I think Jamie Oliver is providing a wonderful opportunity for the citizens of Huntington, W.V. It is time for all cities to look at the future of their residents and do what they can to encourage good nutrition. I hope he is able to motivate the children and adults alike to make a healthy lifestyle change.

I am going to have to watch that. I was not aware of this before your preview but it looks great. I love Jaime because he is so passionate. It saddens me greatly that a child would not even know what a tomato is. I could understand some of the more obscure varieties of vegetables, but a tomato is a staple vegetable. It is just sad!

How interesting. I’m a fan of yours on Facebook and get your newsletters, but this is the first time I am commenting. As indicated here, and by some recent things that I have learned, it seems there is a positive, healthy momentum building.

I just spent a few days with the leaders of a company in Austin, TX, Genesis Today (http://www.GenesisToday.com). The company founder, Dr. Lindsey Duncan, is a renowned naturalist and has created a company focused on superfruits | superfoods | natural health supplements. I was impressed to learn that Walmart approached Dr. Lindsey (as he prefers to be called) and asked his company to produce a line of superfood-based, nutritious foods to encourage healthier eating in America.

So far, Genesis Today (which previously only provided products through health food stores) has created 3 superfruit juices for sales through Walmart and Sam’s Club; Acai, Goji, and one called Resveratrol. On February 14, they will launch a yogurt line based on these three superfruits, a Kiwi yogurt smoothie, and two healthy puddings based on Cacao and Acai.

If interested, you can read more at http://www.genesistoday.com. Or, as an example, here is a PDF about the Acai juice: http://www.genesistoday.com/genesis-today-product_pdf/AcaiBerryJuice_SS_2sided_consumer.pdf

The good news, is that there are people like Jamie Oliver and Lindsey Duncan, and perhaps surprisingly, Walmart executives, who are trying to do something to positively influence the eating and nutrition habits of Americans.

Mike Kunkle
@DreamWorthy | @Mike_Kunkle on Twitter

Walmart doesn’t sell a product in their store because they think it’s going to offer health benefits to their customers. It’s because they can make a profit off it. After doing some research on this company it’s pretty clear they’re just jumping on the bandwagon. They got started selling nutritional detox products and then made the jump to so called super juices. Read about Lindsey Duncan’s “credentials” (http://www.genesistoday.com/dr_lindsey_duncan/) and decide for yourself if you think he’s a real doctor.

I think starting with the school lunch system is a great approach to changing the habits of our children. It disheartens me that we are known as the “home country of fast food,” but it is also a great eye-opener that this is how the world sees us, and it is time for change.

In our county I know of several health initiatives to go right after school lunches, since this is where people develop their eating habits, especially in a peer setting. I look forward to seeing how this goes over here in America and hope it is effective.

Spoiler alert! Jamie did not succeed in transforming school food!
Why? Because our food system is broken, it costs too much to feed real food.
The good news is that the Child Nutrition Act is up for re-authorization in the coming months. Hopefully Jamie’s show will be screening at the right time to raise awareness of this issue.
If you want to get involved and make a difference, check out Slow Food USA’s Time for Lunch campaign. (http://www.slowfoodusa.org/timeforlunch) and let’s all get working to give kids in the US real food that they deserve!

@Bill
That’s quite a burden, Bill — for you to be the one to decide who is and who isn’t “real” at what they do. Lindsey Duncan has a doctorate in naturopathic medicine, and 40,000 hours of clinical practice in nutrition (according to the link you provided.) That seems to be a pretty credible background for someone in his business. I doubt the competition, most of it made by Coke and Pepsi, can claim that kind of experience.