Slow Food: “good, clean, and fair” for the whole community

Hidden away in the basement of Crossings Church on University Avenue sits Slow Food, a melting pot of food, community and resources. Slow Food is a student organization that prides itself on providing “good, clean, and fair” meals for all, and is one of the lesser-known resources for cheap food and excellent community on campus. On Mondays at 6:30 p.m. or Wednesdays at noon they serve nutritious and affordable meals for Madison community members at a price that always sits between $6 and $8. 

The night I attended their Monday Family Dinner Night (FDN) I was served a delicious bowl of vegetarian chili, homemade cornbread and a rich caramel brownie. Not only was the food amazing, but so was the community I had the opportunity of chatting with while eating dinner.  

“Slow Food does an excellent job of combining things like a cheap meal with the community aspect. So just knowing that you have a community behind you that cares about these issues and is going to work on it too,” said Callie Goodman, executive director of Slow Food.  

This program acts as a resource for affordable meals and a way to connect with  community. 

“I do think that the need is higher in Madison,” said Goodman. “But I think our challenge is trying to figure out how we can reach those people and let them know that we're a resource they can have.” 

Food insecurity is on the rise nationwide and is surprisingly prevalent on college campuses and Slow Food is trying to help where they can.  

“We're trying to kind of make it more Madison focused too, but it's hard because we're on campus,” said Goodman. “I think it's important too that people know that Slow Food is a place that they can come in and get a reduced-price meal, one that will have them full and sustain them the rest of the day.” 

Slow Food is an amazing resource for the UW-Madison community, so go support them in their mission to make food “good, clean, and fair” for everyone. 

You can visit Slow Food at 1127 University Avenue for Monday dinners at 6:30 p.m. and Wednesday lunches at 12:00 p.m. To volunteer, visit the sign up page on their website to lend a hand.   

This article is a part of a series of The Dish x Slow Food collaborations. Visit our Slow Food Hub to find The Dish’s articles and recipes created in collaboration with Slow Food.