Ed. note: This was originally published on the USDA Blog.
At the 2014 Kids’ State dinner at the White House, Braeden Mannering, the 2013 Kid’s State Dinner winner from Delaware, introduces First Lady Michelle Obama at last year’s Kid’s State Dinner in East Room of the White House.
Calling all budding chefs! Do you like to cook and make healthy food for your friends and family? If so, you might be able to show off your skills and creativity to the First Lady of the United States and your peers from across the country. Learn more about how you can represent your state at the Kids’ “State Dinner” at the White House this summer.
First Lady Michelle Obama, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. Department of Education, and WGBH Boston invite you to enter the fourth annual Healthy Lunch Time Challenge & Kids’ “State Dinner.” Check out the past events here on the Let’s Move! website and get inspired to participate in this year’s challenge.
In order to be eligible for this challenge, lunch submissions need to be an original recipe, created by a kid between the ages of 8-12 years old, and need to follow the MyPlate nutritional guidelines. Fruits and vegetables should make up about half of the recipe or dish, and it should also include whole grains, lean protein and low-fat dairy.
Submissions also need to tell the story behind the food, including why the food is:
- Healthy
- Creative
- Affordable
- Delicious
- Original
The top recipe from each of the 50 states and territories will be chosen. The top chef and their parent or guardian will be flown to Washington, DC where they will attend the Kids’ State Dinner hosted by Michelle Obama. Submission for the Healthy Lunchtime Challenge must be received by April 30, 2015.
To learn more about this exciting opportunity, including how to enter, visit: http://www.pbs.org/parents/lunchtimechallenge/home/