The slow food movement is simply the act of rejecting fast food. The convenience, consistency and cost efficiency that is found in the fast food industry has made mostly a negative impact on society and the overall health of Americans. Slow food is an attempt to stray from this problem and direct people towards eating food that is good for them. Not only will this affect the consumers, it will also impact those who actually grow the food and is meant to pose a positive influence on the environment, regarding recycling and pollution. Started in 1989, the goal of the slow food movement is to aid in the fading of certain food traditions. It works to re-instate interest in the food itself, where it comes from, and ultimately its taste and how it can affect the world, as a whole.
The way these advocates work to promote this change is by education. A more hands on approach is also effective in convincing participants to engage in activities that allow for them to gain an informative look into slow food. These activities include food and wine tasting, or listening to a guest speaker who is knowledgeable about the subject. It would also be valuable to bring education on slow food to schools and incorporate the practice into school lunches and afterschool programs. In addition, providing students with the opportunity to grow their own garden and allow for them to understand the growth of a plant, and ultimately incorporate that into the use of ingredients in the kitchen at home.
Very closely related to the slow food movement is the idea of ‘going green’. Grocery stores like Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s aim to provide the community with organic, natural and locally farmed foods. Not only does this pertain to food, but also to many household appliances and tools. The material that these objects are made out of can be labeled as organic. Organic materials are beneficial to the environment and a person’s overall lifestyle.
In society, there are several different aspects of life that can and should be improved upon and I think the idea of slow food will substantially help these problems. Obesity is a rising problem in America, largely due to the fast food industry and one of the reasons we tend to resort to fast food as often as we do is a result of how fast-paced life has become. We, as Americans, tend to be so consumed with work, school, and other life demands that we rarely take the time to stop and enjoy our food. Instead, we drive through the drive thru for a quick, easy, and cheap meal. As a direct result of this, it is also safe to say that we are spending less quality time with family and friends by neglecting to make time to sit down and have a meal together. Spending time with family is necessary to obtain a tight bond with those individuals and losing this time together can only hurt us in the long run.
The slow food movement can be a good fix to several of life’s ongoing problems. The fast food era was recognized as a problem and people are taking the initiative to establish the slow food movement in an effort to create a better world. Educating the public will help to spread the awareness of this change and will hopefully result in a significant impact towards the improvement of society.
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