News from the Slow Food Movement

I've just read this page. Good food in schools - yes! Now if only kids could be given enough time during lunch period to actually enjoy it...

Locally Grown in Schools

Slow Food

Ten years ago, when my husband and I were both staff assistants in the schools and had two kids at home, we always ate at home out of necessity; there wasn't any money for eating out. At that time the cultural gold standard for parenting was the Minivan Mom - she was so busy shuttling her kids to various enrichment activities that she didn't have time to cook. And if she was really on top, she did the shuttling in a state-of-the-art SUV equipped with all the latest conveniences. Surrounded by "at home" moms who were never at home, I always felt decidedly unhip whenever I drove my son home in our Honda Civic and popped potatoes in the oven.

It takes hard times to bring back "real" food. Now that people need to economize, there's a renewed interest in growing and making our own food. The Slow Food movement, which began in the early 1990s, is speeding up.

Slow food:

• Uses as little packaging or processed food as possible.
• Is prepared mindfully, enjoying the cooking process itself.
• Is eaten sitting down.
• As often as possible, is enjoyed in the company of others.

Years ago I read of a university study which showed that the greatest predictor of a child's success and happiness in school is connected not to the number of extracurricular activities he does but to how often the family eats dinner together.

I don't feel like such a geek-mom now.