The purpose of Food & Nutrition exhibits is to encourage the knowledge about healthy eating and safe cooking practices. This category has multiple projects that allow 4-H members to progress over numerous years. In addition, 4-H members will learn different types of cooking methods to improve their knowledge of cuisine.
FOODS AND NUTRITION GENERAL RULES:
- Supporting Information - Each exhibit must include the recipe. Recipe may be handwritten, copied, or typed. Place the food on the appropriately sized disposable plate or container and in a self-sealing bag. Attach recipe at the corner of the bag on the outside. Additional information including recipes and supplemental information should be identified with 4-H member’s name and county.
- Criteria for Judging - Exhibits will be judged according to scoresheets available at the Extension Office or at http://go.unl.edu/ne4hfood-nutrition. Make sure to follow all entry instructions required for your exhibit. Incomplete exhibits will be lowered a ribbon placing. Commercially prepared mixes are ONLY allowed in Cooking 201 Creative Mix Class. Prepared baking mixes, biscuit mixes, commercially prepared seasoning mixes for food preservation or other pre-made mixes entered in other categories will be lowered a ribbon placing.
- Food Projects – Exhibits should be entered using a disposable pan or plate and covered by a plastic, self-sealing bag. The Fair Board is not responsible for non-disposable containers, lost bread boards, China or glassware.
- Ingredients: Any ingredient that the 4-H member uses must be able to be purchased by the
4-H member. Ingredients such as beer, whiskey, rum, etc. may NOT be used in any recipe file or food exhibit. Exhibits that include alcohol will be disqualified. - Sourdough is categorized differently than standard yeast breads due to its unique leavening agent and fermentation process and may ONLY be entered in Cooking 201 Baking with Whole Grains, Cooking 401 Family Food Traditions, or Cooking 401 Ethnic Food Exhibit.
- Food Safety: Exhibits are on display for several days. Please think FOOD SAFETY! Items that require refrigeration will not be accepted, judged or displayed as exhibits must be safe to eat when entered, whether they are tasted or not. Glazes, frostings, and other sugar-based toppings are considered safe due to their high sugar content. Egg glazes on yeast breads and pie crusts BEFORE baking are acceptable. Eggs incorporated into baked goods and crusts are considered safe. The following food 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 exhibit (cheese mixed into baked goods is considered safe and will be accepted)
- Uncooked fruit or vegetable toppings (i.e., fresh fruit tart).
- Any bread item prepared or baked using a bread machine should be entered under the 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.
- Entries per Individual - One entry per exhibitor per class. Limit of 4 entries per exhibitor per division/project (Cooking 101, Cooking 201, Cooking 301, Cooking 401, and General Classes).
All static exhibits must have received a purple ribbon at the county fair to advance to the State Fair.
Scoresheets and additional resources can be found at https://go.unl.edu/ne4hfood-nutrition. An explanation of projects and curriculum resources can be found at https://4h.unl.edu/resources/projects/.