Host a 'Food, Inc.' potluck and screening

PBS will broadcast the Oscar-nominated film in its entirety.

Thu, Mar 25 2010 at 5:01 PM EST

In celebration of Earth Day, the POV (Point of View) series on PBS will be broadcasting Food, Inc. on Wednesday, April 21, 2010, at 9 p.m. By running the series, PBS is inviting foodies and food lovers to host screenings of the broadcast at home with a potluck for friends and family during the show.

After I saw the film with my husband Brian last summer, I advised everyone to take someone who doesn’t know about the way our food system is currently run to see the movie. Before the movie, Brian knew a little about our food system because of what I’d told him, and although he didn’t give me a hard time about the changes I was making, he wasn’t particularly interested. Food, Inc. sparked his interest, and he’s taken the time to learn some on his own.

Hosting a screening and a potluck during the broadcast of the show is a good idea if you can get your friends out on a Wednesday night at 9 p.m. If you can’t, the movie is now available on DVD and perhaps you can host a screening at your house the weekend before or after the TV broadcast.

In addition to the broadcast, the POV website has activities and giveaways surrounding the movie. Here are a few:

Plan your party with POV’s Potluck Party Guide, which features an online invitation, checklists, discussion topics, links, resources and recipes. (See samples below.)
Join the potluck campaign and you may be selected for a free POV gift basket — Visit the POV website from April 22 to May 3 to enter the giveaway. Gifts include autographed copies of Fast Food Nation and The Omnivore’s Dilemma, Food, Inc. DVDs, autographed Food, Inc. movie posters and more. POV will select gift basket recipients the week of May 3. Check back for details.
Blog/Tweet/Facebook about your potluck: POV wants to know what you served, who joined in, what you thought of the film and what you talked about. Blog about your potluck and send them a link. Tweet @povdocs to tell them what you ate. Fan POV on Facebook and leave us a comment about your party.
10 Simple Things You Can Do: Take steps to change your diet and change the food system with these tips from the Food, Inc. filmmakers.
Schools and community groups — Are you interested in hosting a public Food, Inc. screening and/or potluck? It’s simple. Just join the POV community network, request Food, Inc. and we’ll lend you a screening kit that includes a DVD.