NEWBERRY — On Sept. 19, 43 youth from four Midlands counties traveled to Newberry to compete in the Midlands Region 4-H Healthy Lifestyles Competition.
The competition focused on the participants knowledge of food safety and nutritional values as well as their public speaking abilities, but it was also a test of their culinary abilities. Counties were allowed to send up to two teams per age category: grades four and five called Cloverleafs, grades six through eight called Juniors, and grades nine through 12 called Seniors.
Prior to the event, each team was given a supply box list which is used to pack a large Rubbermaid tote full of kitchen wares that were needed to compete. Upon arrival, each team was given a recipe and the ingredients to cook with. They were given 60 minutes to prepare the dish and a five minute presentation, including poster visuals, in which every member of the team had a speaking part.
The presentations included knowledge of MyPlate, food groups and serving sizes, nutrient knowledge for each ingredient and what those nutrients do for our bodies, food preparation and safety, cost per dish and per serving, calories per dish and per serving, exercise information, a menu plan, and interpretation of a nutrition label.
The top two regional teams in each age division will compete at the SC 4-H Healthy Lifestyles Competition on Oct. 24 at the SC State Fair.
Newberry was represented by one team in each age division. The new Kitchen Kittens, a cloverleaf team, delivered their best presentation to date and finished in fifth place. The Preparing Patriots, a junior team, finished third and has the possibility of competing at state as an alternate. And veteran team, the Colorful Culinarians, a senior team, finished fourth.
Contact Newberry County 4-H Agent Alana West at awillin@clemson.edu or 803-276-1091, extension 111, to find out more about this project and any other opportunity provided by 4-H.