On Saturday, May 9, 2015, I had the privilege to attend Central District’s Food Challenge  Contest at the W.E. Skelton 4-H Center.  Even though this was the first year this contest was offered in the Central District, the participation level was great, four senior teams and five junior teams!  Overall,  it was a great contest and a good experience for all who participated.  The evaluation data collected at the conclusion of the contest was very positive and 100% of the participants indicated that they learned at least one new skill as a result of their participation.  A special thank you to Amber Wilson, Chair of the contest, and all the other VCE personnel, volunteers and parents who helped to make this contest a success.  Also, I’d like to thank the agents in Northern District as they were instrumental in bringing this contest to Virginia and providing training in this area.  If your unit or district is not currently offering Food Challenge to your 4-H members, I highly encourage you to do so, as this contest is a great compliment to our healthy living initiative.  Not only do participants learn how to prepare and cook a dish, they learn about MyPlate, cost analysis, and develop a presentation that is inclusive of nutritional benefits and food safety.  We will be offering a Food Challenge contest and workshop during State 4-H Congress, but if you are unable to attend and would like to learn more about this contest, please don’t hesitate to contact me, tonyaprice@vt.edu.