Enter food projects in disposable materials, i.e., paper plate and plastic self-sealing bag. Each exhibit must include the recipe. Recipe may be handwritten, photocopied or typed. Label all information pieces with exhibitor’s name and county. Make sure to follow all entry instructions required for your exhibit. Incomplete exhibits will be lowered a ribbon placing. Commercially prepared mixes are allowed for decorated cakes and Cooking 201 Creative Mixes (Class 2) exhibits ONLY. Frozen bread dough, cake mix, biscuit mix, biscuits in a can, or other pre-made mixes entered in other categories will be lowered a ribbon placing. Ingredients that the 4-H member cannot legally purchase, such as beer, whiskey, rum, etc. may not be used in any recipe file or food exhibit. Exhibits that include alcohol will be disqualified. All exhibits made in Cooking 301 or Cooking 401 must have been prepared without the assistance of a bread machine for mixing, raising or baking of the food item. Any bread item prepared or baked using a bread machine should be entered in Class E410007. Scoresheets, forms, contest study materials, and additional resources can be found at https://go.unl.edu/ne4hfood-nutrition.
Exhibits are on display for several days. Please think FOOD SAFETY! Items that require refrigeration will not be accepted. Food products must be unquestionably safe to eat when they are entered, whether tasted or not. Glazes, frostings, and other sugar-based toppings are considered safe due to the high sugar content. Egg glazes on yeast products BEFORE baking are allowed. Eggs incorporated into baked goods or crusts are considered safe. The following ingredients are considered unsafe for fair exhibits and will be disqualified: egg or cream fillings and cream cheese frostings; any meat item including meat jerky, imitation meat bits (bacon bits, pepperoni, etc.); melted cheese on top of food exhibits (cheese mixed into baked goods is considered safe and will be accepted); and uncooked fruit toppings (i.e., fresh fruit tart).
Division 350: General
Open to any 4-H’er enrolled in a Nutrition, Foods and/or Food Preservation project.
E350001 – Food Science Exploration Show the connection between food and science as it relates to food preparation, food safety or food production. Exhibit may be a poster or foam core board (not to exceed 22”x30”), computer-based presentation printed off with notes pages, if needed, and displayed in binder, an exhibit display, a written report in portfolio or notebook. Consider neatness and creativity.
E350002 – Food and Nutrition Poster, Scrapbook, or Photo Display involving a nutrition or food preparation technique or career related to the food industry. This might contain pictures, captions, and/or reports to highlight the concept. Exhibit may be a poster or foam core board (not to exceed 22”x30”), computer-based presentation printed off with notes pages, if needed, and displayed in binder, an exhibit display, a written report in portfolio or notebook. Consider neatness and creativity.
E350003 – Physical Activity and Health Poster, Scrapbook, or Photo Display involving a physical activity or career related to physical activity or health. This might contain pictures, captions, and/or reports to highlight the concept. Exhibit may be a poster or foam core board (not to exceed 22”x30”), computer-based presentation printed off with notes pages, if needed, and displayed in binder, an exhibit display, a written report in portfolio or notebook. Consider neatness and creativity.
E350004 – Cooking Basics Recipe File collection of 10 recipes from any source. Each recipe must accompany a complete menu in which the recipe is used. An additional 10 recipes may be added each year, with year clearly marked on recipes. Display in recipe file or in a binder. Be sure to include the number of servings or yield of each recipe. Exhibits that include recipes with alcohol will be disqualified.
Division 401: Cooking 101*
*E401001 - Cookies (any recipe, 4 on a paper plate)
*E401002 - Muffins (any recipe, 4 on a paper plate)
*E401003 - No Bake Cookie (any recipe, 4 on a paper plate)
*E401004 - Cereal Bar Cookie (any cereal-based recipe made in pan and cut into bars or squares for serving, 4 on a paper plate)
*E401005 - Granola Bar (any recipe, 4 on a paper plate)
*E401006 - Brownies (any recipe, 4 on a paper plate)
*E401007 - Snack Mix (any recipe, at least 1 cup in self-sealing plastic bag)
Division 410: Cooking 201
E410001 - Loaf Quick Bread any recipe, at least ¾ of a standard loaf or two mini loaves displayed on a paper plate. Quick bread is any bread that does not require kneading or rising time and does NOT include yeast. A standard quick bread loaf measures approximately 8½”x4½” or 9”x5”. If mini-loaf pans are used, two loaves must be presented for judging.
E410002 - Creative Mixes any recipe, at least ¾ of baked product or 4 muffins or cookies on a paper plate. (May be baked in a disposable pan.) Baked item made from a mix (commercial or homemade mixes acceptable). Food product must have been modified to make a new or different baked item. Examples include poppyseed quick bread from a cake mix, cake mix cookies, sweet rolls made from readymade bread dough, monkey bread from biscuit dough, streusel coffee cake from a cake mix, etc. Write what you learned about making this product using a mix instead of a homemade recipe or recipe "from scratch.” Does it make it better or easier to use a convenience product or mix? Why or why not?
E410003 - Biscuits or Scones any recipe, four on a small paper plate. This may be any type of biscuit or scone: rolled or dropped, but it must be a non-yeast product baked from scratch.
E410004 - Healthy Baked Product any recipe, at least ¾ of baked product or 4 muffins/cookies on a paper plate. May be baked in a disposable pan. Recipe must contain a fruit or vegetable as part of the ingredients (Ex. banana bars, cantaloupe quick bread, zucchini muffins, etc.).
E410005 - Coffeecake any recipe or shape, non-yeast product -at least ¾ of baked product. May be baked in a disposable pan. Include menu for a complete meal where this recipe is served, following meal planning guidelines suggested in Cooking 201.
E410006 - Baking with Whole Grains any recipe, at least ¾ of baked product or 4 muffins/cookies on a paper plate. May be baked in a disposable pan. Recipe must contain whole grains as part of the ingredients. (Ex. whole wheat applesauce bread, peanut butter oatmeal cookies, etc.)
E410007 - Non-Traditional Baked Product exhibit must include a food product prepared using a non-traditional method (i.e. bread machine, cake baked in an air fryer, baked item made in microwave, etc.) Entry must be at least ¾ baked product, or 4 muffins or cookies on a paper plate or in a disposable pan. Entry must include supporting information that discusses alternative preparation method and how it compares with traditional method.
Division 411: Cooking 301
Any bread item prepared or baked using a bread machine should be entered under Cooking 201, Non-Traditional Baked Product. All exhibits made in the Cooking 301 or Cooking 401 projects must have been prepared without the assistance of a bread machine for mixing, raising, or baking of the food item.
E411001 - White Bread any yeast recipe, at least ¾ of a standard loaf displayed on a paper plate.
E411002 - Whole Wheat or Mixed Grain Bread any yeast recipe, at least ¾ of a standard loaf displayed on a paper plate.
E411003 - Specialty Rolls any yeast recipe, 4 rolls on a paper plate. May be sweet rolls, English muffins, kolaches, bagels, or any other similar recipe that makes individual portions.
E411004 - Dinner Rolls any yeast recipe, 4 rolls on a paper plate. May be cloverleaf, crescent, knot, bun, bread sticks, or any other type of dinner roll.
E411005 - Specialty Bread any recipe made with yeast, includes tea rings, braids, or any other full-sized specialty bread products. Must exhibit at least ¾ of a full sized baked product. May be baked in a disposable pan.
E411006 - Shortened Cake at least ¾ of the cake (recipe must not be from a cake mix). Shortened Cakes use fat for flavor and texture and recipes usually begin by beating fat with sugar by creaming; and include leavening agents in the recipe. Cake may be frosted with a non-perishable frosting (no cream cheese or egg white based frostings allowed).
Division 412: Cooking 401
Any bread item prepared or baked using a bread machine should be entered under Cooking 201, Non-Traditional Baked Product. All exhibits made in the Cooking 301 or Cooking 401 projects must have been prepared without the assistance of a bread machine for mixing, raising, or baking of the food item.
E412001 - Double Crust Fruit Pie made with homemade fruit filling. No egg pastries or cream fillings. No canned fillings or premade pie crusts. May be a double crust, crumb, or lattice topping. Using an 8- or 9-inch disposable pie pan is recommended.
E412002 - Family Food Traditions any recipe, at least ¾ of baked product or 4 muffins or cookies on a paper plate. May be baked in a disposable pan. Any baked item associated with family tradition and heritage. Entry must include (A) recipe, (B) tradition or heritage associated with preparing, serving the food, (C) where or who the traditional recipe came from.
E412003 - Ethnic Food Exhibit any recipe, at least ¾ of baked product or 4 muffins or cookies on a paper plate. May be baked in a disposable pan. The name of the country, culture or region should be included as part of the supporting information with the recipe, as well as background information about the country or culture the food item is representing.
E412004 – Candy any recipe, 4 pieces of candy on a paper plate or ½ cup. No items containing cream cheese will be accepted (example: cream cheese mints). Candy may be cooked or no-cook; dipped; molded; made in the microwave or other methods of candy preparation. Recipe must be included.
E412005 – Foam Cake original recipe (no mixes), at least ¾ of the cake. Foam cakes have a high ration of eggs to flour and fall into three categories: angel food cakes or meringues; sponge or jelly roll cakes; and chiffon cakes. Cake may be frosted with a nonperishable frosting (no cream cheese or egg white based frostings allowed).
E412006 - Specialty Pastry any recipe, at least ¾ of baked product or 4 muffins or cookies on a paper plate. May be baked in a disposable pan. Baked items such as pie tarts, puff pastry, phyllo doughs, biscotti, choux, croissants, Danish, strudels. Phyllo dough may be pre-made or from scratch. Pastries made with cream or egg-based fillings will be disqualified.