Program Overview

---

4-H Special Foods Contest Project

The 4-H special foods contest is a culinary adventure that explores resources and creates a destination without leaving the dining area. The project focuses on food as the center of social events and gatherings, emphasizing healthy living through MyPlate guidelines.

Featured Resources

• South Dakota 4-H Special Foods Recipe Book
• 4-H Special Foods Contest Flash Cards

Ages and Stages of Youth Development

The project is divided into three stages:

Beginners

Beginners prepare a selected recipe, create a one-meal menu or a healthy snack menu, and visit with judges. They are evaluated on proper cooking techniques, nutrition knowledge, and table setting.

Juniors

Juniors prepare a recipe, create a one-meal menu with at least four of the five food groups, and visit with judges. They are evaluated on cooking techniques, expanded nutrition knowledge, and table setting with a centerpiece.

Seniors

Seniors prepare a recipe, plan an all-day menu, and visit with judges. They are largely evaluated on their understanding of nutrition, cooking techniques, food safety, and appropriate table setting with centerpiece.

4-H Programming Priorities

The project focuses on several priorities:

Leadership

Building life skills such as organization, following directions, time management, responsibility, and communication through contest involvement and interaction with judges.

Health & Wellness

MyPlate provides the five key elements of healthy eating patterns, and youth understand the importance of a minimum of sixty minutes of physical activity per day.

Science

Understanding the importance of food safety, including separate, cook, and refrigerate promptly and properly.

Agriculture

Youth receive YQCA certification, enhancing their understanding of farm-to-plate concepts and the importance of safe foods entering the public food supply.

Get Involved

Youth can participate in various activities:

Youth Voice

• Demonstration on table setting or measuring dry and liquid ingredients
• Nutrition poster featuring MyPlate
• Illustrated talk on kitchen safety

Community Service

• Collect canned fruits and vegetables for a local food pantry
• Support community food outreach by serving or delivering meals

Career Connections

• Registered dietician
• Chef
• Food photographer
• Weight management counselor
• Sports nutritionist

Exhibit Ideas

• Educational display or poster
  • Foods and nutrition
  • Horticulture
  • Dairy foods
  • Food safety
• Foods and nutrition
  • Muffin
  • Recipe adaptation
• Horticulture exhibit
• Home environment
  • Constructed fabric dining and/or kitchen accessory

Learning Resources

• South Dakota 4-H Special Foods Flash Cards
• National 4-H Curriculum
• United States Department of Agriculture, ChooseMyPlate.gov
• Fight the BAC!

Related Topics

4-H Projects, 4-H Foods & Nutrition Project

Related Content

South Dakota 4-H Special Foods Recipe Book

The South Dakota 4-H Special Foods Cookbook features recipes from 4-H youth who participated in the Special Foods Contest and received a purple ribbon at the South Dakota State Fair between 2021 2024.

Life Skills Passport Curriculum

Curriculum to help youth and young adults learn applicable life skills.

4-H Bounty

4-H Bounty is a monthly club guide that focuses on leadership activities, community service, youth-in-action, and specific project areas, as well as prepares youth and their families for county and state events.