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When I think of Slow Food, I usually think of vegetables instead of meat. Meat production is a typically inefficient use of our farming land, contributes to greenhouse emissions and produces a tremendous amount of pollution. It is overwhelming to think that the average hamburger has traveled 1500 miles to reach your plate – from the farm where the calf was born and initially pastured, to the feedlot, slaughterhouse and packing plant where it is processed. However, animals that are pasture-raised without hormones or chemicals, contribute very little to this problem. In comparison, these animals hardly “travel” from farm to table, and typically live their lives as they were meant to – in a pasture with their comrades.

On my approach to Slow On The Go (good, clean and fair street food that demonstrates how “fast” Slow Food can be), I was surprised to see a hot dog cart that had drawn quite a crowd. What? Hot Dogs at a Slow Food event? However, a closer look revealed that this vendor uses 100% grass-fed beef that is pasture raised. The grass the cows eat increases the levels of omega-3 fatty acids in their meat. Their pork is family farmed with no hormones, antibiotics, nitrates or other “junk.” They take pride in the fact that their product is “grass-fed, environmentally conscious, ethically raised, fairly traded and economically sustainable.” Well, how about that? Finally – a hot dog that you can feel good about giving to the kids!