By Tara Richter…
As a kid I remember walking alongside my parents in the grocery store and seeing whole fish (head, eyes, tail and all), wrapped in plastic and sitting on ice. The dark eye of the fish was always a bit creepy to me and the ‘fishy’ smell was enough to make my stomach clench. Fast forward years later when I ate my first freshly caught Northern Pike fish while on a camping trip in northern Saskatchewan and I couldn’t believe the amazing taste! It was light and flakey and full of delicious flavours. Best of all – it didn’t smell or taste the least bit ‘fishy’. Since that fishing trip I’ve been an avid consumer of all kinds of fish and seafood with sushi being my favourite dish!
As it turns out, many Canadians aren’t getting enough fish/seafood in their diets; in fact Canadians on average are a full serving short of the recommended amount by the Canada Food Guide. Jaime Oliver, in partnership with Sobey’s, is challenging Canadians to get more fish in their diet which are high in protein, low in fat and full of heart-healthy omega 3 fatty acids. He has released a new line of frozen fish in Sobey stores across Canada that are made with Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) Certified Pollock including; Crispy Pollock Fishcakes; Brilliant Fish Fillet Fingers and Crispy Pollock & Sweetcorn Fishcakes. Often when people think of fish they think of talipia, sole, halibut, tuna or salmon – all which are great fish; however the under-the-radar Pollock from Alaska is a mild white-fleshed fish that appeals to the taste-buds of many – even those NOT so keen on the idea of eating fish.
When I told my son that I was making fish and chips (roasted potato wedges) for supper one night, his typical 10-year-old response was that of a sigh, snarly nose, and a whine/sigh, “ ” – a Fish? Eww grosssss! reaction that may not be so atypical of many adults either. Despite his apparent disappointment & disgust, I continued on with my meal preparation and was thoroughly impressed with the ease at making these fish cakes (i.e. put on baking dish, place in oven, bake until golden brown). It’s THAT is easy. I paired the Crispy Pollock & Sweetcorn Fishcakes alongside roasted potato wedges sprinkled with paprika and seasoning salt and a side of fresh-steamed beans/carrots. I really like that these fish cakes are made with minimal ingredients yet still result in high flavour with a light & crisp texture, and a taste that was neither fishy nor slimy. As for my fish-averting son?
His first response, based entirely on his visual perception, was an “Eww, there’s CORN in it!” complaint. However after a few bites and “silence” I knew the fish was a hit. It was music to my ears when he announced “Are there anymore?” Of course I couldn’t help but tease him as he helped himself to a second helping with a jab of, “But I thought it was grosssss” – to which we both had a laugh.
With the bombardment of marketing & advertising, it can be hard for a consumer to know what the best/right choices are to make in the supermarket. That is why Jamie Oliver partnered with Sobey’s in 2013 to educate, and inspire Canadians to improve the quality of their eating habits. By using his knowledge as a renowned chef, Jamie is able to champion and communicate information about food knowledge, balanced nutrition, food ingredients and cooking skills; in essence to take the guess work out of the equation.
So why not take the food challenge yourself and add more fish into your family dinners. The Jamie Oliver frozen fish selections really do make it easy to incorporate fish without any fuss or preparation since they are ready to bake straight out of the box. Even if you, as an adult, have your mind set on avoiding anything from the ocean, the Jamie Oliver frozen fish line is a great way to expose your children at an early age to the health benefits of eating fish, and also to expose them to the great flavours and textures that fish provide. You might just be surprised, as I am with my own son, who asks on a regular basis now, “Can we have fish for supper?”
One of our readers is going to win everything they need to challenge themselves to add more fish to family dinners this back to school season (it’s a season, right?) The gift basket up for grabs contains:
– Kitchen Towel
– Pair of stainless steel tongs
– Salt and pepper shakers
– Ceramic serving dish
– Baking sheet
– $50 Sobey’s gift card to purchase Jamie Oliver frozen fish products
I am quite surprised to hear Canadians aren’t getting enough fish in their diet!! Wow! Who would have ‘thunk’ it?
LOVE TO WIN
Wonderful post Tara thank you so much,!
I love fish, and will try to incorporate it into more family dinners because it’s such a healthy food!
I loved Tara’s post. I would have had the same thoughts as a child .
I liked Tara’s post. I remember beng creeped out by the fish at the supermarket when I was a kid too! I got lucky and had a son that loves fish more than anyone I know, so he always reminds me that we should eat lots of fish.
I liked Tara’s post. I was surprised to read that Canadian’s don’t really like fish. Being on the West Coast, our family loves eating all variety of fish.
I am so excited to try these products! Frozen fish is usually so bland but I bet Jamie makes them yummy!
Great post Tara! I am up for the challenge since our family doesn’t eat much fish and I know we should because it is good for us.
Loved reading Tara’s post, I love my fish and shell fish, but sadly I am the only one in my family that does so I don’t buy it enough because of that reason
I know I don’t get enough fish in my diet. There are only certain kinds of fish I like and I eat it may 1-2x/month. I do take a supplement daily to get the healthy omegas in my diet.
I love fish and seafood, I grew up with it being part of my diet so I don’t think too much of the “smell” of fish. I like that Jamie has partnered up with Sobeys to try and get more Canadians to incorporate more fish into their diet. And have to laugh at his response, typical to say the least but glad he enjoyed it!
I liked her story about the fish. I’m not crazy about fish.
I agree, I hardly ever have fish and have never tried pollock. I am going to go out of my way to get some and try it out.
This makes me think of fish sticks yuk but it sounds good enough to try
great post. interesting, great info and REAL. Thanks 🙂
Great post Tara,,,,we usually eat fish once a week!
Love your post Tara! Weve tried Jaime Olivers foods before and they are super good!
I have enjoyed all of the Jamie Oliver products we’ve tried too
I love Jamie Oliver- he is not pretentious, easy to prepare meals
I guess growing up in lake country and learning to fish as soon as I could walk – I never had issues with fish – love it! Glad that the experience you had with the northern pike changed your mind!
Awesome post. We eat a whole lot healthier but have not tried Olivers’brand products yet. but my eyes will be looking for them.
Great post Tara! I follow Jamie on his show, quite a surprise as to how our kids of today are missing out on fish and so much more!
i like how jamie oliver is trying to educate people to make good choices
Good post. We try to eat fish on Fridays. Simple and delicious.
Cheers.
It’s a great post!
I have heard some good reviews for Jamie Oliver’s line of food products. I will try to follow his recommendation to increase our weekly fish intake.
My family needs to eat more fish, these are great ideas for get my picky eater (husband) to eat more fish.
It is not surprising that canadians don’t eat enough fish. Many people do not know how to cook it so having something easy and ready to prepare is a great idea.
I grew up with fish a couple times a week and still carry on the tradition. My kids loved fish. I know my grandkids who live in another province don’t eat as much as they should. I will be mentioning these products to my son. They do like fish because I serve it them whenever I visit or they visit me.
Great post Tara! I am up for the challenge
I’m from Vancouver Island, so I’m surrounded by fresh seafood year-round! Unfortunately, I’m not the biggest seafood fan though! I love salmon, halibut, and tuna, but I’ve never tried Pollock – will have to give it a try soon! Thanks for the great giveaway 🙂
I’m in BC…I have fish all the time, myself, at least once a week. It’s so tasty!!
It made me hungry!*l* Seriously, I am a huge fan of fishcakes and have always been sad I couldn’t find any at Sobeys when I looked so I’m THRILLED to try the Jamie Oliver versions – I’m already hungry!*l*
I’m not much of a fish fan. I hate the smell.. hate cooking it….
I had no idea we weren’t getting enough fish in our diet!
I love Jamie’s food revolution idea and this was a great story of how it impacts real families.
Fish is delish! lol
Great post! It’s VERY true with the ‘bombardment’ of advertising today, it’s very difficult to know if the food choices you are making are always the best ones
I know we don’t eat enough fish (except for the frozen kind) – i would love to change my ways, but find it hard to make time to prepare ‘real’ food! Great post!
We seem to only eat canned tuna and salmon once in a while, not big fish eaters, will have to find and try his products!
Huge Jamie fan…my entire family is from England so his recipes speak to us…his cook books are great and he is so fun to watch on TV. Really great post and right up my alley. Have you tried Jamie’s frozen Crisp?? Delicious.
I agree with Tara’s post about not eating enough fish. I have a hard time getting anyone to eat fish in this house, though the Jamie Oliver line looks pretty good and not frozen.
I really enjoyed Tara’s style of writing and agree that fish out of the box, already prepared, is perfect way to add more fish into our meals!
great post, most of the family loves fish, try to have fish weekly!
Awesome post but I have to say nothing will make me ever try fish.
You don’t need to sell me on the greatness of fish – but maybe Jamie Oliver will be able to convince the rest of my family. Great post Tara!
I also a HUGE sushi lover .
After reading Tara’s post I realized that our family does not eat as much fish as we used to and that we are going to take the challenge.
perhaps I will even post a pic!
I’d be one of the Canadians that isn’t getting enough fish in my diet!
I like Tara’s post also. We do not eat as much fish as we should and I think I will start working on that
mmmm I would love to try that fish.
The fish definitely looks better than regular fish sticks.
I agree with the idea that Canadians aren’t getting enough fish/seafood in their diets. Unless you live near or can access a supermarket with a reasonably fresh fish/seafood section, your fish selection often is limited to something in a can or in stick form with an unrecognisable fish source that makes eating fish/seafood unappealing.
We’re definitely not getting enough fish is our diet, we might eat only 3 or 4 times a years, and I do buy pollock, I find it versatile and affordable. And basa is a nice fish too.
We live far, far from the ocean. I always feel like the “fresh” fish is a little suspect.
We definitely need to add more fish in our diet.. I need to find ways to make it good because we are not seafood lovers
This makes me want to eat more fish
I love the idea of making fish and chips. I’m not a huge fish fan but I love it this way.
Haha we love fish and chips. I would love to try to make my own. I would have to now because I have celiac and my mom is allergic to wheat. What a great challenge!
would love to win!
Love fish and love Jamie Oliver’s product line at Sobeys.
I would love to try that fish it looks good!!
I and my family definitely not getting enough fish is our diet. My kids don’t care for some fish but they do love fish and chips:)
That is something I would eat.
Not really a fish or any seafood person, but hubby loves it.
Had to chuckle at her son’s response. Fish isn’t shunned here, it’s embraced! lol With so many tasty choices nowadays, it’s looked forward to!
it’s a great read
I would love to try to eat more fish like the one featured here.
That fish looks very tastey and I’m not a huge fish fan.
I concur that our most Canadians do not eat enough seafood/fish. It is an acquired taste – living in Nova Scotia most of my life – trout/salmon/fish sticks were the staples of our home and the norm. We had to catch our meal. Most individuals cannot afford the high price of seafood – so it is deemed a luxury and not the usual bread/milk/eggs regulars on our shopping list. When finances permit my son and I enjoy a shrimp ring….Thank God he loves seafood too….instill mariner traits early….
Eva Mitton-Urban
i totally agree with this post. i know my family does not eat enough fish and should be having more. especially myself who is pregnant but i just always found the taste and smell was a struggle for me to eat as i would get turned off by it. but i will definitely keep my eyes out for his new line of fish and give it a try
I look forward to trying this new line of frozen fish.
Her son had such a “typical” response. It’s always a challenge to get them to eat healthier.
this new line of fish sounds great will check it out next time go to Sobeys, I should eat more fish but price wise its more expensive then other meats
We get a small intake of fish in our diet,once a week at the least. I try using supplements,also. I find that my husband and boys do not really care for the taste but I love fish!! I think during the summertime,we eat more because we are by the sea.
I love fish and chip type of fish – so this recipe looks really great.
I love fish and chips and these fish products look healthy and easy to prepare.
it aspires me to eat more fish
I always enjoy fish and chips, but these look particularly tasty! I’ll have to look for them the next time I go to Sobey’s, I’m sure my family will enjoy them 🙂
I would love love to try this fish .I just adore Jamie OIiver..AM going to look online at Thrifty’s for this 🙂
This looks like a great convenience food that is actually healthy! I could use this some evening when I am pressed for time to get a good meal on the table! Thanks for the great ideas!
Looks delish 🙂
I love it,I love fish,hmm..think I`ll have it tomorrow!
I enjoy fish but not the way my inlaws eat it. They are Filipinos so they eat dried, salted, stinking fish. Me I prefer the usual savoiz faire of breaded and deep fried.
we just started to eat fish this looks delish
I would love to incorporate more fish in our diets, but picky husband and some picky kids can be difficult. These options sound great!
I love fish but my kids not so much, this post has inspired me to get them to try it again
Umm… need to cook more fish.. pretty good article
I don’t typically by frozen processed things like this (prefer to make) but they sound yummy and not too full of fillers. Would love to win!
would love to win 🙂
Canadians definitely need to incorporate more fish into their diets
Yes! I don’t know why kids just do not like fish – I was once like that too and I only stated to appreciate it in my early 20s! It’s nice to start incorporating more fish into our diets because they are a great source of protein. As an adult, I now ALWAYS have fish! It’s so healthy for us so I love that there are now fish recipes that are appealing to kids too!
I’m lucky I live on the ocean in BC and I have fresh caught salmon on a regular basis.
What’s on your dinner plate looks delicious. I enjoy fish, but we eat very little of it because it’s usually too pricey. I wonder if that might be why we don’t eat enough fish. It’s just out of budget range to eat it often.
I love fish and chips so I would like to try the fish
I love eating fresh fish. Great post Tara 🙂
very informative, I love eating fish I just wish it was more affordable
thanks for the post, I don’t eat enough fish
She gave me a reminder about fish cakes, I like fish and chips but always worry about buying it because it’s so touchy in the way it’s handled so you don’t get sick
I grew up eating a lot of fish and I still love it today.
I like that she teased her son about it being gross after he wanted more and im hoping to win so my son can try and hopefully he will actually eat it.
It’s funny how kids eat with their eyes first, if you can make something look interesting enough. most kids will try it. My son is huge on smells… if a food has a strong smell, there is very little chance he would go near it, let alone try it.
i love how tara’s post relate to every day situations. getting a kid to eat something without smelling it or seeing it would be awesome if they would do it every time
I like that Sobeys is challenging Canadians to eat more fish and so glad Taras son loved the fish cakes!
I had not heard of Pollock before, but it sounds like a fish I would love to try. Getting kids to eat healthy is not always easy, so any tips are welcome! Have been a huge fan of Jamie O for a long time. Thanks for the giveaway.
Ok I’m up for the challenge thanks Tara
I would love to cook more fish but sadly my hubby is allergic!
I do agree that the majority of us need more fish in our diets!
Very informative.
I totally understand the grossness of the eyes looking at you, but I remember the smell of the salty air with a mix of the fish smell. I lived in the Seattle area for a huge portion of my life. Even though it does gross me out a bit, the smell, it does send me in to the “childhood” memories state of mind!
I am entering your giveaway.
It would be great to win a Jamie Oliver/Sobey’s Themed Gift Basket.
In response to your requirement to enter to win, simply share my thoughts on Tara’s post.
I thought Tara’s post was very informative and well written.
I learned from her post that Jamie Oliver partnered with Sobey’s in 2013 to educate,
and inspire Canadians to improve the quality of their eating habits.
Thank you for having this giveaway!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Sounds like those fish cakes would be great. I should definitely try them. My son actually really likes fish. Especially whole fish which is baked or fried by grandma.
I like that Jaime Oliver has released a new line of frozen fish in Sobeys stores across Canada and that Canadians need to eat more fish in their diet and i love the Part that the fish eye was creepy for Tara when she was a kid to cute 🙂 i love fish and will def be trying them out thanks for the chance 🙂
My kids love fish but trying to figure out which box is the one to buy is getting tough lately as there are just so many options…it’s nice o get a review of some
A great review – this might be the way to get my kids to eat more fish!
My daughter is a stinker with fish, the only fish we can get her to eat is tuna
we don’t eat enough fish in this house.
I love that Jamie Oliver has come up with these great new choices for eating more fish.
Great post! I can totally relate to what Tara said about the grocery store as a child with fish section. We aren’t big fish eaters in our home but with the variety out there, it’s worth trying out to see if the kids would like it or not. Thanks for the post.
I can remember how the fish laying there with their eyes open…it really freaked me out. I still don’t like to look at the fish in the grocery store! Enjoyed the post!
Like Tara, I used to not be a fish fan mostly because of the scent too, but now I love ’em. I try to rotate in fish meals at least twice a week. So good!
Totally on point! I need to incorporate fish into our meals more often!
I agree and we eat fish a lot