Sussex Tech High School will serve as host for the annual Sussex County 4-H Favorite Foods Contest and Foods and Nutrition Judging Contest, beginning at 10 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 23. More than 80 Sussex County youth from the ages of 5 to 18 will wake up early on their day off and present their knowledge of food groups, menu planning, food and nutrition basics, food safety and healthy food choices. More than 200 visitors are expected to attend in support of 4-H youth contestants.

The Sussex County 4-H Favorite Foods and Judging Contests presents a terrific opportunity in a fun learning environment, and children receive tools of the trade and valuable experience in making wise consumer and healthy choices that will last a lifetime.

Highlights of planned events include these:

Children prepare a food item of their choice and provide the recipe. They suggest a meal plan to accompany that recipe, which is showcased before judges.

Contestants learn to properly preserve and display their food entry for judging and interviews. Food safety is stressed.

Youth design a presentation place setting for maximum appeal.

Judges sample the prepared food and interview each contestant.

In a separate Foods and Nutrition Judging Contest, youth test their knowledge in such areas as consumer education, cooking terms, MyPlate and measuring math.

Workshop stations designed to educate and entertain, and staffed by experienced professionals, 4-H junior leaders and other 4-H volunteers will present make it and take it crafts; a  judging training station for wood science, photography, textiles and clothing; and a Kids' Corner.

Sussex County 4-H Extension Educator Mary Argo and 4-H  volunteer chairs Gina Anger and Marian Carey coordinate the day’s events, judges, presenters, educational materials and volunteer base to make this contest a great success.

Awards for different age and food categories will be presented at 1 p.m. All attendees afterward are invited to sample the delicious recipes the children have prepared, and participants take home a cookbook of submitted recipes. Awards are sponsored by the Delaware 4-H Foundation, and ribbons are sponsored by the Sussex County Leaders’ Association

The Sussex County 4-H Favorite Foods and Food and Nutrition Contests provide the opportunity for youth to learn that many factors go into food choices - and learning all the components of making wise choices can be presented in an educational and entertaining way.