Have a kiddo who loves to cook? Here’s a cooking contest created especially for the young foodie in your house.
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona has launched the 2015 Walk On! Kids Cooking Challenge aimed at motivating Arizona kids to incorporate healthy options into their daily food choices.
For the fifth consecutive year, the company is looking for great-tasting, kid-inspired side dishes.
Children ages 9 to 12 who live anywhere in Arizona are encouraged to submit their healthy, tasty side dish creations for a chance to win great prizes and an opportunity to prepare and share their masterpieces at a Phoenix Suns home game.
“Not enough attention can be paid to the issue of childhood obesity,” says Tara Cosentino, of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona. “Teaching children at an early age how to make healthy food choices and prepare food that is not only good for them but is also tasty is an invaluable lesson that will have lifelong benefits.”
Guidelines for recipes:
- Must be an original recipe for a hot or cold side dish
- Must include at least one fruit and/or vegetable
- Must be prepared within 20 minutes (excluding prep time)
Contestants must submit recipes by Wednesday, Jan. 21.
The top five recipes will be selected based on nutritional value, taste and originality. Finalists will be invited to present their creations at a public event on Friday, Feb. 6 at US Airways Center in Phoenix.
After the cooking demonstrations, recipe details will be posted online for a public vote. Voting will be open from Feb. 6 through Tuesday, Feb. 17.
Each of the five finalists will earn prizes. The grand prize winner will receive a new bike. The winner may also be asked to participate in local TV and newspaper interviews.
Last year’s contest winner was 10-year-old Sophia Gray, from Stepping Stones Academy in Anthem. Her winning dish was French-Fry-Like Green Beans.
“I entered the cooking contest because I thought it would be fun to share my recipe with people who like to cook,” says Sophia. “I’ve been cooking since I was 3 years old, when I would cook with my grandma.”
Here’s Sophia’s recipe:
French-Fry-Like Green Beans
Ingredients
Fresh green beans with ends cut off
Olive oil
Sea salt
Ground pepper
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, toss green beans with olive oil, salt and pepper. Spread green beans on cookie sheet and roast for 20 minutes, turning half-way through roasting.
Visit Walk On! for complete contest details and to submit a recipe.