the rich social and community
connections that are intertwined with
food from the growing, cooking,
preparing and eating. Eating is
described as ‘not only a biological
necessity, but also a convivial pleasure
to be shared with others’.
Under these aims, individuals shift
from passive consumerism and become
active and powerful participants in
the food system, believing that as a
collective, we can bring positive change.
In other words, what we choose to eat
and where we purchase it from have a
direct impact on our food system and
the direction in which we drive it. It’s
easy to see the appeal, reflected not just
in the slow food member numbers, but
in the growing popularity of farmers’
markets and the on-trend push for
greater sustainability and reduced waste.
But for many, the ambitions of
the movement seem too daunting
- too at odds with the demands of
busy work and family lives centred
around cities. Even those of us who
recognise the value in the goals of the
movement at both a personal as well as
wider community and environmental
level are daunted by the prospect of
incorporating them into our daily lives.
The movement has also been criticised
as being elitist – positioning itself as
being for the wealthy, who have more
time and money to invest in educating
oneself about food and then procuring
ethically produced and local food. But
a slow food lifestyle does not have to be
either slow or expensive.
THE THREE STATED TENETS
OF THE SLOW FOOD
PHILOSOPHY ARE:
GOOD: a fresh and flavoursome
seasonal diet that satisfies the senses
and is part of local culture;
CLEAN: food production and
consumption that does not harm
the environment, animal welfare or
our health;
FAIR: accessible prices for
consumers and fair conditions and
pay for small-scale producers.Replace packaged
and processed
foods with fresh
ingredients
wherever possible.48 | AUSTRALIAN NATURAL HEALTH naturalhealthmag.com.au