SOURCE | Spring 2022 19
4-H Clubs Face off in Chopped-like Competition
Student teams create nutritious recipes from food pantry items
Amy Bradford , Corporate Communications Manager abradford @ growmark . com
Members from 4-H Clubs in Arkansas and Tennessee faced off in a food preparation competition designed to demonstrate ways to create nutritious meals with items commonly received at food pantries . The contest , similar to The Food Network ’ s Chopped , was held at the Mid-South Farm & Gin Show in Memphis , and emphasized limiting food waste , food efficiency , and healthiness in a meal .
“ We are so excited to welcome Arkansas and Tennessee 4-H members and this competition ,” said Tim Price , Mid- South Farm & Gin Show manager and executive vice president of Southern Cotton Ginners Association and
Foundation , a co-sponsor of the show with Delta Farm Press .
“ In the past we worked with FFA students to package meals for distribution through Mid-South Food Bank . These meals are great to distribute to developing countries and in natural disaster situations ,” Price said . “ What we ’ re finding is food pantry customers would benefit from some direction on putting together nutritious meals from the items they receive at the pantry .”
Shelby Brawner , Extension Specialist / 4-H Youth Development at University of Tennessee / Knoxville , and Amanda Welch , 4-H Youth Development Associate with University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture , have conducted similar contests and were excited to expand the venue to the Mid-South Farm & Gin Show . The two introduced the competition to a crowded room of parents , 4-H club members , media , and other interested individuals .
“ There is an increasing need to develop nutritious meals from items commonly obtained at a food pantry or a “ corner store ,” which Welch identified as a Dollar General or Walgreens . “ Regardless of the source of the food items , it ’ s important to be able to provide recipes for nutritious meals ,” Welch added .
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