Slow Food Movement

Jennifer Solow

November 10, 2009

Slow Food Movement

After researching the Slow Food Movement I learned that slow food is, in simplest terms: an idea, a way of living, and a way of eating. It is recognized worldwide and links the enjoyment of food with one’s community, culture and environment. The movement works to reinforce the connection between the food on our plates and the well-being of our planet. Three words that were especially used to describe slow food were good, clean and fair. Good refers to the fact that the food we eat should taste good and be made with care from healthy animals and plants. “Clean” food refers to nutritious food that is good for our bodies as well as the planet. Fair is in regards to the food being accessible to everyone, regardless of income, and is created by people who are treated well and are fairly compensated for their work.

Slow food gets its name from its main motive, to counteract fast food as well as the ‘fast life’. It hopes to bring light to the disappearance of local food traditions and the declining interest in the types of food we eat, where they come from, how they taste and how our food choices affect the rest of the world. Because we live in a society where everything is so fast-paced and hectic, many people aren’t eating healthy and just eat whatever is convenient at the time. This ultimately can be detrimental to a person’s health and well-being. The movement is a great way to try and prevent obesity, which has been said to be an epidemic in the United States; cardiovascular disease, as well as other conditions such as stress from living such fast-paced lives and psychological symptoms dealing with anxiety, depression, eating disorders, and other emotional disorders stemming from unmanaged stress. Eating organic, buying things fresh from local markets/producers or even growing some of our own fruits and vegetables are great ways to help our environment and at the same time our health because they you aren’t harming the environment and the food provides more wholesome nutrients. Others ways to promote this idea is through “taste education”, educating people about the risks of fast food, and teaching gardening skills.

I think the Slow Food Movement is a clever concept. It was shocking to hear that it has been around since 1989 and there are over 100,000 people in 132 countries that are a part of this movement because I had never even heard of it until now. In such a fast-paced world like the one we live in it is nice, if not sometimes necessary, to take the time to stop and appreciate the things around us, even things in our everyday lives that we may take for granted like food. Since more and more people are opting not to cook homemade meals, it may also lead to us spending less quality time sitting down with our families at the dinner table, which is something I actually enjoy doing a lot.

Another thing I particularly agreed with in the Slow Movement was that we need to be more mindful about things and pay more attention to the present moment, and just enjoy it. It’s sometimes easier said than done with the hustle and bustle of our everyday lives but in the end it could help us live more enjoyable lives. The Slow Food Movement is a great way to stop and take time to really think about where our food comes from, how it is made, what impact it may have on us and to just really appreciate the things around us that we often just take for granted.