Jamie Oliver to Propose Dishes for LAUSD Meal Program

Celebrity chef Jamie Oliver has agreed to propose three weeks of menus meeting government regulations and school lunch cost constraints for the Los Angeles USD at the request of Nutrition Services Director Dennis Barrett, reports the Los Angeles Times. The district had previously turned Oliver down on participating in his Food Revolution reality TV show.

The requirements Oliver must meet are...

• daily meals on the cycle must be able to be served at all schools, knowing that many do not have kitchens.

• the menu cycle must include three entrees at the secondary, and two at the elementary levels, with one of the entrees being a true vegetarian entrée,

• the meals must meet all federal, state and district nutrition requirements for meals served to children in the United States through the USDA Child Nutrition Program,

• the cost is to be within the current 77 cents per meal average food cost for a school meal

Last year, Oliver had filmed a popular series of Food Revolution episodes that focused on attempts to improve the nutrition and food quality of the food served in the school cafeteria in Huntington, WV. Food Revolution had planned to film in Los Angeles for its second season and had approached the school district about doing some episodes focusing on the school meals program. The district replied with a "thanks but no thanks" note, citing time constraints forced on the district dining program from "budgetary challenges."