Saint John’s cows walking in the rapidly growing Spring pasture.
“We don’t want fast food, we want slow food!”
Thirty years ago, this was the chant of a group of Italians protesting the opening of a fast food restaurant at the base of the Spanish Steps in Rome.
The spirit of that event inspired an organization, Slow Food International, to work to preserve local food culture worldwide with a mission for “good, clean, and fair food for all.”
We believe the quality of our food and the attitude in which it is prepared, served, and consumed affects our physical, emotional, and spiritual states. Appreciating the variety of food that comes into season over the course of a year -- the tastes, textures, colors, and variety of preparation methods passed down through generations -- is made fully possible when saying “yes” to slow food.
Slow food vs. Fast food
Slow food stands defiantly in opposition to fast food.
Slow food is thoughtful where fast food is an afterthought. Slow food costs something -- ingredients, labor, and presentation -- where fast food is cheap. Slow food is savored where fast food is merely eaten. Slow food is authentic where fast food is an imitation. Slow food is eaten thankfully with loved ones where fast food is consumed while completing tasks.
Slow food isn’t beautifully plated, expensive restaurant food. It’s food prepared from well-sourced, whole ingredients and consumed with an awareness of what the food is, where it’s from, and gratitude for the labor of workers and bounty of the Earth. This ultimately makes for the most enjoyable food and eating experience, especially when shared with a community.
We are too hurried.
There have been too many times in my adult life where I have garishly wolfed down a fast food burrito during rush hour in the interest of efficiency and saving time. In the long run, this short-sighted attitude around food contributes to overworking, sacrificing personal and environmental health, and a missed opportunity to support local farmers and artisans in exchange for a few moments of time.
Americans are working more than ever and now most families have two parents working -- often leaving less time to cook and enjoy meal times. Our posture toward food has changed in response to this burden.
We expected technology to ease many of our burdens; however, it seems that as technology automates many tasks for us, we are expected to do even more. Something has to give, and it’s usually the food.
Ultimately, our mindset and choices around food come down to what our priorities are. Saying “yes” to one thing means saying “no” to another.
High quality food nourishes us best, and growing and harvesting organic ingredients takes time and effort. The slow food mindset welcomes and appreciates the effort required to procure food as nature intended. Part of this appreciation is accepting the price difference in organic and conventional food.
Properly preparing and savoring food takes time. Cooking is an essential skill that fewer people feel the need to learn because of the widespread availability of cheap, processed food. Be encouraged to pick up a book or watch a YouTube video to learn how to prepare a few of your favorite dishes. If you have children, involve them in the cooking process. You’ll find that cooking whole foods at home saves you money, is healthier, and tastes better, too!
Time together at a Saint John’s Farm Tour.
Family mealtimes matter.
Our busy-ness means we sometimes have to settle for a “quick bite” -- that’s modern life -- but what if families decided to have a home-cooked family dinner most nights? How would that decision affect not only our families’ health but also the attitude and connection between family members?
Anne Fishel, executive director of the Harvard Family Meal Project, says:
“There have been more than 20 years of dozens of studies that document that family dinners are great for the body, the physical health, the brains and academic performance, and the spirit or the mental health, and in terms of nutrition; cardiovascular health is better in teens, there's lower fat and sugar and salt in home cooked meals even if you don't try that hard, there's more fruit, and fiber, and vegetables, and protein in home cooked meals, and lower calories. Kids who grow up having family dinners, when they're on their own tend to eat more healthily and to have lower rates of obesity.
Then the mental health benefits are just incredible. Regular family dinners are associated with lower rates of depression, and anxiety, and substance abuse, and eating disorders, and tobacco use, and early teenage pregnancy, and higher rates of resilience and higher self esteem.”
Family dinners are about more than food -- it’s about connection and taking time to listen and respond to each other. It’s shocking how many families have screens at the table. Try having screen-free meals and see how it affects your family dinner!
Conclusion
Join us in celebrating slow food -- three times a day when we tuck in to the table.
Resources
https://20somethingfinance.com/american-hours-worked-productivity-vacation/