Reminder: Kid Chefs Invited To Compete In Gridiron

The Dairy Council of Florida is inviting young chefs from across the state to compete against each other during the annual Gridiron Cooking Challenge.

Designed to divide the state into three regions based upon the local NFL market, the competition fields four student teams for each NFL franchise: the Buccaneers, Dolphins and Jaguars. Students in elementary and middle school are asked to form teams of four to create and submit original recipes that feature dairy products, such as yogurt, cheese and milk.

The top four teams for each NFL market will be selected to compete against each other this spring. Students across the state have until Feb. 29 to form their teams and submit original recipes. Finalists will have one hour to make their recipes during the actual challenge, which will be judged by local celebrity chefs, NFL players, dairy farmers and Fuel Up to Play 60 student ambassadors.

The winning team in each market will receive a prize pack for its school valued around $2,500. Each finalist will also receive an iPad mini 2 and other prizes.

“The Gridiron Cooking Challenge was developed to highlight the health benefits of dairy products and to emphasize the importance of an active lifestyle,” Vanessa Hodak, VP School Health & Wellness for the Dairy Council of Florida, said in a statement. “Each year, we look forward to reviewing the recipes submitted and interacting with the students during the competitions in Miami, Tampa and Jacksonville.”

To find out more about entering, visit the Florida Dairy Farmers website. To learn more about the competition, visit www.floridamilk.com.

Photo courtesy of the Dairy Council of Florida