Kidbrooke School. Fascinating stuff. He seems to be really passionate about food. He was truly scathing about the quality of food we serve our children. He had it nutritionally examined and found it lacked vitamin C as there wasn't enough fruit and veg and also there was a shortage of iron. This could lead to a lack of concentration - exactly the opposite of what is needed at school! The big challenge was to make food down to 39p per meal. He felt it should be at least 50p per meal. His relationship with the head cook was interesting. All the cooks smoked and took fag breaks. He sent the head cook the head cook to his restaurant to teach her basic skills and she came back glowing - transformed - enthusiastic about food.

It got me to thinking about the nature of my work - I don't really have the passion that Jamie obviously had about his. Does that mean I'm in the wrong job, or is there a way I can change how I feel about it. I think it's work examining the second possibility. I really felt energised after seeing the programme and I'm looking forward to seeing the next one next Wednesday. Pity it was scheduled against 'The Apprentice', which I would also have liked to see.

It also got me thinking about my relationship to food. Often I buy good nutritional food (organic fruit and veg), however I don't use it all as I arrive home tired and so I end up throwing some of it away, which really annoys me. Could it be that I don't think I'm worth the effort? It seems to be a vicious cycle as if I feed myself non-nutritious food, then I don't gain the energy. I do sandwiches for lunch as it's easier to make, transport and eat (particularly as I'm on the bus these days), however I know that wheat isn't good for me. Need to look at this further.

I think that you've got enthusiasm for the job, just not what you're doing right now. I go through phases like that at my job, too - times when I don't even want to go to work, and times when I feel all creative and full of energy.

I have the same problem - I'm always buying lots of fresh veggies, then I end up not using them and they get squishy. I haven't figured out how to solve this (unless it's to buy only the things you need that day) so if you have any ideas, let me know!

Thanks Lentilla,

I've been doing the same job for about 14 years - I'm doing it better than I've ever done it and I have huge amount more responsibility now that I used to. I sent an e-mail to my boss the other day and it bounced back because her in-box is full. She hasn't had an appraisal from her boss for two years because *he* is so overloaded. Overload seems to be endemic in local government at the moment. However, I know I *could* work smarter and I want to look at ways for doing this.

Squishy food - yes, that's familiar - and sometimes I find something liquid in the salad basket if I've really forgotten something is in there. If I get any insights into this, I'll certainly share them.

I have the problem with vegetables too. Although they are hardly any bother to prepare, I am not often home long enough to do it in the evenings. (Get home late from work and often have evening activites - at least 2-3 times a week)

I plan at the weekend and tell myself I'm going to do it, but apart from the time factor, I need space, and the kitchen is usually a shambles after the family have been home most of the day.

The answer would be to prepare the veg at the weekend and perhaps blanche them, maybe even freeze those for Thursday and Friday, and keep them ready for dropping into the saucepan in polybags in the fridge. For you and little , ZSF, that shouldn't be great amounts.

My family varies from 2 offspring at home for meals, making 4 at the table in all, to all offspring plus girlfriends - making 7 of us. One girlfriend is vegetarian, the other doesn't eat potatoes. But at least Miss Anti-Potato helps in the kitchen a lot. I often get home and they have concocted some pasta dish in my absence. "Playing house" I call it.

Son No 2 and girlfriend have given up meat for Lent, but that is no problem as we hardly eat meat during the week.

I must try getting the shopping done earlier this week and preparing things in advance - taking my own advice! At the moment, I've got a handful of mouldy carrots in the fridge, a head of white cabbage, which I could so easily have made into a winter salad when the were fresh, some leeks and some onions with leaves on them about 12" long!

Roasted carrots and parsnips are very easy to prepare. Just peel them (using one of those swivel head slicy peelers is the best way in my opinion) and bung them in the oven with a tiny bit of olive oil. You can add potatoes (if they're not too big) and onions as well.

Who needs meat when you can have something delicious like that?

Hi, Gnomon and everyone else too,

I missed the prgramme, Must catch the next one. Sounds brilliant. Hey, everybody - we need Frenchbean, don't we Miss her foodie posts.

I find I am happier doing all my veg. in one go for the freezer. That way nothing gets thrown away. I usually time it when I can watch the birds feeding as it makes it less boring. I find cooking in bulk, usually Sunday morning or Saturday afternoon, much easier than all that preparation after a long day.

Blanching doesn't take long ( I use the microwave or pressure cooker), cool quickly, drain and freeze. Left overs are always frozen and used to make a meal in a hurry another time.

I agree with Gnomon that roasted veg. is wonderful. Full of taste, no loss of colour or vitamins, and quick too. I never put the oven on unless I can cook everything we are eating in the oven. Sprouts, broccoli, all greens and root veg. just like Gnomom says.

I also have a massive spud bash now and again, and cook a PC full of spuds, mash, shape with a potato or ice cream scoop, put them on a tray and freeze. You can mix in cabbage (for bubble and squeak), chopped onions, cheese, herbs or anything else that takes your fancy, to make them more interesting.

Then when I come in from a charity event absolutely cream crackered, it only takes a few minutes under the grill, or in the oven, and they come out all crispy and brown, or at a push, in the microwave, and there is a hot meal in minutes.

Mmm!!! That's made me hungry

you didn't mention Jamie's language which I gather was of the Ramsey ilk but it sounds as if it was born of frustration I really must watch the next one.

TTFN,

Websailor

Ah... Yup, I'll roast a few vegetables every now and then. I really like summertime, because then I can grill them outdoors and get those nice grill-marks on the zucchini. Chop 'em up and mix it up with some rice and you've got a really tasty meal. Best ones we ever did actually caught on fire, a little bit, and we had to rescue them from the flames. All that carbon and smoke tasted wonderful on the squash and onion.

Blanching them and then freezing them is a great idea, but I like to eat many of my vegetables raw. With homemade ranch dressing...

I like the idea of doing the veg at the weekend and freezing them - however at the moment I have a freezer full to bursting point. It's only a small one and I have some bread I bought that I can't fit in it (as there's just little and I, if I leave a whole loaf out, it goes stale and then mouldy.

I don't think I have ever roasted carrots - I must be more adventurous in my cooking. I would like to have Jamie Oliver's enthusiasm for food.

I usually keep several loaves in the freezer, as although there is only me and my other half, my sons do descend now and again without warning! We do have two freezers from the days when there were four or five or us so it is a help.

Roasted veg is lovely. I put all our sunday lunch in the oven and came up to work on the computer for about an hour. When I went down it was almost ready, smelt lovely and tasted even better. No saucepans to bother with, just a couple of casseroles, one for meat, one for assorted veg - parsnips, potatoes, carrots, onions and sprouts. Just two or three of each in case you are wondering

I enjoy a big cook-up when I am in the mood. I always batch baked everything when the lads were at home. I don't do it so much now, as we would just eat it all

I must remember to watch the JO prgramme.


Websailor

Very dear ZSF and Websailor,

Well I watched the programme as well. He, as well as Gioconda Scott are my favourite chefs. His language is quite unbelievable!!. so be prepared.

I love your freezing techniques and the way you prepare your veggies all in one go. One needs quite a big freezer however. I use frozen peas and also frozen spinach. I always buy chpped spinach. Put it inot boiling salted water for about four minutes. Drain it.strain it and then squeeze all the water out. I then make a nice bechamel, mix it in with the now cooked dried spinachm and then I grate nutmeg on the top. I serve this as a veggie, also with poached eggs it makes a very nice supper dish, particular if one has triangles of bread cooked in butter. It should last two meals, and heats up well.

Your ideas on potatoes are excellent and I shall try it.
Good luck dear ZSF. And I hope that the next dinner lady is not so rude to poor long suffering Jamey. He really is a fine fellow, the way he tries to improve all our health and helps us to eat healthy food.

Also Ran1

Oh, I think that Jamie gave as good as he got, AR1! His language was rather choice, wasn't it!

Not heard of Gioconda Scott. Who is he/she?

Just seen the second programme. The children in Durham had no idea what vegetables looked like. They thought a stick of asparagus was an onion - a couple also thought rhubarb was an onion - or celery. Mind you, he won them over in the end by clever strategy.

Hi and AR1,

Enjoy your potato scoops A1

I made sure we were back from my son's to see the programme. Brilliant, and I totally forgive him the language (you should have heard mine!!) I think it was justified.

It really is an appalling indictment on parents and the school dinner providers. The statements made by the parents who had changed their son's diet have been proven time and again in controlled tests. Children's behaviour improves immeasurably when deproved of all the artificial colours and sweeteners, salt, sugar, fat and E numbers

I do hope it is the start of a change in school meals, and parents cooking ideas. Proper food and proper cooking does not take long, it just needs a bit more thought and organisation.

He won the battle in a similar way that I did with my eldest son - I left a gap on his plate where his sprouts should have been for weeks. In the end he felt so deprived of something that everyone else was enjoying that he gave in Incidentally my son would eat anything and try anything ever since, and enjoys cooking.

Actually it is largely a battle of wills, and a way children can control their parents. You just have to find a way round it. I was listening to a dog trainer the other day, and he says it is the owners that need training, not the dogs. His methods would work very well with parents and children

Looking at our food and drink Smileys on h2g2 says it all

Websailor

Honestly ZSF!!

When someone comes into your school to do a voluntary job of trying to improve the food which our young gneration are eating, I actually think it is VERY RUDE TO BE AS UNGRACIOUS AND IRRITATING AS THAT DINNER LADY WAS.
I know that Jamey has choice language, but there are not many international chefs who do the work that he does. Last year he started a restaurant in order to train those youngsters who were unemployed. we could do with more public spirited people like him. He struggled at school but he is an incredibly hard worker. Anyway, I thought that you approved of what he was trying to do on the food line for the young?

Hope your car gives you pleasure and goes well.

Also Ran1
What did little do with his birthday money? I hope he enjoyed it.

I completely agree with you on this, Websailor The think with most of the children, though is that the decent food needs to be continued at home, not just in school. That little lad's behaviour changed in just half an hour after his mum fed him junk food.

Roy shares your views on children and training dogs, by the way!

Hi AR1

Are you exasperated with me? I think Jamie is doing a wonderful job. He really turned the school cook round and as far as I can see, she's really sold on the value of decent wholesome food. I'm not sure I'd heard that he had started a restaurant to train unemployed youngsters though. He comes across as being a very sincere and committed bloke.

I'm hoping my car goes well and gives me pleasure too - it will be at least a couple of weeks before I can use it, though, as I still have to get it taxed and to do that I need a vehicle registration document and to do that I need to have the car go through a Vehicle Identification check. A bit complicated, but once it goes through the hoops, it should be plain sailing..

Of course not ,y

But Jamey was exasperated with the dinner lady!!

And I really do think that he deserves some consideration when he is doing such a valuable job. I have just seen some film of him in one of the townships near Johannesburg. all in aid of red nose day. And all the little African children were crowding round him nadhe was being so gentle and loving and tender,. He really does care about children and as he says he is trying to do something for the under-privileged. He says that his own children will never have to go with bad food and I remember that one of his favourtie things before he was married was to take his sister's children out on picnics and he used to spend hours cooking their picnic lunch.
He is a dear fellow.

Sleep well.

Also Ran1

I should have been in bed long ago, AR!

I must admit, Jamie Oliver is going up in my estimation each time I see him - an now I know more about him too through you. He said on the last programme that he wasn't doing it for his children - of course they aren't going to a normal school - he'll make sure they get only the best, but he *does* want to improve the lives of the nation's children, and bless him, he's having a good go. In Greenwich, where I live, about half the schools have adopted his system and little 's school (and others) will do so shortly. Good for Greenwich, I say!

Oh, forgot to say what little did with his birthday money, AR1!

Well, he refused to spend it on one big thing - he spent it on lots of little things. After going on for ages about the night spectacles, he wasn't that bothered and then afterwards, I couldn't find any. He still has a little left!

Hi ZSF. Its me! I think that the best thing for your job is to spice it up a little. Change the way you approach things and go for variety. If you tell me what your job is I can suggest more.

As for the vegetables, firstly you said youget organic ones. Do you get them from the supermarket? If you do I suggest you go to a local greengrocers instead. I think the best thing to do if you have too many, is to freeze them but when you take them out of the freezer to put them in a bowl and put cling film over the top and put them in the microwave for about three minutes (but it varies with each vegetable) from frozen. That way they don't go soggy and retain all the minerals and vitamins etc. Well thats what my mum does anyway.