4-H District Food Challenge in Center represented 11 counties

The 2023 4-H District 5 Food Challenge was held Friday, Feb. 24 at the John D. Windham Civic Center in Center. “Today in Shelby County we have 22 counties represented that have 54 teams and 199 kids participating in our annual food challenge,” said District 5 4H Specialist, Dr. Jheri-Lynn McSwain.

“The kids have 40 minutes to prepare a dish using a key ingredient. Then they have a presentation where they work with their team to present to the judges things like nutrition, calories, the serving size and so forth,” she said.

After the all-day event, results and winners were listed JuniorSideDishCategory 1st place - Girl Power, Shelby County Junior Appetizer Category 1st place - Chaos Cookers, Henderson County 2nd place - The Brunch Boys, Gregg County 3rd place - Team Awesome, Panola County Junior Main Dish Category 1st place - Macaroni’s, Angelina County 2nd place - Meal Masters, Harrison County 3rd place - Country Cooking, Smith County Junior Side Dish Category 1st place - Girl Power, Shelby County 2nd place - Upshur County Ratatouilles, Upshur County 3rd place - Clover Girls, Nacogdoches County Junior Healthy Dessert Category 1st place - Cook Up, Nacogdoches County 2nd place - Chefs 227, Gregg County 3rd place - Rusk County Crazy Cookers, Rusk County Intermediate Appetizer Category 1st place - Purple Beans, Panola County Intermediate Appetizer Category 1st place - Purple Beans, Panola County 2nd place - Mixed Up, Nacogdoches County 3rd place - Jasper County Cookies, Jasper County Intermediate Main Dish Category 1st place - Team Cuisine, Nacogdoches 2nd place - Rusk County Chopping Champions, Rusk County 3rd place - The Kitchen Warrior, Angelina County Intermediate Side Dish Category 1st place - Slicin’ Dicin’ Chefs, Gregg County 2nd place - Dicing Divas, Upshur County 3rd place -Super Sonic Slicers, Rusk County Intermediate Healthy Dessert Category 1st place - Burger Besties, Gregg County 2nd place - Impastas, Angelina County 3rd place - The Bell Preppers, Wood County Senior Age Division (14 Teams) Senior Main Dish Category 1st place - Upshur County Slicing Sleuths Senior Appetizer Category 1st place - Kernel Corn, Gregg County (Advanced to Texas 4-H Rounding) 2nd place - Kingdom Kulinarians, Smith County 3rd place - The Flabber Doobs, Anderson County Senior Main Dish Category 1st place - Upshur County Slicing Sleuths, Upshur County (Advanced to Texas 4-H Rounding) 2nd place - The Four Cookatiers, Angelina County 3rd place - The Impastas, Nacogdoches County Senior Side Dish Category 1st place - E-Lemon- Ators, Wood County (Advanced to Texas 4-H Rounding) 2nd place - Chop It Like It’s Hot, Nacogdoches County 3rd place - Power Puffs, Angelina County Senior Healthy Dessert Category 1st place - Cuixine Masters, Rusk County (Advanced to Texas 4-H Rounding) 2nd place - The Glow Girls, Angelina County 3rd place - Queen Bee, Cherokee County