2026-2027 County 4‐H Food & Nutrition Project General Guidelines

Participants must be 4-H members currently enrolled in a Texas 4-H Youth Development County program and actively participating in the Food and Nutrition project. Age divisions are determined by a participant’s age/grade as of August 31 of the current 4-H year.

•  Junior Division:  3rd grade – 5th grade

• Intermediate Division:  6th grade – 8th grade

• Senior Division:  9th grade -12th grade

Contest Dates

Dates and Deadlines

• County 4-H Food Challenge, Food Show and *FCH Quiz Bowl contest (*if needed) – County Extension office

  1. Date:  Sunday, October 25th, 2026

  2. Deadline:  October 19, 2026

• District 10 Food Challenge  - VIEW DISTRICT FOOD CHALLENGE LETTER HERE

  1. DATE:December 3rd, 2026, LOCATION: Hill Country Youth Center (3785 TX-27 Kerrville, TX 78028)

• District 10 Food Show  - VIEW DISTRICT FOOD SHOW LETTER HERE

  • DATE: December 2, 2026,  LOCATION: Hill Country Youth Center (3785 TX-27 Kerrville, TX 78028)

Sunday, October 25th  : COUNTY Food Show/Food Challenge/FCH Quiz Bowl tentative schedule:

• 2 pm      Food Show

• 3:30 pm Food Challenge

• 5 pm          FCH Quiz Bowl (if contest needed)

• 6 pm      Awards

Food Show

• Registration Deadline: Form (recipe page only) are due by October 19th  by 5 pm

• Sunday, October 25  at the County Extension Office

• Food Show will begin at 2:00 pm

The theme for the 2025 and 2026 Food Show is "FOOD TRUCK FAVORITES." This theme will be used for two consecutive years to allow more time for preparation and learning. Participants should prepare dishes inspired by food truck cuisine.

• Categories Include:

  1. Appetizer: A small dish served before the main course.

  2. Main Dish: The most substantial part of the meal, usually featuring a protein.

  3. Side Dish: Accompaniments to the main dish, such as vegetables, salads, or pasta.

  4. Healthy Desserts: Desserts modified with healthy substitutions.

• Note for Seniors: State-level competitions will continue to provide full-size stoves when possible. However, if they cannot be secured, smaller convection ovens and hot plates will be provided instead. Contestants will be notified if this change is necessary. All ingredients must be brought in their original packaging, or in their original form (boxed, canned, on stalks, etc).  In other words, do not pre-prep any of the foods if you are competing at the state 4-H Food Show. Dishes prepared should utilize only ONE recipe and not multiple to create versions or options of the recipe. (Example: an appetizer recipe should only feature one version and not multiple)

RULE CHANGES FOR 2026

• Contestants are REQUIRED to use the State 4-H Food Show paperwork forms from the current 4-H year. No photos or copies of recipes will be accepted.

• FOR STATE FOOD SHOW: Contestants should bring all ingredients in their original purchased or picked form (boxed, canned, on stalks, with stems, etc.)

• No copyrighted recipes should be used

• Dishes prepared should utilize only ONE recipe and not multiple to create versions or options of the recipe. (Example: an appetizer recipe should only feature one version and not multiple).

Contest Overview

The Food Show is a three-part series designed to test participants' skills and knowledge in food and nutrition.

Part 1: Food Show Dish Presentation & Interview

Participants will prepare a dish on-site. The dish should demonstrate the contestant's knowledge of healthy eating and chronic disease prevention. The total cost of the recipe ingredients must be under $10, not including spices and seasonings. During the interview, contestants will discuss their dish and their understanding of the nutritional skills they've learned.

Part 2: Skill Showcase

Contestants will perform a food and nutrition skill assigned by the judges during their judging time. All necessary materials will be provided. Judges will score participants based on correct procedure, safety, and overall knowledge related to the assigned skill. The skill will not be disclosed to the contestant before their judging time.

Part 3: Knowledge Showcase

This section is a 10-question quiz with multiple-choice and true/false questions. The quiz will cover food preparation, food and kitchen safety, and general nutrition. No study materials will be provided, but participants are encouraged to review the Texas 4-H Food & Nutrition page for potential resources.

Contestant Age Divisions

• Juniors will only participate in the Food Show Dish Presentation & Interview, as in previous years.

• Intermediates will compete in the Interview and the Skill Showcase.

• Seniors will compete in all three parts of the contest: the Interview, the Skill Showcase, and the Knowledge Showcase.

Scoring Procedures

To accurately assess the skills of each contestant, a total of 125 points are possible, distributed across the following three areas:

1. Preparation Judging: Contestants will be scored while they prepare their dish in the kitchen. This portion of the judging focuses on:

• Food safety

• Equipment safety

• Proper cooking techniques

• Sanitation of the cooking area (during and after preparation)

2. Presentation Judging: Following the completion of their dish, contestants will be interviewed. The interview will focus on the prepared dish. The Skill Showcase will also be scored during this time.

3. Knowledge Showcase Quiz: This is a 10-question quiz consisting of multiple-choice and true/false questions. Each question is worth 1 point. The total score from this quiz will be included in the final tabulation.

The use of alcohol or any alcohol-containing ingredients is strictly prohibited.

Food Show Forms & Paperwork

• 2026-2027 District 10 Food Show Guidelines for All Ages - RELEASED SOON.

• Texas 4-H Food Show Guide for 2025-2027

• 4-H Food Show Resources and Study Materials

• Junior Food Show Score Sheet - Released Soon

• Intermediate Food Show Score Sheet - Released Soon

• Senior Food Show Score Card -Presentation

• Senior Food Show Score Card - Preparation  (ONLY FOR STATE 4-H Food Show)

• 4-H Food Show Entry Form

• Junior & Intermediate sample questions

Food Challenge: ($20 per team)

• Registration Deadline: October 19th by 5 pm

• Sunday, October 25th  at the County Extension Office (Tentative)

• Food Challenge will begin at 3:30 pm

Link to the state food challenge guidelines can be found HERE!

Food Challenge team entries with team member names, team name and coaches names need to be emailed to Brittany Brown (Brittany.brown@ag.tamu.edu) by 5 p.m. on October 19th by 5 pm.

• Food Challenge Team Entry Form

• 2025 Junior script - 2026 COMING SOON

• 2025 Intermediate script - 2026 COMING SOON

• 2025 Senior script - 2026 COMING SOON

CHANGES TO  CONTEST FOR 2026-2027

Contest Resources

• Dietary Guidelines for Americans: Key Points for Healthy Living has been added.  This will replace the previous MyPlate Resource. This resource was developed by AgriLife Specialists in the Department of Nutrition.

• The Science and Function of Ingredients and Cooking is an updated version of the function of ingredients resource. This update includes food science principles which are used daily in meal preparation.

• Know Your Nutrients, Food and Kitchen Fact Sheet, and Fight BAC remain as resources.

Contest Challenge

• A new “twist” has been added to Food Challenge. This will occur in the preparation phase of the contest and may consist of requiring teams to perform a specific task or skill, use an additional key ingredient, use a specific kitchen gadget or kitchen equipment supplied by the contest committee, or other related to food prepa­ration. All teams would be required to participate in the additional challenge, and the challenge would be the same for all teams.

Scorecards

• Scorecards have been updated to reflect new resources and to align more closely with the objectives of Food Challenge.

GENERAL FOOD CHALLENGE INFORMATION:

• Categories: All age divisions will compete in four categories:

• Appetizer, Main Dish, Side Dish, Healthy Dessert

• Food Challenge Kits: You can check out a food challenge kit for a $50 fee. This fee will be returned when you return the kit. Keep in mind that the kits are not restocked with single-use items. You will need to provide your own supplies like gloves, paper towels, sanitizer, and tasting spoons.

 GROCERY STORE VERSUS PANTRY:

• Grocery Store – Teams will have access to a “grocery store” of additional ingredients which can be “purchased” and combined with the team’s “key” ingredient to create an original recipe/dish during the contest. The “grocery store” will include items commonly found in grocery stores such as produce, canned goods, crackers, dairy products, etc. teams will be given a limit of how many items they can use.  No cost will be calculated.

• Pantry – Senior teams will provide their own “pantry” items within their equipment box. Only those items listed in the equipment box list may be included in the team’s “pantry.” 

EQUIPMENT BOX: List is attached for each age group – be sure you are using the right one for the age of your team (Junior/Intermediate/Senior).  Seniors will follow state rules when they are released. Supply boxes are limited to the following dimensions: 40” x 24” X 40”.

• 2026 JUNIOR SUPPLY BOX - Coming Soon

• 2026 INTERMEDIATE SUPPLY BOX - Coming Soon

• 2026 SENIOR SUPPLY BOX - SEE PAGE 7 HERE

Major Stock Show – use of Food Challenge kits

• All youth participating in the San Antonio Stock Show or other major show Food Challenge contests will be required to pay the $50 deposit to check out a Food Challenge kit if they wish to use one of the county kits. You will get your money back when the kit is returned completely stocked with everything on the supply box list.  The kit must be checked by Dru, Matt or Brittany when returned for you to be eligible for the refund.

Food Challenge Resources

Contest Materials: Each team will be provided with a set of printed resources. Resources will include: Functions of Ingredients and Principals of Food Science Fact Sheet, Know Your Nutrients Guide, Dietary Guidelines for Americans, Fight BAC! Food Safety Brochure, and Kitchen and Food Safety Fact Sheet. No other resource materials will be allowed. Teams may not use their personal copies  of the resources during the contest.

• Functions of Ingredients and Principles of Food Science Fact Sheet

• Know Your Nutrients Guide

• Dietary Guidelines for Americans

• Fight BAC!  Food Safety Brochure

• Kitchen and Food Safety Fact Sheet

• Preparation Scorecard

• Presentation Scorecard

Additionally, each age division will be provided:

• Juniors – will receive ingredients with assigned category, nutritional information, and coupons to receive items from the grocery store.

• Intermediates – will receive 1-2 ingredients with assigned category and coupons to receive items from the grocery store.

•  Seniors – will receive a sheet with an assigned category, one “key” food item, and coupons to receive items from the grocery store.