Eating the Seasons – The Slow Food Way

Let’s Eat Local, a project of a Moffat based community interest company Let’s Live Local, were finding that some of their veg bag customers were spending a while at the pick-ups discussing issues of food security, climate-friendly and organic food, seasonal and local food supplies. A Seasonal Food event had previously been planned, showing how to make the best of local, seasonal produce, and the idea was to have cookery demonstrations, talks and information.

Moffat folks enjoying a Slow Sunday Lunch

However, as the planning progressed, it became clear that a change in direction was needed – it would be better if people left the event feeling not that they should be eating more seasonal food, but that they really wanted to. It was therefore reframed as  ‘Slow Sunday’ – Eating the Seasons.  A free three course meal of local, seasonal and organic food was offered, interspersed with seasonal cookery demonstrations.

Guests were asked to talk to other guests about food issues and feedback on what concerns they had about food, what made it difficult to get seasonal food and what needed to change to get more seasonal food into their shopping baskets.

The produce was sourced to ensure it was climate-friendly and as local and seasonal as possible. A number of people gave their time to help, including one from the national Slow Food movement.  The volunteers developed storyboards to engage people in discussion, informational placemats and a Seasons Wheel that children (and adults!) could play with.

As a consequence, people have asked Let’s Live Local to arrange more Slow Food event:, the hotel has asked if they can make ‘Slow Sundays’ a regular feature:  the cookery demonstrator commented she had never felt more welcome at an event and has offered to do significantly discounted vegetarian food demonstrations for young mums.

A  brilliant example of using food and food issues to bring people together to create change. What could you do with a Big Lunch?

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local food, Scotland, seasonal food