University of New Hampshire (UNH) is a school of endless possibilities. With over 250 clubs and organizations, there are many opportunities for students to get involved on campus. But with many organizations, sometimes the hardest part can be choosing which ones to join.  

Knowing where food comes from, how it is sourced, and its environmental impact is becoming increasingly important as climate changes. Slow Food is an international organization that promotes good, clean, and fair ways of eating for all. This club connects the love of food with the promotion and education of justice. Madelyn Bradley, junior environmental and resource economics major and president of Slow Food, said, “The purpose of this organization is to learn about sustainable ways of eating and food production, while also having fun!”   

Kate Agostini is passionate about the club’s motives to “intertwine the conversations of sustainable food production with sustainable consumer practices.”  

While COVID-19 has presented many difficulties for student organizations in the past year, Slow Foods rose to the challenges and stayed productive in pursuing the club’s enthusiasm for food and justice. With primarily discussion-based meetings, Bradley detailed how they consisted of watching videos or documentaries and followed with reflections and conversations regarding the content presented. However, this year, Slow Food will be back  with in-person meetings and plenty of ways to get involved.  

“This year we plan to cook in the kitchen, go on field trips to local farms, host guest speakers, and continue holding MUB Market in the spring,” Bradley said.   

Agostini recalled her favorite memory of the organization, when Slow Food partnered with Freedom Cafe in Durham to discuss fair trade food and, of course, drink hot chocolate. Slow Food plans to hold more events like this during the semester such as field trips to the UNH farm, apple picking, tea tasting, and building a charcuterie board during the first meeting on September 15. Meetings are held every Wednesday at 6 p.m. in the Memorial Union Building (MUB) entertainment center.  

One of the best parts about joining clubs is meeting new people and making new friends. Bradley explained her love of connecting with other members who share similar interests regarding sustainability and well-being. “One of my favorite things about Slow Food is the community,” Bradley commented. “It is a very come-as-you-are environment.”  

Photo courtesy of Slow Foods Facebook; 2019 event.