Survey: Kids spurn celeb chef's healthy lunches

They still want their strawberry milk and chicken nuggets

Published March 30, 2010 4:17PM (EDT)

In this publicity image released by ABC, chef and TV personality Jamie Oliver stands in front of a board with photos of residents of Huntington, W. Va., during the taping of his reality series, "Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution," in Huntington, W. Va., airing Friday, March 26, 2010 on ABC.  (AP Photo/ABC, Holly Farrell) NO SALES. (AP)
In this publicity image released by ABC, chef and TV personality Jamie Oliver stands in front of a board with photos of residents of Huntington, W. Va., during the taping of his reality series, "Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution," in Huntington, W. Va., airing Friday, March 26, 2010 on ABC. (AP Photo/ABC, Holly Farrell) NO SALES. (AP)

A survey shows kids at the West Virginia school featured in "Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution" liked their standard pizza and chicken nuggets more than the celebrity chef's fresh, healthy menu items.

And when denied the food they were used to, many stopped buying the school lunch.

The survey at Central City Elementary in Huntington also found children drank less milk after Oliver removed the sugary chocolate and strawberry bottles.

But there is a bright spot in the data from the West Virginia University Health Research Center: More than six in 10 kids said they'd learned to try new foods.

ABC chose to have the show in Huntington after a 2008 Associated Press story dubbed the five-county metropolitan area the nation's unhealthiest.


By Vicki Smith

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