Learning About Slow Food
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I decided to learn more about the topic of Slow Food. First, I wanted to know where the term originated and find resources to read. And I thought back on my childhood, where we ate what was grown in our large garden near the house.
I suppose we had Slow Food to eat when I was growing up. The chickens laid the eggs we ate. My grandmothers killed the chickens they cooked.
We had a big vegetable garden, and then my grandmothers canned lots of fruits and vegetables in the summer for winter eating. Those jars of food were stored in the cellar out back.
I didn’t know what a can of food looked like until years later. And now I’m learning about the concept of slow food and how it promotes healthier eating habits.
The Slow Food Core Values:
Good
- Believe that delicious nutrition is a right for everyday life
- Cultivate joyful connections to community and place
- Advocate for diversity in ecosystems and societies
Clean
- Protect natural resources for future generations
- Help people and the environment depend on each other
- Promote food that is local, seasonal, and sustainably grown
Fair
- Build local cooperation and global collaboration while respecting all laws
- Requires no prerequisites or credentials for participation
- Fight for the dignity of labor from the field to the fork
You can join this initiative to learn more about the opportunities available in your community.
Now, I’m learning about Slow Living and Slow Food, and I’m trying to improve my quality of life and maintain my health.
I’m not a spring chicken anymore, so I need to be more cognizant and deliberate about what I put into my mouth and how much of it I swallow.
As I’ve grown older, I’ve become more selective about where I get my food and the ingredients used in it. But I do struggle with picking up fast food.
Living alone, I haven’t felt the need or desire to cook as I did when I had a family eating meals with me. Who wants to cook for one?
Cooking for one often means eggs and toast in my home.
The Origins of the Slow Food Movement:
The Slow Food movement began in Italy in 1986 as a response to the growing popularity of fast food chains. Founded by journalist Carlo Petrini, the movement began when a McDonald’s was set to open near the Spanish Steps in Rome.
Locals protested, not out of anti-globalization anger, but out of love for their culinary heritage.
From that moment, Slow Food became a global organization dedicated to preserving traditional cuisines, protecting biodiversity, and promoting sustainable food systems. Today, it operates in more than 150 countries, advocating for food that is good, clean, and fair.
These values go beyond what’s on our plates. They invite us to consider how our food is produced and who is responsible for it.
Slow Food in Everyday Life:
You don’t have to join a movement to live by its ideals. You can learn about slow food and practice eating in this fashion in small, everyday ways:
- Cook from scratch using fresh, local ingredients.
- Shop at farmers’ markets or support community-supported agriculture (CSA).
- Reduce waste by using what you have and composting leftovers.
- Eat seasonally by choosing produce that’s naturally available in your area.
- Share meals with family or friends — the social side of slow food matters too.
Even taking the time to sit down and savor your meal, rather than eating on the run, is part of the movement’s mindful spirit.
Why Slow Food Matters:
Fast food may save time, but it often comes at a cost in terms of health, culture, and sustainability. Slow food reminds us that real nourishment takes time — not just in cooking, but in growing, preparing, and enjoying what we eat.
By choosing to learn about slow food, we reconnect with our communities, reduce our environmental footprint, and preserve culinary traditions for future generations.
It’s not about perfection — it’s about presence. Every slow, thoughtful meal is a small act of care for ourselves and the world around us.
Savoring the Art of Slow Food:
In a world where everything moves at a rapid pace — from messages to meals — the concept of slow food feels almost radical. It’s not just about cooking; it’s about reclaiming time, connection, and care.
The slow food movement began as a quiet rebellion against fast food culture. It’s a celebration of local ingredients, traditional recipes, and the simple joy of preparing meals with intention.
Instead of grabbing something on the go, learning about slow food invites us to pause. To chop vegetables by hand, to smell herbs as they warm in olive oil, to share a meal that took hours instead of minutes.
At its heart, slow food is about relationships: between people, food, and the earth. It encourages supporting small farmers, choosing seasonal produce, and respecting the origins of our meals.
But it’s also deeply personal. It’s about the calm rhythm of stirring a pot on the stove and the satisfaction of tasting something you made from scratch.
Cooking slowly can be an act of mindfulness. It’s a way to find peace in the kitchen and gratitude at the table. And in that quiet, we rediscover something we’ve lost, learning about slow food and the pleasure of simplicity.
PS – I thought of more to say on this subject as I was going about my daily routine. Hope you don’t mind. You’ve probably heard or read about inflammation – that’s the new buzzword. There’s many articles and books written about it now. Inflammation is what causes disease in the body. And the foods we put in our body are what controls the inflammation. Sugar is known to be one of the biggest inflammatory markers. My husband and I quit eating processed sugar at few years ago. We both lost weight, our blood pressure went down, and the psoriasis I had on my knees since I was 16 years old totally went away! I rarely bake anymore (I used to always have some kind of homemade baked goodie laying around…cookies, quick breads, muffins) but when I do, now I only use pure maple syrup or raw local honey.
Fish….a good source of protein and Omega-3 fatty acids, but unfortunately, I don’t like it. So I take a daily Omega-3 supplement and I do eat wild-caught canned tuna once in awhile. That’s the most important thing with fish – make sure if you do eat it, that it’s wild-caught and not farmed. Here’s just one quick article you can read about this. There’s much more info out there, if you care to research it:
https://www.drperlmutter.com/5-reasons-avoid-farm-raised-fish/
The worst fish you could eat is tilapia. You see it a lot on restaurant menus, because it’s so cheap. It is mostly farm-raised in China and fed antibiotics. Again, you can look it up online if you want more interesting reading. 😉
You know I’m all about the healthy eating, Brenda! 😉 I’m a very strong believer in that “food is everything”. In other words, what we put in our mouths has a direct correlation to our health. When we eat crappy food (processed food, fast food, chemicals and preservatives, artificial flavorings and colorings, soybean oil, MSG, etc) – we not only feel like crap, but our body protests in different ways. High blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, skin inflammations, aches and pains, headaches, IBS and other bowel inflammation, etc etc. If you want some interesting reading, read about gut health. Your gut is truly your second brain. So many diseases and illnesses could be avoided simply by putting clean food into our mouths.
I choose to eat real, clean food whenever possible. That means organic meats and eggs, lots of organic veggies and fruits, and limited organic dairy. I also eat nut butters and raw nuts. I never eat fast food! Once in a blue moon, I’ll grab a salad at Panera and we do order pizza once in awhile from a local place up the street, but that’s it. We never eat at places like McDonalds, BK, KFC, Taco Bell, Wendy’s, etc.
It’s not hard to cook for one person or eat healthy for yourself. My mom has lived alone (widow) for 20 years and eats very healthy. She makes things like stir-fry using one chicken breast and lots of veggies. Or, she makes bean and veggie dishes. (I can’t digest beans.) She also makes a lot of homemade soup and just freezes the leftovers into individual containers. As for myself, since I’m home alone during the day, my breakfast is a healthy smoothie – almond milk, a banana, frozen organic fruit, a small glob of peanut butter, some hemp seeds, and a big handful of organic baby spinach. Lunch is either a big salad (organic greens, chopped veggies, and for protein – either feta cheese, raw nuts, or hard-boiled eggs), or tuna salad, or leftover homemade soup.
Other healthy quick ideas…veggies and hummus, nut butter on an apple slices, grilled cheese with spinach and tomato, fajitas (just saute chicken breast strips, onions & peppers), scrambled eggs with veggies in them, even just a small plate with some raw almonds, a few cubes of cheese, some raw cut up veggies and crackers is good.
One last thing: eating healthy does not have to be expensive. Aldi now carries a lot of organic food.
Hope this helps, Brenda! 🙂
I love to cook for guests, but I hate cooking for the daily grind. And here, it’s two meals a day. For years, my kid and husband both came home for lunch (and I telecommute, so I’m also home). There are no fast food joints anywhere nearby, so that helps. I cook every meal from scratch–no processed or prepared shortcuts from the supermarket. It certainly is healthier and cheaper. There are lots of simple things you can make that are quite delicious. Actually, I learned to cook when I was in Peace Corps in Africa–no fast food there either, and where I lived was remote enough that I shopped only once a week. I was on my own, cooking for one, with a single gas burner and a charcoal stove. I learned to make pizza, bread and brownies on the charcoal stove by rigging up a kind of oven with rocks. Where there’s a will, there’s a way.
I suggest you cook for two days at a time. Make something Monday and eat the other half on Wednesday. Then Tuesday/Thursday. Etc. It will save you some time, without having the same thing two days in a row.
I thought you were talking about soul food! Grits, cornbread, polksalad, etc.!!!
Did you know that the first two bites you take of food are the best tasting and then the taste seems to
go bland after that?
You know, you really don’t have to eat everything on your plate; it feels good when you don’t.
I hear my Mom’s voice in my head when I throw food away because she always said we didn’t have money to waste food. But by using a smaller plate, it seems I put less on it to eat so I try to remember that. If I still throw away what I don’t eat, I can hear my Mom saying just do not put on as much next time!! (Smile)
No, I didn’t know that. But thanks for letting me know.
I struggle with the cooking issue too as I am single and do not have the appetite I used to at all. I liked cooking when I was married but now not at all, and I don’t care for most fast food. Perhaps when the weather gets colder I will makes soups and freeze extra portions or make some meals in the crockpot and do the same. At least that can be healthier as you can control what goes in your meals (less salt, etc). Thanks for bringing up the subject!
Yeah, I’ve got to do the same thing. I saw a veggie sandwich recipe on Pinterest that looked good too. I’m not a big meat eater. I don’t like the texture.
I believe in the notion that we can spend money on healthy, locally grown, preferably organic foods at the market OR spend the same money at the doctor’s office and pharmacy. I do think there is a strong connection between what we eat and our overall health, and it is never too late to change eating and shopping patterns. Furthermore, even though fast food may appear to be inexpensive, it really is not if you put a sharp pencil to it. I, too, have found that I am less interested in cooking now that we are in our 70’s. Would love to transition to a big meal at noon and a very light supper (cereal or popcorn or baked potato or soup).
That’s what I used to do. Have a big meal at lunch. Not sure how I got out of that habit.
I have never loved cooking. I did cook for my ex-husband and my two daughters when we were a family and I think I fixed pretty healthy meals. Nutrition has always been a top value for me even though I wasn’t enthusiastic about cooking. Even when I was living alone I fixed pretty nutritious meals for myself. Now that my daughter and her seven-year-old boys live with me I am again aware of wanting to meet. their nutritional needs. Very rarely do I eat fast food because it doesn’t really agree with me. But, feeding yourself well is a conscious commitment to trying to be as healthy as possible. I think since having had breast cancer some years ago I have been extra aware of the role that our food plays in our health.
SO…I bite the bullet and purchase organic products for most of my food. Especially foods that I eat nearly every day. And yes, I agree, it is bloody expensive! And I am on a limited income. But for me it is worth giving up whatever I might spend the extra money on to be healthy. I want to see my grandsons grow up and I have other goals that I’d like to achieve before I die. So I want to do whatever helps me stay healthy and active. And Slow Food does take more time than grabbing something from McDonalds. I don’t like that part, but I’m willing to accept it even if I’m the only person eating. Plus, when I cooked only for myself I usually had leftovers so I didn’t have to really cook much on several days a week. That helps.
But we all have to decide what our priorities are and I don’t criticize anyone for eating differently than I do, nor if someone is cooking for me and doesn’t use the kind of food I eat I make no mention of it and eat whatever they’ve prepared with gratitude for the time and energy they’ve spent providing it. But for those of you who’ve hopped on the Slow Food wagon I am on it, too!
Thanks to you, Brenda, for your post about Slow Food and Slow Living.
I have to reply to this comment which I think is very nicely expressed Naomi. It’s wise, practical and gracious.
You’re right. It was a wonderful comment!
Well, you’re quite welcome about the post. I cooked a lot when my kids were home or when I was married. But I’ve never particularly enjoyed cooking.
I’m really, really into fish tacos right now, relatively cheap and so easy to make. 🙂
Carol and Molly
xoxoxo
Oh my goodness. Maybe that’s good eating. But it sounds horrid to me. I’m not a big fish eater. What kind of fish is in the taco, Carol and Molly?
Well, since I’m still out in the workforce, I rely heavily on my crock pot. I make a batch of oatmeal with fruit for my breakfasts at work and lunch is rotated between soup, beef stew, and turkey chili and I place portion sizes in tupperware containers to freeze. I’m rethinking my dinners these days and am leaning toward making a smoothie. I don’t like the idea of a heavy meal in the evenings at it makes me lethargic.
Carol and Molly
xoxoxo
You even have an excuse! I haven’t used my crock pot in quite a while.
I also get tired of cooking, but I cannot see eating fast food very often. I can’t afford it. So I am working on planning lots of cooking recipes in the slow cooker. I can eat the same thing for several days and then I am tired of it and I have to freeze the remainder for later. I eat entirely different in the winter than in the summer. I eat lots of tostadas, hamburgers, and salads in the summer. In the winter it is chili, stew, spaghetti, and beans and ham hocks.
I do treat myself a couple of times a month and eat out, mostly fast food.
I need to get back on track with cooking more.
I totally agree with you but have you noticed that eating healthy is very expensive ! I remember my dad and uncles butchering our meat and my mom and aunt’s putting it up along with the vegetables , jellies, jams , milking the cow , I could go on but I won’t . I would dearly love to get back to the basics , cooking on an old wood stove – it was old but beautiful . I do the best I can with my limited income – use dry beans more , frozen instead of canned , eat fresh deer , rabbit and fish and cut back on some things that aren’t so good for you . I just Love blackeye pea soup, yum. Any suggestions or recipes would be appreciated. Have a great day.
Yes, I sure have noticed that! It’s much cheaper to eat bad than eat good.
https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/hearty-black-eyed-pea-soup/ This is my favorite soup, ever. I make every NYD and any time in between. Check it out and it may be your favorite, as well. I make it exactly as is, but I use the mild tomatoes and green chilies and sometimes don’t put in that can of chilies.
Well, nobody wants to cook for one, but you count just like I do! We still deserve to eat well and be healthy! Right?
I make enough for 4 people if it’s Chinese food and if I get sick of it, then I freeze it for awhile. I’ll buy a big ham and make scalloped potatoes and ham, ham with wte sauce with rice, western…different things with it and freeze it when I get sick of it. Of course I load up on veggies and fruit too, but I have my choc, ice cream, tortilla chips with avocado- whatever I feel like having.
You could cook a big meal and have your family over too, or bring it over their house. That’s what I do bc it’s easier for my parents when I bring everything over.
I have eggs and toast with pb when I don’t feel like cooking that night, or french toast, pancakes, omelet or even waffles…the sky’s the limit.
When you eat better, than you will feel better too Brenda.
I put the radio on or cds and dance sometimes holding my weights. I also exercise with my equipment, but I’ve been slacking on it…hot summer. ?
I also bake doggie treats, quick breads, cookies, bundt cakes, granola then freeze them. It’s great to have them for giving out.
I’m proud of you for wanting to eat healthier and to cook and bake again Brenda!
Have a fantastic day!
I used to cook a big meal and freeze quite a bit of it. But since the eye surgeries and this bladder infection I haven’t felt much like doing it. I’ll get back to it sooner or later.
I think slow food is definitely my way!! You know how much I love to cook, but I admit, when I’m home alone, I don’t cook a big meal, I give myself the night ‘off’ and I’m ok with that too!
I wish I loved to cook as much as you do.
I’m in the food line with you, Brenda. As an empty nester, with a disabled hubby with his own nutritional issues, I find feeding myself a boring but necessary job, and often just so much easier to grab some fast food. I don’t really enjoy cooking any longer, and it’s less hassle to grab something out than to try to stock cooking items and to use them prior to their expiration. Few of us live around extended families to share those meals, so cooking for one is becoming more common. Thanks for sharing!
I know just what you mean!