Purpose will require 4-H members to demonstrate healthy decision-making through nutrition, food preparation, menu planning, and food safety. They will apply healthy living knowledge and skills by planning a nutritious menu, demonstrating their understanding of time management skills in the kitchen, and expressing their originality and creativity through an appropriately themed and properly set table. To showcase these skills, 4-H members will create a menu, prepare one food item, and choose an appropriate theme for their occasion while expressing their food, nutrition, and food safety knowledge during a live interview with a judge at the contest. In order to highlight knowledge and skills acquired during pre-contest preparation, 4-H members will utilize technology as part of their interview.
- Rules:
- A team will consist of two members to be eligible to compete. 4-H members must all be at least 8 years of age by January 1 of the current calendar year to participate in the State Contest.
- Judging interviews will be approximately 12 to 15 minutes. This time includes a short presentation by the teams, as well as questions from the judge.
- During judging, 4-H members may choose to dress in appropriate clothing, costume, or accessories relevant to the theme.
- State Contest: Teams of two 4-H members will have the opportunity to participate in the 4-H Culinary Challenge Contest. Teams will be determined by the oldest 4-H’ers age.
- Challenge Ingredient/Item: A challenge ingredient will be selected each year, highlighting a Nebraska commodity food product. The 2026 challenge ingredient is potatoes. Please keep food safety in mind when selecting the recipe used for the Challenge. Foods must be able to be kept chilled during transport to the contest, then be able to be re-heated in a slow cooker or microwave. Each team must incorporate the challenge ingredient into their food item they will be presenting during the contest. This may require altering a recipe or creatively incorporating an item into their overall table theme. The challenge ingredient must also be included in the interview presentation, demonstrating youth knowledge of the ingredient, such as nutritional value, a farm-to-fork concept, or how to adapt a recipe to include the ingredient.
- Judges Interview: The team should view themselves as the hosts, cooperatively presenting the table to the judge, incorporating multi-media resources, and answering any questions from the judge. Teams must be prepared to present to the judge utilizing technology such as slideshow, picture story, or other multi-media resources. Presentations may include photos, clip art, animation, video or audio sound. The 4-H members should cooperatively present a verbal presentation to the judge that is highlighted by their multi-media presentation via computer or tablet. Participants must provide their own computer or other equipment needed for their 4-H Foods Event judging interview. Presentations will occur at participants’ tables. Please do not bring projectors or other equipment which will require extra space.
- Considerations should be given to creatively include the following items through the multi-media presentation: nutritional facts of their menu, food safety, time management, choice of menu, food preparation, cost of item/per serving, food handling techniques, recipe of the food item shared with the judge, challenge ingredient (nutritional value, farm-to-fork, recipe revision, etc.)
A500010 Junior
A500011 Intermediate
A500012 Senior