The Illinois 4-H Food Challenge
Nearly 11,500 Illinois youth participate in the 4-H Food & Nutrition Program, learning how to prepare nutritious and
safe meals and snacks and adopt the skills and behaviors to help create a balanced diet. The Illinois 4-H Food
Challenge contest challenges teams of 4-H members to create a dish using only a predetermined set of ingredients.
From these ingredients, team members must identify and prepare a dish to present to judges.
OBJECTIVES
 Provide opportunities for participants to exhibit their knowledge and skill when preparing and presenting a dish
 Provide opportunities for participants to learn from other team members
 Promote teamwork
 Give participants opportunities for public speaking
 Provide leadership opportunities
 Give 4-H members the opportunity to participate in a new and exciting competitive event
 Promote proper food safety techniques and handling
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PARTICIPANT RULES (COUNTY/INTER-UNIT LEVEL)
NOTE: These rules may be modified to accommodate the needs of a county/inter-unit level contest.
Therefore, be sure to acquire the current year’s rules for your county/inter-unit event.
1. Participation. Participants must be 4-H members currently enrolled in an Illinois 4-H county program.
2. Age. 10 to 18 years of age as of September 1 of the current 4-H Year.
3. Members per team. Each team will have at least three and no more than five members.
4. Substitution of team members. Substitution of team members should be made only if necessary. No
more than two team members may be substituted, up to the day of the Food Challenge.
5. Food categories. There will be four food categories: Main Dish, Fruits and Vegetables, Bread and
Cereal, and Nutritious Snacks. Category will be announced the day of the competition. All teams will
have the same category.
6. Attire. Each team will have the options of wearing coordinated clothing, aprons or hair coverings. Long
hair must be pulled back.
7. Resource materials provided at contest. Resource materials will be provided for each team at the
contest. These include: Choose My Plate - 10 Tips to a Great Plate, Fight Bac - Fight Foodborne
Bacteria Brochure, Nutrient Needs at a Glance, Altering Recipes for Good Health, Food Challenge
Worksheet, and copies of grocery receipts. No other resource materials will be allowed. Teams may
not use their personal copies of the resources during the contest.
8. Supply box. Each team must supply their own equipment for the challenge. Teams may bring only the
supplies listed in the supply box section. Supply boxes will be checked by contest officials as teams
check in for the contest. Any extra equipment will be confiscated and the team may be disqualified.
Some supply boxes are available on a first come, first served basis, must be noted on registration.
9. Contest Schedule.
11:30 a.m. Food Challenge Teams Check In
11:45 a.m. Food Challenge Team Orientation
12:00 p.m. Food Challenge Begins
12:50 a.m. Judging Begins
10. Participants who need a reasonable accommodation to participate must contact their local county
office at least two weeks before the competition.
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SUPPLY BOX
Each team will bring an equipment box containing only one each of the following items, unless a different
quantity is noted:
Beverage glass
Dry measuring cups
Knives (2)
Rolling pin
Bowls
Sanitizing wipes (for tables)
Dip Size (1)
Serving platter
Mixing (2)
Serving utensil
Serving (1)
Measuring spoons
Liquid measuring cup
Non-stick cooking spray
Note cards (no larger than 5 X 7)
Skillet with lid
First aid kit
Spatula
Food thermometer
Stirring spoon
Fork
Paper towels
Storage bags and/or containers
Can Opener
Gloves (disposable)
Pancake turner
Tongs
Colander
Grater
Pencil
Cookie Sheet
Plastic box or trash bag for dirty equipment
Pot with lid
Cutting Boards (2)
Potato masher
Hand sanitizer
Hot pads
Whisk
Kitchen shears
Kitchen timer
Disposable tasting spoons (max of 20)
Potato peeler
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RULES OF PLAY
1. Teams will report to the designated location for check-in.
2. An orientation will be provided for all participants.
3. Each team will be directed to a cooking/preparation station. There will be a set of ingredients at each
station, but no recipe. The ingredients will represent a recipe from one of the following categories: Main
Dish, Fruits and Vegetables, Bread and Cereal, and Nutritious Snacks.
4. General guidelines, resources and instructions will be located at each station to assist the team.
5. Each team will have 40 minutes to prepare the dish and plan a presentation. Teams will be given an
additional 15 minutes to clean up the preparation area.
6. Only participants and contest officials will be allowed in food preparation areas.
7. Teams that may experience any equipment malfunction(s) may not replace the equipment with supplies
from another team, leaders, volunteers, county Extension staff or contest officials. Instead, team
members must work together and be creative in completing preparation without the malfunctioning
equipment.
8. Preparation: Each team will be provided with a set of ingredients reflective of the assigned category,
and will create a dish using them. The amounts of ingredients, based upon a recipe, and a clue will be at
each station to assist the team.
a. The ingredients provided to each team are based upon a recipe; however, teams are challenged with
being creative and developing their own recipe with the ingredients provided.
b. Teams must incorporate each ingredient into the dish. However, teams may determine how much of
each ingredient to use.
c. Teams will have access to a “pantry” of additional ingredients that may be incorporated into their
recipe. The number of additional ingredients a team may get will be determined by contest officials
and announced during participant orientation.
d. The ingredients provided to each team may also be used to garnish the dish. Additional garnishing
items will not be provided.
e. Note cards and the Food Challenge Worksheet may be used to write down the recipe that the team
invents, along with notes related to nutrition, food safety, and cost analysis. Teams should be exact on
ingredients used, preparation steps, cooking time, temperature, etc.
9. Food safety: Each station will have food safety resources. Teams should follow the steps listed to ensure
proper food safety and be prepared to discuss food safety practices used in the team presentation to
the judges.
10. Nutrition: Each station will have a variety of nutrition resources/references. Each team should name
key nutrients in their dish and their functions.
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RULES OF PLAY, CONTINUED
12. Presentation: When time is called, each team will present their dish, according to the criteria on the
score card, to a panel of at least two judges.
a. All team members must participate in the presentation, with at least three participants having a
speaking role.
b. Judging time will include:
Max 5 minutes for the presentation
3 to 5 minutes for judges’ questions
c. Teams are allowed the use of note cards during the presentation but should not read from them, as
this minimizes the effectiveness of their communication.
d. Judges may ask team questions that are not directly related to the dish prepared. Instead, some
questions may address the general knowledge gained through the 4-H members’ food and nutrition
project learning experiences.
e. Include a plan for a balanced meal using the dish you‘re presenting. Use this opportunity to share
what foods could be served with the dish and include each of the food groups on MyPlate.
13. Clean-up: Teams must clean up their preparation areas. A separate 15 minute clean up time is allotted.
Teams should plan to not have access to a kitchen facility; therefore, dirty dishes should be placed in a
plastic container, bag or box to be cleaned at home. Left-over food should be disposed of properly.
14. Judges may taste the food prepared.
15. Placing will be based on rankings of teams by judges. Judges’ results are final.
16. An awards program will be held at the conclusion of the judging process.
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4-H FOOD CHALLENGE SCORECARD
TEAM NUMBER:
CRITERIA
CATEGORY:
COMMENTS
OUTSTANDING
Overview of MyPlate:



General knowledge of MyPlate
Food group of individual
ingredients
Balanced menu included
Nutrient Knowledge:


Key nutrients
General health function of
MyPlate food group
Healthy Cooking Methods:


Healthy ingredient
substitutions or choices
Lower fat cooking methods
Food Preparation and Safety:




Clean
Separate
Cook
Chill
Serving Size


Number of servings in dish
Size of serving
Food Appearance/Quality:




Appearance of food
Garnishing
Creativity
Pairing of flavors
Presentation Skills:
 Voice volume
 Poise
 # of members presenting
 Overall effectiveness of
communication
Tasting Comments (Optional):
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GOOD
FAIR
POOR
4-H FOOD CHALLENGE TEAM WORKSHEET EXAMPLE-Use back of sheet for additional
What are you calling your dish? Italian Egg and Veggie Scramble
Part 1: Knowledge of MyPlate
Check off the food groups in your dish.
List the ingredients in your dish.
Eggs
Milk
Fruit
Protein
Red pepper
Cheese
Vegetable
Dairy
Mushroom
Grain
If you are missing food groups, How will you serve your dish so that we have a balanced meal?
Serve with a piece of whole wheat toast (grain) and peaches (fruit) for dessert.
Part 2: Nutrient Knowledge
MyPlate Food Group
Ingredient(s)
What do these kinds of food do for my body?
Fruit
Peaches
Vitamins and minerals for immune system, fiber
for digestive health
Vegetable
Red pepper, mushroom
Vitamins and minerals for immune system, fiber
for digestive health
Protein
Egg
Muscle health
Grain
Whole wheat toast
Fiber for digestive health
Dairy
Milk, cheese
Bone health
Part 3: Healthy Cooking Methods
Did you make any ingredient choices to make the dish healthier? If yes, what were they?
Chose whole grain bread, reduced-fat cheese and milk.
Did you make use of any lower-fat cooking techniques? If yes, which?
We scrambled (sautéed) the eggs in a small amount of oil.
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4-H FOOD CHALLENGE TEAM WORKSHEET EXAMPLE-Use back of sheet for additional
Part 4: Food Safety
How will you practice proper food safety?
Clean
Wash hands before and after cutting/measuring ingredients
Separate
Fruit and vegetables must be cut/measured separately from egg and dairy foods
Cook
Cook eggs to at least 160⁰F
Chill
Keep ingredients refrigerated until ready to use; refrigerate any leftovers or ingredients not used
Part 5: Food Preparation and Serving
Steps:
What was prepared/performed in this step?
Prep
1
Crack/separate eggs, cut vegetables, measure other ingredients
Cook
2
Sauté vegetables; beat eggs and milk, add eggs, cook, tip skillet and move uncooked egg underneath
Garnish
3
Top with cheese, oregano, and pepper, let cheese melt.
Serve
4
Divide egg dish evenly among 4 plates. Toast bread and place on separate plates. Put fruit
salad into cups or bowls.
Part 6: Serving Size Information
How many servings does your dish make?
4 servings.
What is the measurement of each serving? Each serving is about 3/4 cup of egg and veggie scramble.
Part 7: Reflecting
What part of making your dish was most challenging? Would you do anything differently next time? Explain.
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University of Illinois College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Science •
United States Department of Agriculture • Local Extension Councils Cooperating
University of Illinois Extension provides equal opportunities in programs and employment.
If you need a reasonable accommodation to participate, please contact your local Extension office.
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