Foods, baked

Description: The foods project teaches basic baking, preservation and nutrition education skills.

State Fair Entries: 2 Level A entries per county, 2 Level B entries per county, 3 Level C entries per county, 3 Level D entries per county.

Exhibit Guidelines:

All posters, notebooks, and display boards must include a reference list indicating where information was obtained, giving credit to the original author, to complete the 4-H member’s exhibit. This reference list should/might include web site links, people and professionals interviewed, books, magazines, etc. It is recommended this reference list be attached to the back of a poster or display board, be the last page of a notebook, or included as part of the display visible to the public. A judge is not to discredit an exhibit for the way references are listed. Posters are to be 22”x28” and displayed horizontally and placed in a clear plastic sleeve or covered with clear plastic to protect contents. Display boards should be designed to sit on a table using no more than 36” of tabletop space. Space should be left in the lower right hand corner to place an exhibit tag provided by Purdue Extension staff.

Purdue Extension Food Safety Policy (revised 10/2020):

For Food Competitions: Fillings, frostings, glazes, and meringues are not permitted to contain cream cheese, sour cream, heavy cream, or whipped cream if they are not fully cooked/baked. These items are allowed as ingredients in food products IF the final product is cooked/baked. Additionally, raw milk, raw milk products or uncooked eggs/egg whites are not permitted. Eggs/egg whites that have been cooked to 160oF (i.e. pasteurized or included as part of a batter and baked) are acceptable. No home- canned fruits, vegetables, or meats are permitted as ingredients in food products. Foods should be transported to the competition in a way that minimizes contamination and maintains the quality of the food (i.e. foods that are judged as frozen should remain frozen at all times). Recipes must be provided that identifies all ingredients that were used in each part of the product. Any ingredient that could be a potential allergen must be clearly identified. Potential food allergens include, but are not limited to, milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, fish, crustacean shellfish, wheat, soy and sesame. Each food product must be labeled with the following information:

• Name
• Address (4-H member information can be taken from enrollment if needed)
• Contact information (phone and/or email address; 4-H member information can be taken from enrollment if needed)
• Date the food product was made

Contestants should carefully wash their hands and make sure that their hands do not have any open cuts before preparing foods. If cuts are present, the wound should be bandaged and a single use food service glove worn on the hand during all stages of food production. Contestants should not be preparing food exhibits for competition within 48 hours of recovering from any illness. People experiencing symptoms of vomiting, diarrhea, fever, and/or jaundice should not be allowed to prepare food. Judges and individuals who will consume products from county and/or state competitions should be informed that they are at risk for foodborne illness since the established policy cannot guarantee that an entry has been properly prepared or handled before, during or following the competition. The food products for competitions are home produced and processed and the production area is not inspected by the Indiana Department of Health. Tasting of a food product is solely at the discretion of the judge and consumers. Judges are NOT to taste any home preserved foods such as low-acid or acidified foods like green beans, tomatoes or tomato products, jams/jellies/fruit preserves or fermented products produced in the home. Baked food products may be from a boxed mix following the instructions, a boxed mix with added ingredients, or ingredients combined from scratch. Youth are to place their name, county and club on the bottom side of their plate, pan or other container and the official entry tag provided will be placed with the exhibit. A completed recipe card is to be submitted with each exhibit. Recipe cards are for judging purposes only and will not be returned to the exhibitor. Laminating, wrapping the recipe card in plastic, or placing it in a clear plastic bag is optional. Since it is illegal in the State of Indiana for youth under the age of 21 to purchase or consume alcoholic beverages, 4-H members are to use recipes that do not include an alcoholic beverage as an ingredient. A suitable non-alcoholic or imitation product may be substituted. Baked food products should be covered during transport and displayed on a paper or foam plate, or another type of disposable container. Pies, casseroles and other similar items are to be baked in a disposable pan. Cakes and sticky items may be displayed on a cardboard strong enough to support the item and covered in foil, plastic, wax paper, or similar substance. Judges evaluating exhibits should recognize individual differences and creativity, therefore using information in this document as a guide rather than a requirement.

Perishable baked exhibits entered for state fair competition will not be displayed and instead will be donated to a central Indiana homeless shelter.

Exhibit Class Guidelines:

Level A (grades 3-4 suggested)

Choose one or more of the baked products below, or a similar baked product of choice. It is suggested a participant choose a different option each year, but this is not a requirement. Exhibits entered at state fair will be donated to local homeless shelters after being judged and not displayed.

• Three uniced snack sized cookies.
• Three standard sized unlined muffins.
• Three standard sized unlined muffins containing an ingredient that is a source of Vitamin A or C.
• Three snack sized granola bars.
• Three snack sized brownies or blondies.
• An educational poster, notebook or display about a food or nutrition topic of choice that is age/grade appropriate.
• Any other similar baked item.

Level B (grades 5-6 suggested)

Choose one or more of the baked products below, or a similar baked product of choice. It is suggested a participant choose a different option each year, but this is not a requirement. Exhibits entered at state fair will be donated to local homeless shelters after being judged and not displayed.

• A single layer cake without frosting.
• A single layer reduced-fat cake without frosting. Reduce the amount of fat in the recipe by using a fruit puree or baby food fruit product that does not contain
• A standard loaf-sized quick bread.
• A standard loaf-sized quick bread containing an ingredient that is a source of Vitamin A or C.
• A coffee-cake.
• A coffee-cake containing an ingredient that is a source of Vitamin A or C.
• Three biscuits or scones that are plain, sweet or savory.
• Three biscuits or scones that are plain, sweet or savory using a whole grain flour mixture.
• Three biscuits or scones that are plain, sweet or savory containing an ingredient that is a source of Vitamin A or C.
• Three no-yeast, any shape pretzels (shaped, stick or nugget).
• Three no-yeast, any shape pretzel with a whole grain flour mixture (shaped, stick or nugget).
• Three no-yeast breadsticks.
• Three no-yeast cinnamon rolls or other flavored roll without icing or glaze.
• A no-yeast sweet bread without icing or glaze.
• An educational poster, notebook or display about a food or nutrition topic of choice that is age/grade appropriate.
• Any other similar baked item.

 Level C (grades 7-9 suggested)

Choose one or more of the baked products below, or a similar baked product of choice. It is suggested a participant choose a different option each year, but this is not a requirement. Exhibits entered at state fair will be donated to local homeless shelters after being judged and not displayed.

• Three yeast bread sticks or yeast rolls (any shape, medium size – not a sweet roll)
• Three (3) yeast bread sticks or yeast rolls (any shape, medium size - not a sweet roll), using a whole grain flour mixture. Participants are expected to learn how to knead bread dough by hand and allow it to rise appropriately. It is NOT acceptable to use a home bread
• A yeast bread loaf or braid. Participants are expected to learn how to knead bread dough by hand and allow it to rise appropriately. It is NOT acceptable to use a home bread
• A yeast bread (can be loaf, braid) using a whole grain flour mixture such as whole wheat, rye, oat bran, Participants are expected to learn how to knead bread dough by hand and allow it to rise appropriately. It is NOT acceptable to use a home bread maker.
• Homemade pizza using a yeast dough. Judges are not expecting this item to be presented hot out of the oven.
• One package of an, invented healthy snack (such as a granola bar, popcorn snack,

trail mix, etc.). Your snack must include at least 2 food groups from MyPlate. Exhibit must include your snack product and a separate folder containing a marketing plan with product name, recipe, how it will be packaged, a package design, where it will be sold and suggested selling price. Style your snack for a photo shoot and include the picture in your marketing plan. Label should include product name, date, quantity, and serving size.

• Prepare an entrée casserole that meets three MyPlate requirements for a meal. Use care when transporting to prevent spoilage. Judges are not expecting this casserole to be presented hot out of the oven.
• An educational poster, notebook or display about a food or nutrition topic of choice that is age/grade appropriate.
• Any similar baked item.

 Level D (grades 10-12 suggested)

Choose one or more of the baked products below, or a similar baked product of choice. It is suggested a participant choose a different option each year, but this is not a requirement. Exhibits entered at state fair will be donated to local homeless shelters after being judged and not displayed.

• A single or double crust baked fruit pie (no graham cracker crust). (Note: Custards, cream, cream cheese frosting and fillings, and raw egg white frosting are not acceptable in an exhibit because they are highly perishable when left at room temperatures.)
• A baked food product for a catered meal or special event in which organizers have requested low fat and/or reduced sugar items. Exhibit will include your food product and a notebook outlining how this product is to be used at the event, menu, supplies to buy, preparation schedule, equipment, table layout, etc. A table display is optional.
• Select a condition in which people have to specifically modify their eating habits (diabetes, heart disease, Celiac disease, food allergies, etc.) Prepare a baked food product appropriate for someone with this condition. Exhibit will include your food product and a notebook summarizing the condition or allergy, nutrition considerations involved with the condition, a description of your baked item, and an explanation of how it fits within the nutrition considerations. Make sure to note any ingredients that could cause an allergic reaction.
• Prepare an entrée casserole that meets four MyPlate requirements for a meal. Use care when transporting to prevent spoilage. Judges are not expecting this casserole to be presented hot out of the oven.
• An international or ethnic food of choice. This may be a cold or hot product. Use care when transporting to prevent spoilage. Judges are not expecting this product to be presented hot out of the oven.
• A specialty pastry.
• Create a baking mix and provide a sample of the baked product. Include an index card with instructions, wet ingredients needed, and baking instructions.
• An educational poster, notebook or display about a food or nutrition topic of choice that is age/grade appropriate.
• Any other similar baked item.