What is the slowfood movement and how do you follow it?

In today’s world of fast food and fast paced life, we forget what we eat. Often it is not the freshest food, containing a huge amount of preservatives and additives. In the pursuit of saving every minute, we have begun to forget to enjoy life and appreciate its precious moments.

The fast-growing slowfood movement is trying to counteract this “running around” and remind us to consume food consciously. Its followers are making a huge contribution to the preservation of regional products as well as the protection of biodiversity on the planet. Every year, more and more people are learning about the concept of “measured living” and are beginning to share their principles.

What is slowfood?

If we generalize and speak globally, slowfood is, first of all, a movement for food culture. Therefore, it is not necessary to translate its name literally, although, undoubtedly, one should not forget about the measured consumption of food. The movement tries to remind people that it is possible and necessary to leisurely enjoy life while being a conscious consumer. The organization’s logo, a snail, vividly reflects the core concept of Slow Food. It also moves slowly and eats what nature gives it. However, there is also a geographical reference in the symbol: the snail is a specialty in the vicinity of the town of Bra in northern Italy, where the movement originated.

Back then, local foodies were outraged by the opening of a McDonald’s in one of the old mansions. In their opinion, the fast food restaurant not only occupied the wrong place, but also violated centuries-old principles and traditions of Italian meals. The activists created a manifesto that called on all sensible people to boycott not only the restaurant, but also the whole fast food culture in general. And after that they founded an organization called Slow Food.

What does Slow Food do?

The main work of the organization is related to the protection of natural and quality food products and runs under the slogan “tasty, clean, honest”.

• Tasty – means excellent organoleptic properties of the product – appetizing, aromatic, fresh.
• Clean – all products are prepared without harm to nature or human health. “Clean” plants are grown without pesticides or the use of GMOs, and “clean” animal products are obtained without the addition of antibiotics and other growth enhancers.
• Honestly – the products provide a handsome reward to producers and yet remain affordable to consumers.

Slow Food promotes small-scale producers of cheese and other products made from unpasteurized milk around the world, and campaigns to protect small-scale fisheries and promote beekeeping.

In addition, the movement advocates for free grazing, the preservation of agro-ecological biodiversity and the rejection of GMOs in the production of food and animal feed. According to the members of the organization, preserving tradition and lifestyle is fundamental to maintaining food diversity around the world.

And, of course, the slowfood movement does not stay away from the world’s problems: climate change, excessive food waste and population migration. According to the official website of the organization, now the system of measured food and life in general is actively promoted by millions of activists in more than 160 countries around the world.

For those wishing to learn more about the “measured movement”, lectures and “Taste Lessons” for children are regularly held in major Russian cities. Immediately after receiving the necessary theory, you will have the opportunity to put this knowledge into practice: participants often travel to farms where they cultivate vegetable gardens.