TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, its Division of Food, Nutrition and Wellness, and Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried today announced the first annual 2021 Lunchroom Wars competition, Florida’s official student chef cook-off.
Lunchroom Wars invites young chefs and passionate student cooks from Florida to showcase their skills for the chance to win incredible prizes – and the title of 2021 Lunchroom Wars Champion.
This new competition aims to uplift culinary aspirations of Florida students, highlight Florida-grown commodities, and focus on the importance of school nutrition.
Students between the ages of 7 and 13 are invited to participate by submitting a video application discussing their unique recipe and interest in the competition. The top three students will be selected to compete the week of May 10-14, 2021.
“One of my biggest priorities is ensuring that Florida’s students have access to nutritious meals year-round. During the pandemic, FDACS has worked with school food service professionals to help kids get the food they need to continue at-home or in-person learning,” said Commissioner Nikki Fried. “In the past year, at-home cooking trends have soared. This is the perfect time to encourage our youngest Floridians to experiment in their kitchen, develop healthy eating habits, and learn how proper nutrition impacts academic performance. And of course, it’s an opportunity to earn the crown as Florida’s first-ever Lunchroom Wars champion! We thank our presenting sponsor Humana for their support of school nutrition and aspiring young chefs.”
