Who doesn't want to cook like an Iron Chef or come out on top as the Chopped champion? Local youth in grades 3-12 can show off their team cooking skills at the Clark County Food Challenge sponsored by Illinois Extension and 4-H at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, March 3 at the 4-H Clubhouse.

In teams of 3-5 students, who may or may not be 4-H'ers, judges will provide youth with a list of required ingredients to use in their recipe and a pantry of optional ingredients and necessary equipment. Teams are encouraged to create their recipe.

Food appearance, food quality, and presentation skills of the group are qualities the judges will assess. Judges may also ask teams general questions about MyPlate nutritional information and food preparation. Participants can find more information about MyPlate online at www.myplate.gov.  

The top winning teams will win useful cooking tools as prizes plus bragging rights for the year. Teams need to register online at go.illinois.edu/4Hfood by February 24. There may be a future challenge with Edgar County where local winners advance depending on interest.

4-H is committed to providing fun, hands-on activities that inspire youth to continue doing and learning all year long. By combining cooking, food diversity, and food science, Illinois 4-H shows kids that healthy living can be enjoyable, creative, and tasty.

About Illinois 4-H: Illinois 4-H is the flagship youth development program of University of Illinois Extension and administered through the College of Agriculture, Consumer, and Environmental Sciences. 4-H grows true leaders and youth empowered for life today and prepared for a career tomorrow. The hands-on approach in 4-H gives young people guidance, tools, and encouragement and then puts them in the driver's seat to make great things happen. 

About Extension:  Illinois Extension leads public outreach for University of Illinois by translating research into action plans that allow Illinois families, businesses, and community leaders to solve problems, make informed decisions, and adapt to changes and opportunities.