Food & Nutrition
· Entries per Individual One entry per exhibitor per class.
· Supporting Information Each exhibit must include the recipe. Recipe may be handwritten, copied, or typed. Place food on the appropriately sized disposable plate or container and put in self-sealing bag. Attach entry tag and recipe at the corner of the bag. For non-food entries, please attach the entry tag to the upper right-hand corner of the entry. 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 score sheets available at your local Extension office or at https://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 and 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 County Fair is not responsible for non-disposable containers, lost bread boards, China, or glassware.
· Ingredients Any ingredients 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.
· 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 Grain, 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.
General Foods & Nutrition
Pay Category 190
E350001 - Food Science Explorations SF152 - Show the connection between food and science as it relates to food preparation, food safety, food preservation, or food production. Exhibit may be a poster or foam core board (not to exceed 22” by 30”), 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. (Sourdough is an acceptable exploration in this class.)
E350002 - Foods and Nutrition Poster, Scrapbook, or Photo Display SF122 - The project should involve a nutrition or food preparation technique or explore a career related to the food industry (caterer, restaurant owner, food scientist, registered dietitian, etc.). 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” by 30”), computer-based presentation printed off with notes pages (if needed) and displayed in binder no larger than 8.5” by 11”, an exhibit display, or a written report in portfolio or notebook. Consider neatness and creativity.
E350003 - Physical Activity and Health Poster, Scrapbook, or Photo Display SF122 - The project should involve a physical activity or explore a career-related to physical activity or health (personal trainer, sports coach, physical therapist, etc.). 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” by 30”), computer-based presentation printed off with notes pages, if needed, and displayed in binder no larger than 8.5” x 11”, an exhibit display, a written report in portfolio or notebook. Consider neatness and creativity.
E350004 - Cooking Basics Recipe File SF251 - A 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 the 4‑H member is in the project, with year clearly marked on recipes. Display in a recipe file or binder no larger than 8.5” by 11”. Be sure to include the number of servings or yield of each recipe. Exhibits that include recipes with alcohol (wine, beer, rum, etc.) will be disqualified.
Food Flop
Pay Code 230
This entry is open to any 4‑H member enrolled in a foods project. The purpose of this entry is to talk about your experience of making food for the fair when the result ended in a total disaster. Entry for this class will be made Wednesday of fair week, during Food check-in.
Expectations:
1. Must interview judge.
2. Attach brief summary of what went wrong.
3. Sample of the "Food Flop" needs to be brought.
County Only Class
E401900 – Food Flop
Cooking 101
Pay Category 230
County Only Classes
E401901 - Cookies (any recipe, 4 on a paper plate)
E401902 - Muffins (any recipe, 4 on a paper plate)
E401903 - No Bake Cookie (any recipe, 4 on a paper plate)
E401904 - Cereal Bar Cookie (any cereal based recipe made in pan and cut into bars or squares for serving, 4 on a paper plate)
E401905 - Granola Bar (any recipe, 4 on a paper plate)
E401906 - Brownies (any recipe, 4 on a paper plate)
E401907 - Snack Mix (any recipe, at least 1 cup in self sealing plastic bag)
Cooking 201
Pay Category 220
E410001 - Loaf Quick Bread (SF123) - any recipe, at least ¾ of a standard loaf 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 8 ½” x 4 ½” or 9” x 5”. If mini-loaf pans are used for exhibit, two loaves must be presented for judging.
E410002 - Creative Mixes (SF142) - any recipe, at least 3/4 of baked product or 4 muffins or cookies on a paper plate or 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 poppy seed quick bread from a cake mix, cake mix cookies, pudding mix cookies, sweet rolls made from readymade bread dough, monkey bread from biscuit dough, streusel coffee cake from a cake mix, etc. Supplemental Information required for this class: 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 (SF136) - four biscuits or scones on a small paper plate. This may be any type of biscuit or scone: rolled or dropped. Any recipe may be used, but it must be a non-yeast product baked from scratch.
E410004 - Healthy Baked Product (SF124) - any recipe, at least 3/4 of baked product or 4 muffins/cookies on a paper plate or 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 - Coffee Cake (SF129) - any recipe or shape, non-yeast product - at least 3/4 of baked product on a paper plate or in a disposable pan.
E410006 - Baking with Whole Grains (SF134) - any recipe, at least ¾ of baked product or 4 muffins/cookies on a paper plate or in a disposable pan. The recipe must contain whole grains as part of the ingredients. (Ex. whole wheat applesauce bread, sourdough, peanut butter oatmeal cookies, etc.)
E410007 - Non-Traditional Baked Product (SF133) -exhibit must include a food product prepared using a non-traditional method (i.e. bread machine, cake baked in 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. In addition to the recipe, entry must include supporting information that discusses alternative preparation method and how it compares with the traditional method.
Cooking 301
Pay Category 200
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.
E411001 - White Bread (SF138) - any yeast recipe, at least 3/4 of a standard loaf displayed on a paper plate.
E411002 - Whole Wheat or Mixed Grain Bread (SF138) - any yeast recipe, at least 3/4 of a standard loaf displayed on a paper plate.
E411003 - Specialty Rolls (SF138) - 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 (SF138) - 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 (SF141) - any yeast recipe, includes tea rings, braids, or any other full-sized specialty bread products. Must exhibit at least ¾ of a full sized baked product.
E411006 - Shortened Cake (SF137) - At least ¾ of the cake (not 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 allowed in frostings).
Cooking 401
Pay Code 190
Any bread item prepared or baked using a bread machine should be entered under the Cooking 201. 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 (SF144) - made with homemade fruit filling. No egg pastries or cream fillings. No canned fillings or premade pie crusts. May be a double crust, crumb, cut-out or lattice topping. Using an 8- or 9-inch disposable pie pan is recommended.
E412002 - Family Food Traditions (SF145) - any recipe, at least 3/4 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. (Sourdough is acceptable in this class.)
E412003 - Ethnic Food Exhibit (SF146) - any recipe, at least 3/4 of baked product or 4 muffins or cookies on a paper plate or 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. (Sourdough is acceptable in this class).
E412004 - Candy (SF147) - 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 (SF148) - original recipe (no mixes) of at least ¾ of the cake. Foam cakes are cakes that have a high ratio 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 non-perishable frosting (no cream cheese or egg white allowed in frostings).
E412006 - Specialty Pastry (SF143) - any recipe, at least 3/4 of baked product or 4 muffins or cookies on a paper plate or 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.