HUNTINGTON -- With finale of "Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution" now in the rearview mirror, the Cabell County School Board must decide whether to continue it and fully implement it in all the schools.

Doing so, however, will likely mean an increase in the food service budget.

Should the board accept what is anticipated to be an increased food service budget to implement the "Jamie Oliver" program in all schools for all of next year?

MARY ALICE FREEMAN: The board has a responsibility to stay within the food service budget and preparing non-processed food is definitely more expensive. I think the board has dedicated itself to doing the training necessary to provide our students with healthy alternatives, however, implementing the program in all of our schools will take time and additional resources from the state and federal governments.

SUSAN GILLETTE: Changing our eating habits is difficult because of just that - it's a habit. Habits are hard to break cold turkey (no pun intended). You do things gradually and you will find that it is just as economical to eat no processed foods as it is to eat processed food. In some cases, is it less expensive. Again, get figures on paper. You can change the eating habits of the schools a little at a time. Substitute fresh fruit for a dessert one year. Change to fresh vegetables the next, etc. The biggest problem with the "Jamie Oliver" program is changing the mindset of those preparing and eating the food, not the expense of the change itself.

KENNETH GRAYBEAL: Yes, we should (implement the Oliver program). If students eat right, they will be healthier, but we must change slowly. Start at the elementary-school level. We must show students the right way and get parents involved.

BESSIE HOLLEY: Nearly everyone in Cabell County agrees that our students need to eat more healthy foods. Jamie Oliver has been in the process of teaching our county cooks to prepare foods that are beneficial to the health and well-being of our students. He has extended his cooking skills and knowledge to teach the public these important principles.

Many studies have shown that students perform better in class when they have eaten a balanced breakfast. Hopefully, this practice will continue into our school breakfast and lunch programs.

As a mother of five grown children, I realize the expense of preparing homemade, nutritious meals. If healthy foods were more economical perhaps our citizens would be in better physical condition. High calorie, low nutritional foods are packaged to sell to our young people. However, many food companies are beginning to produce foods that our lower in calories, salt and many snack foods are baked rather than fried.

The goal of our county is to provide nutritious meals at an affordable price for our students. The federal and state government reimburses the county for meals served in our cafeterias. The USDA will have to make important decisions concerning processed foods and resources available to our schools. This change might take several years to implement. The district does not have the money to fund a food program totally free of processed foods. Cabell County will have to work with the foods we get from USDA while striving to prepare healthier meals. This is the beginning to healthier living. We must stay on track so that our children and their children will learn to eat foods that are good for them. We must eat to live, not live to eat.

JONATHAN NANCE: In regards to the Jamie Oliver program, I believe we need to address the education of the food services to the children in the elementary through high school first before we fully implement the program. I think the program is great and we do need to have a better food service, and we need to have a better physical fitness program. I remember when I went through school system we had physical education almost every year until at least 10th grade.

NANCY NEWFELD: Every day our students eat lunch, and sometimes breakfast, at school. For many, these are the only hot meals they get all day. Jamie Oliver as well as our first lady Michelle Obama is raising our consciousness about the impact a diet of highly processed, high-calorie foods is having on our children. It's up to us to change the way our children eat and to ensure that enough money is invested in school food to guarantee the next generation reaches adulthood at a healthy weight. To support the first lady's initiative, we should ask our elected officials for more money annually to support child nutrition through the reauthorization of the Child Nutrition Act. Ensuring an extra dollar for every lunch could guarantee that fresh, healthy foods find their way to our kids' bellies.

MARY NEELY: Providing a nutritious meal program at an affordable price continues to be our goal. Reducing processed foods and training our food staff in preparing meals from "scratch" will not occur overnight. USDA modifications as to food and resource availability will be a major timing factor here.

Yes, we can begin to move in this direction within our budget now, however, future nutrition changes will be dictated by USDA modifications with regard to food planning and resources.

GARLAND "SKIP" PARSONS: Cabell County needs to continue the Jamie Oliver food program, thereby teaching our youth a healthy lifestyle by improving their nutrition and eating habits.

West Virginia first lady Gayle Manchin estimated about $66,000 for salaries and equipment, according an article that appeared in The Herald-Dispatch this month.

Additional funds could be made by reducing professional travel in and out of state.

Also, if a more cooperative effort were established through RESA II and its five counties, food products could be purchased in larger quantifies with additional cost savings.

BENNIE THOMAS: The board has to work within the constraints of the budget. We must follow state and federal guidelines relating to the food service program. Child nutrition is a priority for system. We need to accept increases in food service and implement healthy and nutritional meal when allocations allow us to do so without having an adverse impact on the system. Timelines for implementation of these programs across the county may need to be established in order to maintain the financial integrity of the system.

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