Thursday, June 4, 2009

4-H Food Challenge, A Fresh Look at the Food & Nutrition Project

What is the 4-H Food Challenge? Inspired by the popular television series Iron Chef, a new and fun 4-H activity has been developed for 4-H food & nutrition enthusiasts. This takes the uncertainty and excitement of anticipation from the television series and blends it with the important knowledge of food and nutrition facts. There are a few things that make this activity unique from its Food Network cousin. 4-H members are placed in teams and given a group of ingredients, some basic kicthen necessities, and some resource materials. From there they are to create their own dish, calculate costs per serving, evaluate nutritional value, and cover food safety practices in a brief presentation to a group of judges. The feedback we have received from 4-H'ers, leaders, and parents has prompted this activity to go statewide.

District 12 will be hosting the 4-H Food Challenge at its annual District 12 4-H Food Show in the Fall. While 4-H members in this project areas will have to choose between the standard event and this innaugural activity, it is likely to result in an greater number of people involved in the Food & Nutrition project. If you are interested in learning more about the details of this event, visit the Texas 4-H website (4-H Food Challenge). There are also a vast number of other activities supporting this project area. Check them out...F&N 4-H Resources.
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