Matt Malgari, Owner of Smart Sips and More, Supports New "Slow Food" Movement

PHILADELPHIA, PA, October 03, 2012

According to The Huffington Post, a new movement is gaining increasing popularity in the United States. Its goal is to counter the endless sea of fast food chains serving greasy meals loaded with fat and calories. The movement is called "Slow Food" and the article explains that the idea began in Italy in 1986 in response to an opening of a McDonald's near the Spanish Steps in Rome. Matt Malgari, whose restaurant Smart Sips and More is based on serving healthy, nutritious meals feels that this type of cuisine is a necessary breath of fresh air in American culture.

Though the name includes the word "slow," the movement isn't necessarily about the speed in which food is served. Instead, it focuses mostly on serving high-quality meals made with vegetables, fruits, organic meats, and other healthful ingredients. This is in place of fried foods, or foods made with processed sugars and other undesirable items.

Explains Malgari, "My philosophy is definitely in line with this movement. People need to eat lunch to maintain energy throughout the day. But when you're pressed for time, sometimes you think a greasy burger or fried chicken nuggets are the best option. In reality, these meals slow your body down and make you feel sluggish. Eating fruits and vegetables and staying away from processed food helps you power through your day. If we can turn people's attention toward healthful choices that also taste good, we can help stop this obesity epidemic."

The Slow Food movement has come to New York City in the form of Sprig restaurant. The restaurant's menu is based around fresh, local produce. It features plenty of salads and options that appeal to vegans and people who choose to dine raw or gluten-free. Even with sauces and dips, Sprig chooses to skip processed sugars and instead uses other ways to create the desired flavor.

The article points out that Americans' long hours, sedentary work life, and idea that food is both for fuel and for pleasure has lead more than one-third of adults to obesity. It goes on to say that this statistic spans all nationalities and socio-economic classes. Even scarier is the fact that not one state has met the nationwide goal to lower obesity prevalence to 15 percent. In fact, as the author points out, the year 2000 was the last time when every state in the United States of America was able to record less than 30 percent obesity prevalence.

Althea Zanecosky is a spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association. She says, "Slow food doesn't necessarily mean food that takes a long time to cook. It means turning down the speed at which we eat and increasing the amount of time we spend dining together with other people."

Matt Malgari echoes this sentiment, saying, "We need to get back to enjoying meals, instead of simplifying them to the point where we're not eating real food anymore. It's time to stop eating grease and lard and chemicals. We need to eat real food that's found in nature. This will help increase life spans and overall well-being."

ABOUT:

Matt Malgari owns Smart Sips and More, a restaurant that serves smoothies, Panini sandwiches, juices, and more, all made from fresh, local ingredients. Matt's goal is to give people a quick lunch option that's also healthy and delicious.

Website: http://mattmalgari.org