Eat-In

On Labor Day, September 1 2008, 250 students and young farmers, cooks, artisans and activists gathered in San Francisco’s Dolores Park for an Eat-In, officially closing the Slow Food Nation event – six days of activities celebrating American food that is good, clean and fair.

An Eat-In is a gathering of people in a public setting – in a park, outside a city hall or opposite a fast food outlet – who sit down to share a home cooked meal in protest against food that is fast, cheap and easy. These public meals are put on by the generation inheriting our food system, making a call to all young people to take action: to get out of their cars, turn off their computers and come to the table.

Taking place simultaneously with Slow Food Labor Day picnics held across the nation, last week’s Eat-In highlighted the developing Youth Food Movement, the strong desire among many young people to fight for a better food future and the numerous projects being undertaken on campuses, farms and in communities.

Sitting down at the long curved table on Monday, Eat-In diners enjoyed the food they had prepared from residual produce from the farmers’ market and the Slow Food Nation Victory Garden, and listened to inspiration leaders of the Youth Food Movement, including Josh Viertel, the new President of Slow Food USA.

The day concluded which each participant signing their own personal pledge onto the giant tablecloth, stating what personal changes they would commit to making in the month following Slow Food Nation to support good, clean and fair food.

This list of pledges will soon be posted on the Slow Food Nation and Slow Food USA websites.

Bess Mucke
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