Buy from local vendors. The Slow Food Movement emphasizes buying from vendors based in your community or area. Look for local vendors at your local supermarket. Check the label to confirm the product was made by a local producer or grown by a local farmer. Try buying local vegetables, fruits, grains, and dairy.[2] X Research source Shop at local farmer’s markets in your area to ensure all your produce is locally grown and you know exactly where it came from. Contact farmers in your area and buy from them directly so you have access to fresh, local food. Get to know your local farmers so you know the history of your food and how it is grown. Shop for organic, non-GMO foods. Buy foods that have not been genetically modified, especially fruits and vegetables. This will ensure you are eating clean food that has not been tampered with in any way.[3] X Research source Try to find foods that are certified organic. They will be labeled organic in the supermarket. You can also ask local vendors if their food is organic and non-GMO. Purchase less meat. The Slow Food Movement emphasizes eating less meat in your diet and having more vegetables, fruits, and grains. Try reducing your meat

consumption so you only have it one to two times a week. If you do buy meat, get it from a local butcher. Confirm the meat is from a high quality animal that has been treated well.[4] X Research source Having less meat will also follow the environmental aspect of the Slow Food Movement, as commercial meat production can be hard on the environment. Cook at home regularly. A big part of the Slow Food Movement is cooking your own meals at home on a daily basis. Make an effort to cook most, if not all, of your meals at home. Create a meal plan and buy ingredients at the beginning of the week so you have them on hand. Prepare healthy meals at home with fresh ingredients so you know exactly what is going into your food.[5] X Research source If you tend to eat out most of the week, take small steps by trying to cook one to two nights a week. Over time, you can transition to cooking most nights of the week and saving one night for eating out. Grow your own vegetables at home. Another key aspect of the Slow Food Movement is getting actively involved in where your food comes from and how it is grown. Try growing your own vegetables at home in a backyard garden or a greenhouse.[6] X Research

source Start with a small vegetable patch in your yard or a few herbs in pots. Over time, you can expand your garden to include more vegetables that you can pick and eat fresh. Build a home hydroponics system to make growing vegetables easier. Include a variety of foods in your meals. Avoid eating the same things day in and day out. Instead, challenge yourself to have a variety of foods in all your meals. Try different vegetables or fruits. Prepare different grains like quinoa, barley, and couscous. Add different herbs and spices to your foods.[7] X Research source Make sure your meal plan includes a variety of different sources of protein, dairy, and grains. Having variety will ensure you treat eating as a fun experience, where you expand your palette. Avoid fast food and prepackaged food. The Slow Food Movement was created as a healthy alternative to fast food and prepackaged food high in additives, preservatives, and fat. Stay away from fast food restaurants and prepacked foods at the grocery store. Go for fresh, local options instead.[8] X Research source A good rule of thumb when you go grocery shopping is to stay on the perimeter of the store, as this is usually where the

fresh fruits, vegetables, and healthy items are stocked. Eat at restaurants that promote Slow Food. If you do decide to eat out, go to restaurants that focus on local, clean food. Some restaurants will note that they participate in the Slow Food Movement. You can also ask if the restaurant uses locally grown produce and focuses on no waste or very little waste in its kitchen.[9] X Research source Restaurants and eateries that follow a “tip to tail” policy when they prepare meat are usually considered part of the Slow Food Movement. This means they use the entire animal when they prepare meat and do their best not to waste any of the animal. Make meals a social event with others. The Slow Food Movement focuses on slowing down when it comes to eating and sharing meals with others. Get in the habit of having weekly meals with your family or friends, where you all sit down at the table and enjoy a meal together. Use meals as a place for conversation and connection.[10] X Research source Make breakfast a social event, where you sit down with family and spend time together while you drink coffee or have some toast and eggs. Try having lunch with others at work, where you share fresh

foods with your co-workers. Host regular eating parties or gatherings. Prepare a home cooked meal and invite friends, friends of friends, and acquaintances over a dinner party once a month. Have regular potlucks once a week at your home.[11] X Research source You can also create a dinner party club, where everyone rotates hosting duties and prepares a Slow Food meal to share with everyone. Advocate for a Slow Food garden in your community or school. The Slow Food Movement has a program where they help to design and build a vegetable garden in your community or at your school. Contact the organization online to see if your community or school qualifies for this service. The organization will help you plant and maintain the garden so you can have access to fresh, locally grown food.[12] X Research source You can find out more information at http://gardens.slowfoodusa.org. Join a Slow Food group in your area. The Slow Food Movement has chapters all over the United States that inform members on how to a part of the movement and supports you as you get more involved. You will need to pay a small, tax-deductible membership fee to join a chapter. Search online for a chapter in your city

or town.[13] X Research source Your membership fee will also support the Slow Food Movement on a local and national level so the organization can continue to promote and advocate for the slow food lifestyle. You can find out more information on your local Slow Food Movement chapter at https://www.slowfoodusa.org/find-local-chapters.