About the 4-H Foods Project

Foods Project Resources

You can learn more about foods by completing one of the project activity guides, based on your grade level:

• Fantastic Foods Level A (Grades 3-4)
• Fantastic Foods Level B (Grades 5-6)
• Fantastic Foods Level C (Grades 7-9)
• Fantastic Foods Level D (Grades 10-12)
• Fantastic Foods Project Helper Guide

Levels and grades for foods projects are just suggestions. Be sure to read the exhibit guidelines linked below thoroughly before starting work on any project!

Project manuals may also be available to purchase at the Marion County Extension office, and older editions of manuals (if available) are free. Contact us to ask about availability!

Keep track of what you learn by using a record sheet found on the Indiana 4-H foods project page (scroll down to “Record Sheets”).

You can also join the Marion County 4-H Artistic Chefs Foods Club! Contact club leader Linda Bauknecht to join.

Showcasing What You’ve Learned

You can create a project exhibit to showcase what you’ve learned while working your project. Project exhibits are submitted for judging at the annual Marion County 4-H Showcase. You can enter food you have prepared in one of three categories:

1. Baked: Cookies, cakes, breads, pies, etc.
2. Preserved: Canned, dried, or frozen foods
3. Creative Cookery (not eligible to advance to the State Fair): Any food that does not fit in the Baked or Preserved categories, such as food prepared in a microwave, crockpot, blender, grill, wok, etc.

You can also create a poster or display showcasing what you’ve learned.

Exhibit Guidelines

• Baked Foods exhibit guidelines for 4-H members grades 3-12
• Preserved Foods exhibit guidelines for 4-H members grades 3-12
• You must read and follow Purdue Extension’s Food Safety Policy (included in the exhibit guidelines).
• Be creative for Creative Cookery, but be sure to still follow the exhibit guidelines where appropriate for all food entries.
• You may enter one entry in the Baked category, one entry in the preserved category, and up to two entries in the Creative Cookery category, for a total of up to four exhibits.
• All foods entered must have a completed 4-H Foods Recipe Card attached.
• Marion County 4-H poster exhibit guidelines and tips
• A reference list must be included with your poster.

Score Cards

• Score Cards for the Baked and Preserved categories can be found on the Indiana 4-H foods project page (scroll down to “Score Cards”).
• Creative Cookery Score Card

Advancing to the State Fair

• Yes! Foods projects exhibits in the Baked and Preserved categories from 4-H members grades 3-12 are eligible to advance to the State Fair. Entries in Creative Cookery are judged at the county level only.

Cloverbuds (Grades K-2)

Exhibits

• You may enter any food you have made in the Baked, Preserved, or Creative Cookery categories, or create an exhibit such as a poster or notebook showing what you have learned about a foods-related topic.
• Cloverbud projects are for exhibition only (not judged), so there are no score cards, and exhibits are not eligible to advance to the State Fair.

More Foods Project Resources

• See Indiana 4-H’s foods project page for more resources.