4-H
4-H Club

Lavaca County 4-H competes at district Food Show and Food Challenge competitions

  • Fifteen members of Lavaca County 4-H participated at the District 11 4-H Food Challenge Competition. Pictured are the Cooksters, Sugar-N-Spice, Souper Friends, and the Saute’ Brigade. Contributed photo.
    Fifteen members of Lavaca County 4-H participated at the District 11 4-H Food Challenge Competition. Pictured are the Cooksters, Sugar-N-Spice, Souper Friends, and the Saute’ Brigade. Contributed photo.
  • Pictured at left are Amanda Janak, Alaina Bogle, and Olivia Gonzales. They represented Lavaca County at the District 11 4-H Food Show. Contributed photo.
    Pictured at left are Amanda Janak, Alaina Bogle, and Olivia Gonzales. They represented Lavaca County at the District 11 4-H Food Show. Contributed photo.
  • The Cooksters Junior Team placed 2nd in Appetizers at the District 11 4-H Food Challenge Competition. Pictured at right, from left to right are District 11 Parliamentarian Devyn Rios, Chloe Jansky, Kolet Olsovsky, Claire Janak, and Emery Haas. Contributed photo.
    The Cooksters Junior Team placed 2nd in Appetizers at the District 11 4-H Food Challenge Competition. Pictured at right, from left to right are District 11 Parliamentarian Devyn Rios, Chloe Jansky, Kolet Olsovsky, Claire Janak, and Emery Haas. Contributed photo.

    Eighteen Lavaca County 4-H members participated in the District 11 4-H Food and Nutrition Project Competitions in Cuero on Dec. 13 and Dec. 14. There are 18 counties in the Coastal Bend District qualifying participants at the preceding county level events.

    The Food Show is an individual event. Participants prepare a dish ahead of the competition and provide a five-minute presentation to a panel of judges regarding nutrition, food safety, preparation, and project involvement. Participating in the District Food Show were Amanda Janak, Senior Side Dish; Alaina Bogle, Intermediate Side Dish; and Olivia Gonzales, Junior Main Dish.

    In the Food Challenge Competitions, teams of three to four members have 40 minutes to prepare a dish using a key ingredient and a budget to select other ingredients from the “grocery store.” During preparation, the teams must also work to prepare a fiveminute presentation with the same components mentioned in the food show presentation. In the Junior Division, the Cooksters placed second in the Appetizer category. Members of the Cooksters are Chloe Jansky, Claire Janak, Kolet Olsovsky, and Emery Haas. Other participants at Food Challenge were the Intermediate Teams Sugar-N-Spice: Avery Garcia, Raleigh Moore, Madison Coburn, and August Dodson and Souper Friends: Lily Janak, Baye Shimek, and Khloe Olsovsky and the Senior Team Saute’ Brigade: Keely Knesek, Callie Chrismon, Janna Pohler, and Kara Remschel.

    There were approximately 150 youth competing in the District Food Show and nearly 70 Food Challenge teams. The top three inviduals/ teams in each of the four categories: Appetizers, Main Dish, Side Dish, and Healthy Desserts in each of the three age levels were recognized.

    4-H is open to all youth in 3rd-12th grade. To learn more, call the Lavaca County Extension Office at 361-798-2221.