Do you believe in the basic tenets of the Slow Food movement (good, clean, and fair food for everyone) but have been put off by the organization's pricey events and elitist reputation? Well, September is is a good time to revisit Slow Food USA as they launch two affordable campaigns: A pay-what-you-can membership drive and the $5 Challenge. Read on for details!
Slow Food USA believes that slow food shouldn't have to cost more than fast food so they've organized a challenge to prove that a good, homecooked meal can be made for $5 per person (the cost of a typical 'value meal' at a fast food chain.) The idea is to gather together on September 17th with your friends, family and community to share a home cooked meal that costs no more than $5 per person.
To sign up for the challenge, visit their webpage. You can host a meal, throw a potluck or join another meal in your community using their website's search page. The website also offers cooking tips, ideas for meals, and help with planning.
And while you're there, check out the Slow Food USA membership page. For the month of September only, you can join Slow Food USA at a Pay What You Can Level. Now that's affordable!
Well done, Slow Food USA!
Related: What is Slow Food to You?
(Image: Slow Food USA)
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$5 per person is not really very challenging. Unless you're buying steak or seafood, it's actually pretty easy. I think most meals I prepare at home are probably more like $3 or $4 per person.
I'm joining a friend's $5 dinner and we're in charging of cocktails ($5/4 servings). We're finding that living in Ohio makes cocktails hard to make under that limit, because of taxes, etc. Anyone else out there doing this challenge? What are you doing for alcohol?
I agree with jarobinson1. $5 per person is actually a pretty pricey meal at my house, which is one reason we don't eat fast food -- it's too expensive!
Meals I generally prepare at home are more like $7 for six people (even though there are only two of us - we eat our leftovers!). I think the real sentiment was that the average fast food meal costs $5, and yet people think that this is "cheap." Slow Food USA is also big on organic, sustainable, and heirloom breed foods. Which tend to be a bit more expensive than conventionally grown foods, especially when it comes to meat and dairy. So $5 per person is a little more challenging if you're going all-local, all-sustainable, all-organic. But still not that challenging, especially if you don't use meat.
I have to say, I kind of wish an organization viewed as less "elitist" than Slow Food USA had come up with this idea. Like perhaps Michelle Obama? Because then ordinary, everyday, non-foodie-type people might try it. Which would be good, because then maybe they might realize that cooking from scratch is worth a little extra time because it's tastier, healthier, and cheaper than fast food and/or other convenience-type foods.
I prepared an all homemade dinner tonight with mostly organic/local ingredients. It cost us $1.50 per person! and we were stuffed!
ButterfluyBleus, will you share your menu with us? Thanks!
last night, I roasted a whole chicken, made a pot of brown basmati rice, a large salad with homemade blue cheese dressing. the entire meal cost less than $15 to prepare and will yield
8 servings of chicken, plus a pot of stock
6 servings of rice
10 salads
and probably 20 servings of the dressing
That's at least 6 full meals, plus left overs, plus a pot of soup (2qts). way way less than 5 a person. maybe 5 a day would be more of challenge.
and it was all bought at wholefood no less!
My friend did her dinner a week early due to a scheduling conflict. We had a stuffed pepper appetizer, lamb and bean stew, homemade rolls, and a rustic apple tart. She blogged the price breakdown here: http://houndsinthekitchen.com/2011/09/12/slow-food-5-challenge-julia-child-style/
For cocktails we ended up making a peach bourbon buck with homemade peach shrub, a smaller-than-normal pour of Bulleit bourbon, and some ginger ale. It was good, but I think teetered over our budget (4 drinks for $5) by a quarter or so.