Why Jamie Oliver is a national treasure who deserves a knighthood

Since then we’ve had eight Prime Ministers but schools meals remain a half-boiled curate’s egg. For every kitchen serving glazed halloumi with vegetable skewers, there’s another dishing up turkey twizzlers with boiled potatoes as the only veg.

Jamie Oliver might be forgiven for pulling down the shutters at his Elizabethan manor house in Essex and opting for an easy life. His mission to revolutionise food in schools for the future health of the nation didn’t quite work out… but at least he tried.

A ‘fundamental life skill’

Instead of that, he’s back with a new approach. “Ten Lessons To Save Your Life” is a programme of practical lessons backed up by books, videos and other teaching resources designed to ensure children aged 11-14 get the basic skills to feed themselves a healthy, nutritious, balanced diet.

Over 300 schools have already signed up, including some in Scotland, and it’s being funded by the charitable arm of the Jamie Oliver business to the tune of £450,000. Having failed to get politicians to sort out school dinners, the focus is now shifting to ensuring kids leave school ready to feed themselves.

“This is about teaching kids a fundamental life skill that’s just as important as English or maths. It should be at the heart of education,” says Jamie. It’s actually even more important than that.

Most of can limp through life using the spell check or calculator on our phone but there is no device smart enough to feed us three meals a day that are delicious and at the same time good for us.

Obesity costs NHS £6.5bn a year

This stuff matters. A Nottingham Trent University study found that children "developed their interest, confidence and competence across many aspects of food and nutrition" when they were engaged in practical cooking and nutrition lessons at school.

In other words, teach them early and the skills last for life. With 64 per cent of UK adults now overweight and illnesses linked to obesity costing the NHS £6.5 billion a year, change has to start with kids.

More legislation and taxation around highly processed junk food will also help but the push for that needs to come from young people who understand the importance and want their food to be better.

Trying to make a difference

Next year Jamie Oliver will turn 50. He has spent most of his adult life campaigning on this issue and what thanks does he get? People on social media find him “a bit cocky” and the establishment deigned to give him an OBE. Even disgraced banker Fred Goodwin got a knighthood.

We’re lucky to have Jamie Oliver. He is a national treasure who steps over our national lassitude on food in schools and keeps on going. He doesn’t do it for money and he doesn’t do it for attention. He has enough of both. He does it because he wants to make a difference and we should all be grateful for that.