Discover the slow food movement: How dairy connects you to your food
Food

Discover the slow food movement: How dairy connects you to your food

In today’s fast-paced world, the slow food movement can feel like a foreign concept. 

Between the morning commute, daily commitments and getting dinner on the table, there’s no time to slow down. It’s no wonder our culture has found solutions to speed up our food experience. Fast food and food delivery right to your front door can be great tools in a pinch, but they’re not the same as the connection and satisfaction that comes with preparing and enjoying a home-cooked meal.

The slow food movement invites you to slow down and get familiar with where your food comes from and how it’s made — and dairy fits right in with this philosophy.

What is the slow food movement?

The slow food movement is an international movement that believes in a world where everyone can eat food that’s good for them, good for the people who grow it and good for the planet, and it follows the principles of “good, clean and fair food for all.” 

Born in Rome, Italy, in 1986, the slow food movement seeks to preserve small-scale food production, high-quality products and traditional cooking in a world full of fast food and pre-packaged foods. 

Almost four decades later, proponents of the movement still believe food should be grown and bought locally, prepared with care and consumed with appreciation. If this sounds a lot like dairy farming, that’s because it is! 

At Dairy Farmers of America (DFA), our 9,500 farmer-owners are masters of slow food production (but that doesn’t mean they don’t work efficiently!) and their approach to family dairy farming is a natural fit with the slow food movement.

Dairying and slow food: What’s the connection?

With an emphasis on producing high-quality milk, caring for their animals and protecting the land, and through playing an integral role in the farm-to-table philosophy, dairy farmers have been practicing the principles of the slow food movement for decades — whether they realize it or not.

The slow food movement: Good for you

The slow food movement prioritizes the relationship between farmer and buyer. If you shop at your local farmers market, you might have gotten to know some of your local farmers, but many of us don’t know much about where our food comes from or who makes it. That’s not just bad news for your local farmer, it can be bad for your health, as well.

Consistently indulging in convenient, pre-packaged and highly processed foods can take its toll on your body. Many times, these foods are lacking in nutrients but high in sugar, sodium and stabilizers.

Instead, go for fresh, local, in-season food — like nutritious dairy products, which are always in season. You’re not only supporting local dairy farmers but also making sure you’re fueling your body with all the essential nutrients found in milk and dairy products.

You can feel good knowing that milk from our DFA farmer-owned brands is always fresh and in-season, and usually gets from the farm to your supermarket in 48–72 hours, traveling less than 300 miles on the way.

The slow food movement: Good for the planet

Preserving soil health is essential for maintaining biodiversity, which is a core principle of the slow food movement. While dairy farmers implement many different sustainable practices on their farms (from water recycling to preventing food waste), they also put a focus on maintaining healthy soil. After all, their soil goes on to grow crops to feed their herd. (That’s as local as it gets!) 

By ensuring their farms have healthy soil, dairy farmers not only support the surrounding water and plant and animal life, but they can continue to preserve the legacy of their land for the next generation. 

They do this through regenerative agriculture practices — timeless concepts that DFA’s farmer-owners have used for generations coupled with new technology. This includes planting cover crops to protect and replenish the soil during the winter, using low-till or no-till field practices to minimize disturbance to the soil and using natural fertilizers, such as manure. 

All of these efforts take a great deal of work and dedication. Farmers could choose to forego these time-consuming practices, but their dedication to their herd, the land and its people is the driving force behind their tireless commitment.

The slow food movement: Good for dairy farmers

To produce high-quality milk, dairy farmers need support, and promoting those who act as caretakers of their animals as well as defenders of their land is another priority of the slow food movement. At DFA, we’re committed to providing our family dairy farmers with the resources and services they need to keep their family farms thriving for generations to come.

Our Gold Standard Dairy program is the first on-farm evaluation program of its kind, focused on employing best practices in the areas of animal care and wellness, environmental stewardship, employee training and milk safety and quality. In other words, we make sure the dairy we produce is good for the people who enjoy it, good for the farmers and animals who make it and good for the planet.

Seasonal eating is sustainable eating

It’s clear that dairy farming is inherently aligned with the slow food movement. We know where this nourishing and delicious food comes from and that it’s made with the environment in mind. Another key tenant of the slow food movement is that food should be enjoyable! By treating yourself to milk, yogurt, butter and other delicious dairy products, you get the benefits of food that tastes good and is good for the world. 

Although dairy is in season all year, that’s not true of most foods. With grocery stores stocking produce from around the world, it’s tough to know what’s in season in your area. Familiarizing yourself with in-season produce based on where you live is a great way to eat sustainably and implement slow food principles into your everyday life.

The benefits of eating seasonally:

Seasonal, farm-to-table recipes

Incorporating dairy into your seasonal recipes is a great way to get all the benefits of dairy alongside the added nutrients of in-season produce. Whip up any of these dishes and know that your meal is good for you and your family, good for the people who grow it and good for the planet.

Slow food principles for busy lifestyles

It’s good to slow down, but it’s not always easy in the hustle and bustle of day-to-day life. Here are a few practical ways to practice slow food principles when life feels anything but slow.

Find sustainable, local dairy near you

Incorporating slow food principles can be easier than you think. 

Get to know your local dairy farmer by visiting a dairy farm in your area. Many dairies offer tours of their operation and the chance to step inside the parlor for yourself!

When you choose dairy from DFA farmer-owners, you can feel confident in the quality of your dairy products and the methods used to create them and get them to your fridge. 

DFA makes it easy to find local dairy products. Our farmer-owned brands are made with wholesome milk from farmers in your local community, so you always know where your dairy comes from.