It is said the average time people spend reading and listening to blog posts and vlogs is about 80 seconds. Â This video is a whopping 21 minutes. Â You might not hang for that long, but you will learn loads if you do.
I received a comment the other day in regards to my Skinny Citrus Fizz (Soda) post:
“Thanks for the lecture. How about a post without all the reprimanding?”
At first the comment made me sad, then I got frustrated. Â The words sat in the “pending” folder for a few days. Â I wasn’t sure if I wanted to post a negative vibe. Thankfully I got over myself and decided to hit “publish.” Â Blogs are an open forum of communication right? Â Someone cared enough to visit my blog, read my post and share their thoughts. Â They were honest.
I am gonna share some more of my thoughts with you. Â We know our society is at a crisis point. Â So many folks can’t feed themselves properly. Â They constantly make the wrong choices. Â They eat way too much industrial, overly processed “foods” that are putting themselves and their kids into early graves. Â I seek balance and awareness and that is what I share with you. Â If you feel reprimanded, do share. Â With all the healthy movements going on in the blogosphere and the media these days you will probably start to feel pummeled. Â I would love to be a leader in the crusade of bringing back homemade meals and limiting overly processed industrial foods.
Guys, here me out: I strive to be a healthy food ambassador!
Recently the celebrated chef Jamie Oliver won the TED prize. Â TED stands for Technology, Entertainment & Design. Â This is a non-profit group of some of the world’s most influential “thinkers and do-ers.” Â The TED prize honors folks who have “wishes big enough to change the world.”
Jamie Oliver has gone global with his campaign to teach kids and their parents how to take better care of their health through their food….fresh food.  He firmly addresses our global obesity epidemic.  He has a big voice and an even greater heart. Oliver is trying to promote change like so many of us are.  Many have all ready heard his message, but most have not.  The main components he  addresses are issues I share at MarlaMeridith.com all the time.
Here’s an overview about Oliver’s great projects and endeavors.
- School Food: We need to better whats out in our schools big time. Â Oust the vending & soda machines, bring in high quality fresh foods. Â Whole foods need to be acknowledged over highly processed junk foods. Â Fast food needs to leave our schools in order for our childrens bodies and minds to function at high levels.
- Industrial “Food” Sources: Food labels are misleading folks into thinking they are eating the right foods.  Large industrialized food companies are interested in profits, not healthy people.  Of course some corporations have clean intentions but people really need to learn how to read labels.  Mostly importantly they need to get back into their kitchens and cook.
- Priority Shifts: Globally we need to face obesity as a condition that weighs heavy on our bodies, our environment and the global economy. Â Our doctor offices are inundated with overweight people with diabetes and severe medical conditions due to the foods they eat. Â People have actually turned food into poison….food is meant to nourish, not kill.
- Independence: Children need to learn how to cook for themselves….real life skills that they can maintain through their lives and teach their own children. Â Of course we need math and science, but first and foremost we should all know how to navigate a kitchen.
- Create Awareness: Through awareness Oliver is trying to get funding to switch out the junk food and bring in the fresh. With the additions of community kitchens, appropriate website development (you got one right here,) and good honest healthy initiatives we can all partner together to create a great change! Â Jamie has a petition for those interested in helping to further his endeavors in this food revolution.
To learn more about Jamie Oliver click HERE.
Farm to Table
Tomorrow morning I leave for my first foodie based “business trip.”  Thanks to Foodbuzz and the American Egg Farmers I will be traveling to Phoenix, AZ with a group of mom bloggers to learn all about one of my favorite protein choices: the egg.  I can’t wait to meet everyone involved with this trip.  We will be touring Hickman’s Family Farms & we will be learning about the Good Egg Project.  Farm to Table is where it’s at folks.  I can’t wait to share stories of this adventure.
Oh, and did I mention I get a quiet room at a beautiful resort all to myself for one whole night?  Gotta love those eggs and time away.  I’ll miss the kids and the hubs, but i’ll be thinking sweet thoughts of them while  in the desert.  I will come back a renewed, better educated happy mommy & wife.  Love it.
amen to this: quiet room at a beautiful resort all to myself for one whole night!!! enjoy it, you sooo deserve it!
i have heard all about jamie’s endeavors and i think it’s awesome!
raising a high raw/veggie almost vegan kid here, so i am soo on board with it all! amen.
you with the brussles’ stalk is PRICELESS 🙂
xoxo
Have a safe trip!!
I think it’s wonderful that you’re spreading the word about health, and I encourage you to continue doing so. As bloggers, we are all able to communicate in way similar to Jamie Oliver, just maybe on a smaller scale. Jamie Oliver is so great as well! And the blogger trip sounds so fun! Wish I could experience that!
I confess that I did not watch the video but I just wanted to say that I totally respect and thank you for being another ambassador on good food and good health. To those whom we are trying to help, it’s a fine line between feeling reprimanded or educated. I’ve definitely had experiences where people ask for my advice on food, nutrition, or fitness, and I end up feeling poorly in the end because my advice wasn’t received in the right away (because everyone wants a magic fix, no one wants to actually hear that you have to spend time and effort in the kitchen and in the gym!)I’m still trying to work on my approach, and right now I often waiver between trying to share all my knowledge or keeping my lips zipped.
I absolutely LOVE Jamie Oliver, he is amazing all around! Amazing chef with a gigantic heart and the will to “save” the world. Yes, I love him : )
I am raising a healthy little man who cooks with his Mommy just about every day (and we bake every Sunday! – the Skinny drop chocolate cookies were super fun to make and delicious!!!) It is sooooo important, not only will he grow in a healthy environment but we get to share some serious and sweet bonding time in the kitchen : ) On top of that I am raising a boy who will someday be a man who is totally at home in the kitchen & hopefully raise a healthy family of his own.
I love your blog! Have a blast in AZ!!!
Hi, Marla. I saw Jamie’s speech when TED uploaded it to YouTube (I’m subscribed — all their videos are SO interesting to me!) and I loved it. I think it was rude of the person to leave that comment, but in a way I do understand:
I wasn’t raised the way your children were, and while I really wish I was, I can understand why some people might take offense to your blogs — people don’t like being told that what they eat is gross. I sure didn’t, and then I had a revelation at 15 years old (*ahem* last August) and decided to change, all on my own. My family doesn’t like being told that their food might be why they’re having health problems, and my big sister says my healthy food is “gross”. (Whole grains are horrifyingly disgusting to some people, I guess.)
My difficulty is that I’m surrounded by people who eat junk food. Even foods they think are okay, aren’t (low-fat ice cream is full of stuff I don’t want anywhere near my mouth). My friends are all 16 (my age) or slightly younger, and I end up politely turning down food they offer me. I tend to not explain why because I don’t want to be a lecturer. I don’t want to seem like I think that I’m so much better than everyone who drinks soda and eats gummy bears on a regular basis. I even turned down a Raisinette the other week because I suspected it was made with vanillin, even though I don’t think that one tiny little chocolate-covered raisin would really have hurt me. I just can’t talk to them about it because I’m afraid of coming off as snooty about it. My friends probably think I’m starving myself. XD
Anyway, I’m happy that people like you and Jamie Oliver aren’t afraid to speak the truth and openly encourage this way of eating. I eventually understood that people just wanted health and quality for me. You wouldn’t think that someone trying to get the information out about the harmful effects of what’s in everyday food could come across as a bitch, but people take offense when they’re told that they eat crap. They ignore the warnings because they want to eat what they’ve been eating their whole lives, and go by the “a little can’t hurt me” logic.
I don’t eat as cleanly as you do, mostly because on my family’s income I can’t really afford to be buying stevia and whatnot, but I enjoy your blog and I’m glad one comment isn’t discouraging you from sharing your opinions on the current state of food. =]
If you feel inspired by Jamie’s campaign, he has created an online petition, promoting healthy food for children, that he will present to the White House. You can find the petition here:
http://www.jamieoliver.com/campaigns/jamies-food-revolution/petition. Pass it along
Thanks so much for posting the Jamie Oliver TED speech. I will be passing this blog on to several persons. I seek out your blog because you are a strong proponent of healthy food choices. Keep up the good work!
I love Jamie Oliver!
Have a great time in Arizona.
I love Jamie and all his work toward helping us choose healthier food options. Negative comment-how rude!! I have never felt reprimanded coming to your blog…and you have seen my blog..not always the pic of health but we are all trying and thanks for keeping us motivated!!
Have fun on your foodie trip..quiet room ..alone…nice!!
sweetlife
Have a terrific trip, can’t wait to hear all about the experience!
I wish I can participate in that farm to table event…
I totally support your mission on promoting healthy homecooked meal. I’m also a big fan for Jamie simply because of the efforts he put to promote healthy food especially for kids. Have fun and enjoy yourself to the fullest!
Jamie’s great and does wonderful things!
Have fun!
Cheers,
Rosa
Yea for Jaime! Have a fun trip my friend!
A quiet night to rejuvenate sounds like something any busy mama can enjoy – have a wonderful time, Marla! It sounds absolutely perfect. : ) And you deserve it!
That’s interesting that the average length of time a reader spends on a blog post is 80 seconds. No wonder people like short posts!! That’s nothin’!
So excited about my giveaway win! I told my husband that when it arrives, I’m heading to the hot tub with a glass of wine and my book…alone. For at least an hour! : )
Congrats to Jamie — this is such an important issue! And I have to say that I always visit your blog for inspiration. Your lovely recipes show that you don’t have to forgo delicious food when eating healthy. You’re so knowledgeable on health and nutrition, and your posts are always so well-planned and thought out…so thank you, Marla, for all the info and inspiration you share with us! And I’m SO EXCITED for your first foodie business trip — I can’t wait to hear all about it! 🙂
Congrats on the trip to AZ. You, my dear, have so earned it. (And thanks for the Coach’s Oats, BTW!)
Now, when you took the picture with the Brussels sprouts, you did have the safety catch on, didn’t you? 😉
For as much baking as I do, I still try to balance it with healthy meals and snacks, so I never feel like you’re lecturing! Good for you for hitting “publish.” I don’t know if I would have or not.
I love Jamie Oliver. Did you watch the whole series where he went into the school and changed the lunch room? It was amazing. So inspiring!!