The Slow Food Movement

Many folks across the nation are embracing the slow food movement. As concerns grow over the way multinational agribusiness companies have altered our food sources, the movement called 'slow food' is gaining momentum.

Slow Food is a philosophy and approach to food that is community based. Meals are created with fresh, seasonal local ingredients versus processed or artificially created foods.

Here are some easy ways you can give the Slow Food movement a try:

1. Choose to eat from local restaurants that operate sustainably, versus over chainstyle restaurants.

2. If you have leftovers from a restaurant, bring your own tubberware and skip the plastic restaurant containers.

3. Looks for free-range and organic dairy products.

4. Purchase seafood that is sustainably harvested. The Monterey Bay Aquarium has put out a great list that you can downoad. (PDF)

5. Grow your own herbs. Nothing spices up your own slow food like fresh herbs from the garden.

6. Avoid buying processed foods. Ditch the cans - they are often high in sodium, and the liners can leach into the foods. Most people are often surprised how easy it is to make sauces, beans, soups the good ol' fashioned way (and cheaper too!)

7. Shop at your local Farmer's Market. And, if you can - join a CSA. Get your weekly box of local, seasonal produce, and you'll be firm on the path of Slow Food, and you'll learn how to prepare and eat many new and fun foods.