Collaborative Blog: Tarrah Mart, Lindsay Finkelstein, Chelsea Ernst, Nicole Flesch Add Comment  Research Frustrations 04/19/2011 0 Comments   This is a collaborative blog done by: Tarrah Martinelli, Nicole Flesch, Chelsea Earnst, and Lindsay Finkelstein

Throughout this process, we have experienced a lot of difficulty going about our research the way we had planned. Our original goals were to interview people who directly effect the food that students are served for school lunches. Since we had direct contacts with personell in those positions, we thought we were set. We quickly realized that the nutritional values of school lunches is an extremely touchy subject. Many of our contacts would not even respond to our emails or phone calls. These were people that we talk to frequently, but apparently wanted no part in our research. One example was when Tarrah contacted the directer of food services from the school district that she not only attended but also worked for. She grew up playing softball with the woman's daughter, and frequently sees her and has to contact her for her job. After two emails and a phone call about the research, Tarrah had to once again email her about snacks for her after-school program. The snacks arrived two days later, without any email response. Nicole had a similar experience. She went to the high school that she attended and explained to the secretaries what our research was, and left a note for the principal. Surprise, surprise, they never contacted her. 

Once we finally landed our interviews, we had difficulty being able to actually video the interviewee's and give their information. Two of them specifically chose to be left completely anonymous (Chelsea and Tarrah's interviews). They still answered all of our questions which we were grateful for, but it once again showed how unwilling people are to discuss this matter. Now we can understand a little bit why Jamie Oliver is experiencing so much resistance. The question that this raises for us is, why are people so hesitant to talk about it? What are they afraid of? This is your new blog post. Click here and start typing, or drag in elements from the top bar.

Throughout our research and interviews our group though it would be interesting to see what lunch option they would pick when given a choice. In Bells Elementary School, the students are given a choice of Six different options: Lunch of the Day, Hoagie, Hot dog, Salad, Smuckers PB & J, Cold Platter, or Chicken Patty. Also, they offer Vegetarian options such as: Meatless Chef Salad, Vegan Salad, and Fruit Salad. Our group was very impressed with the variety of choices the children were given. This is such an improvement even from when we were in Elementary School. I (Nicole),am currently observing in Mrs.Barca’s first grade classroom on Tuesdays. I took a tally of what the students got for lunch that day. Twelve students picked the Lunch of the Day which was chicken nugget and french fries. One student picked a hot dog, one student picked cold platter, and five students brought lunch from home.

            Also , I paid close attention during snack time to what the students were eating. There were items such as Doritos, fruit roll ups, Fritos, Oreo Cakes, cookies, gummy fruit snacks, and gold fish. A few students did bring healthy snacks such as carrots, apples, raisins, and pretzels. Our group strongly believe that children will eat whatever their parents pack for them. When children are hungry they will eat anything. Parents’ are most responsible for what children eat.

Collaborative Blog: Tarrah Mart, Lindsay Finkelstein, Chelsea Ernst, Nicole Flesch

Summary
In this video, the producer and director of Food Inc. Robert Kenner, and the author of Omnivore's Dilemma, Michael Pollan, get together for an interview for CBSNewsOnline. They discuss how "Our food has been fundamentally transformed," (Kenner). The nutritional value of our produce in a supermarket has been diminished due to the goal of making food as cheap and abundant as possible. Pollan discusses the historical aspects of how we have gotten to this point, where it started, and how fast food is driving our nation. Due to this, we have an issue with obesity and malnutrition in our nation. The workers and animals are "brutalized," which in turn is adding additional moral "costs" that we are not aware of (Pollan). Kenner goes on to discuss the hardships he faced trying to get these food organizations on camera. There is a lot of information that the corporations are trying to keep from us. Pollan discusses how we are subsidizing the wrong foods. We are making all of the unhealthy things cheaper rather than the healthy which is affecting our society. To sum things up, they both discuss how we are on the verge of a national movement. Ominvore's Dilemma and Food Inc. are meant to be a jump start to this movement.

Reflection
This video gives a great background to the driving purpose behind both Food Inc. and Omnivore's Dilemma. One of the most controversial points that they raised was how these major corporations are keeping from the public what is going on with our food. It is our right to know that we are not eating real tomatoes, carrots, etc. One of the most alarming facts was that not only do they make genetically modified food now, but they are literally cloning food as well. We have a right to know what we are putting into our bodies. The facts about how unhealthy food is made cheaper than healthy food which is part of the reason people don't buy it, is also alarming. Is this not the total opposite of how it should be? Overall, every point that they made should alarm the people of our nation. Our group clearly is, which is the driving force behind our project.

Collaborative Group Blog: Tarrah Martinelli, Chelsea Ernst, Nicole Flesch, Lindsey Finklestein

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As a group we all looked at the website "Local Matters" and checked out the different aspects that go into schools and the local food organizations. Lindsey Finklestein, Tarrah Martinelli, and Nicole Flesch.
After looking at the link  "Local Matters,"  our group doesn't think we could find anything more perfect to parallel with our project. The First Lady of Ohio, Karen Walbillig Kasich has made a $95,000 contribution to the Local Matters organization, which is working to curb childhood obesity. Local Matters has a program called Food Matters, which teaches children, parents, and teachers about nutrition, cooking, and gardening. They go to thirty-five classrooms each week. We think this is incredible. It is one thing to blindly change the lunch programs for children, but after this meal if students simply go back the same habits at home because of a lack of education, the change was not accomplished. Though we still definitely agree with changing the lunch programs, we think this next step is truly what the schools need.
The program is hoping to spread even further soon. They are also focusing on Ohio-Grown foods when discussing healthy options. The program institutes twenty-eight weeks of lessons for the children so they can understand where the food comes from and why it is important to know this. With the additional funds, the program hopes to expand and reach even more children in the schools.This is your new blog post. Click here and start typing, or drag in elements from the top bar.

 Jamie Olivers’ Food Revolution Episode 4 starts off with him at the radio station talking to the Ron, the radio host, live. Ron is very skeptical of Jamie at first because he thinks Jamie is trying to do the impossible and taking things way to far. Ron said he was sick of all this health talk and no one wants to live off lettuce. You don’t have to live off lettuce to be healthy!! It drives me nuts when people think eating healthy is all about eating celery and carrot sticks. There are so many delicious healthy foods out there that taste amazing. According to Jamie and other health resources I have previously, healthy foods increase your mood,skin,eye sight, bones, hair, energy level,and even your sex life!

 So Jamie bet Ron that if he can get 1000 people in the city of Huntington to cook and join him. Ron laughs and believes there is no way that that’s possible. The first day he advertised it no one came. Jamie then went to the high school and got a whole bunch of people and students to create a dance to do randomly in the middle of Huntington streets to get people to come to his kitchen and cook. The entire dance had to do with cooking and was unbelievable. It worked and got the towns attention. Within the next few days people were flocking to come help. Within the next few days he had up to 700 people. Jamie knew he needed more help and he wanted to show Ron the severity of not eating healthy and what obesity can do to people’s lives. He first took him to a funeral home. The two men in charge showed them the size of a normal casket and one of an obese person which was about 4 normal caskets put together. The funeral men then stated that one of the obesity caskets cannot fit in a regular car and there has to be a special van to place it in. Also, one has to reserve two spots in the cemetery for a casket that large. This is was the start of Ron’s transformation. He began to see this lifestyle people are living is much more severe than taken account for. After seeing that, Jamie’s anger, motivation, and desire to get these people to change was at its highest peak. He then took Ron to meet his team of students that help him cook. Marisa told the story of her father who she lost to obesity. Her story was devastating because not only did she lose her father figure but he was her best friend as well. She had a picture of him she showed Ron and he was a little over 400 pounds in the picture. Then another towns woman was there to guest speak to Ron about her son. She said her family has always lived the so called American life eating whatever they want including fast food never taking their healthy into consideration. She was also overweight  but what made her realize the severity of this was when she took her 12 year old son to the doctors. The doctor said her son was at serious health risks being over 300 pounds. The mother was saying how guilty she felt because she took part in this. She let it get this far by not paying attention to health and the damage it really can do. She fought for Jamie’s side and said this revolution needs to happen. We need more people like Jamie. What really was match that lit the final stick of dynamite to change over to Jamies side, was when Brittany told her story. Brittany, being overweight, has struggled all her life with trying every diet in the book. Everytime she tells this story I cant help but tear up. Her emotions leech onto me and I can’t escape them.  This girl is only in highschool and the doctor told her that there are spots on her liver and if she cant lose weight she will only have 5 to 7 years to live. Everytime Brittany tells this story she breaks down. I mean can you imagine what that must be like?  Feeling so hopeless trying to lose weight and then having a doctor tell you, you may not even live until your 25 due to being overweight? Brittany expresses that Jamie has helped so much so far and has been such an inspiration. She said she is learning so much from him about eating healthy and how to make changes, and that without Jamie she would have never had this opportunity and motivation . Ron was instantly transformed after this. He wanted to help Jamie and the town of Huntington in a new way of living healthy. Jamie posted Ron as the 1000 picture during the big get together with the towns people.

The more I am watching this show, the more I am realizing how little people know about leading healthy life styles. I mean we live in a world where fast food exists on every other street corner. We live in a world where everyone lives from day to day like Nintendo Mario when he gets a star and receives lightening speed. Everyone is pressed for time. I truly understand that. Not everyone has the money to spend on high quality food. I also understand that. HOWEVER, you can live a healthy lifestyle by starting to care. You need to want to learn about how to eat healthy, what foods to get when your grocery shopping, what to make or get when your pressed for time. There are dishes you can make that will take faster to cook than the time it takes you to go to Mcdonalds and get Famystchockenous sandwhich. Yes, I said Famystchkenous on purpose and it was not a misspelling,. I decided to make my own word which is a combination of Fake and Mysterious put together. Revising the chicken to choken because its not real chicken. I use this word now whenever referring to fast food.

Famystbarfous -: any beef product

Famystfushous: any fish product

We need to get people to want to care about what they are putting into their bodies. The door to change is open all we have to do is get people to want to walk through. Each episode motivates me more and more. It makes me want to get involved in my town and see what I can do to make a difference. It doesn’t take superman or a magical creature to make change, all it takes to start is one human being to care.

1)      Do you sell products to any local organizations?

2)      Do you sell to any local schools?

3)      When the students come on education trips here do they bring their own lunch or do you provide lunches for them from your market?

4)      Would you ever consider going to schools as a guest speaker to talk about the organic food you sell and what makes it so fresh and healthy?

5)      Have you ever thought about selling to a local school? If a district was interested in working something out would you be willing? Do you grow enough products or would that not be feesable?

6)      Have you ever thought of advertising through schools? School newsletters?

Jamie Olivers Food Revolution Episode 3

In the beginning of this episode Jamie Oliver shows the children what a processed chicken nugget is really made up of. He grinded down all the stuff which looked like a diseased cows lavatory that just got done eating a truck load of burritos. The kids shockingly still said they would eat it! Insanity. If it looks good and tastes good kids will eat it.Bottom Line. After a few weeks of the new healthy food lucnhes that Jamie has constructed the children were eating it. It goes to show that children will eat food that is given to them. When they are hungry they aren’t going to complain that they aren’t eating french fries and pizza that have enough grease to cover the Pacific Ocean and still have enough left over to cover Uncles Jessies hair for a year.  The children were happy and not one of them were complaining. Why not make a difference and provide healthy lives for the children? Jamie then decided to take on Huntington High school. In this school there were four different lines in the cafeteria. A salad bar, a pasta bar, a pizza bar, and chicken sand which with French fry bar. You would think Lil’ Wayne was making an appearnace in front of the chicken and French fry bar from seeing how long the line was for it. High school differs from Elementary school because the students have a choice here. The Elementary students have to eat what is given to them because there is only one choice.  Jamie’s goal here was to get the students to want to make the right choice. He wants to make people care about their health and what they are eating.  Jamie then had students volunteer to help work in the kitchen and join his movement to try and make a difference and a change. He had 6 different students volunteer who really were passionate about making a difference. Some of them with past family members who have died from obesity, some who wanted to learn how to cook and would love to make a difference and lead healthy lifestyles, and the one girl Brittany who struggled with obesity her whole life and had tried everything in her power to lose weight. It was heartbreaking to see. I was sitting in front of my computer eating apples and raisins crying with her,  more so than I did in the Notebook when Ally couldn’t remember who Noah was. It was so touching to see these students want to make a difference and knowing that there are so many girls like Brittany who struggle with obesity and the risk of losing their lives due to weight should be enough motivation for anyone to help in any way they can. The first day in cooking for the high school he had his team hand out samples. of a healthy chicken teriyaki noodle dish. This really is a great way to get students to try things because peers react to other peers and peer pressure. If students are handing out samples of food and walking around the cafeteria other students are definitely going to be willing to give it a try. One of the main problems for Jamie Oliver is that school didn’t have enough money to fund the program. This food revolution he was constructing required more help in the kitchens and more money. Jamie had a camp fire with his team of students and discussed that he usually cooks for the Senator and other officials every year after spending six or seven months working with his team. He told them they were going to be cooking a dinner for them in only two days. This gathering dinner was to help start a fundraiser to get the Senator to provide them with funds to help make a change. The entire restaurant was filled including all the students families. Jamie didn’t tell the people that the students were the ones cooking it until the end. It was amazing how these students came together and the amount of work and effort they put in. After chaos and commotion all the food went out smoothly. Jamie was so proud of his team. I was so proud of them I was cheering and rooting at my computer like I was at a Baseball game or something. After the dinner went out Jamie brought the team out and told everyone these kids cooked the food. Each team member gave a speech about why this food revolution is important to them and the changes that need to happen.  If you ever wanted to take on a food revolution and make a difference but didn’t have the motivation, then watch this episode. It made me want to jump on top of the Rowan Cafeteria tables and my own version of Martin Luther Kings’ “ I had a dream” speech.  In the end the senator agreed to supply the money and help them make a historical change!

This is a collaborative post between all of our group members to decide on the interview questions that we definitely want to use.

1. Do you buy products from any local farms or produce venders?
2. Are there any specific nutrition requirements? For example a set amount of calories or food groups per meal.
3. What beverages are provided?
4. What changes have you undergone in order to make school lunches healthier for the students?
   
5. Were these changes due to district requirements or National FDA guidelines?
6. Is your budget on food affect the products that you buy? If so, would you choose the healthier yet more expensive option, or the processed cheaper option?
7. Do you think the lunches could still improve or do you think they are good as of right now? Explain.
8. As a parent, are you satisfied with the nutritional value of these lunches? To be more specific, would you feed the same foods to your children at home?

-Tarrah Martinelli, Lindsay Finklestein, Chelsea Earnst, Nicole Flesch