University of Vermont Extension 4-H is sponsoring an Edible Art Contest this summer to inspire kids, 8 to 18, to get creative with their food. There is no fee to enter and enrollment in 4-H is not required. Participants may enter all five categories, though only one entry is permitted per category.
Entries will be evaluated on artistry, individuality and creativity, with feedback provided. The winners in each category will receive special recognition. Participants must take a photo of their entry and email it to rosemarie.garritano@uvm.edu by 11:59 p.m. on Aug. 10. Each entry must be submitted in a separate email and include name, age and hometown in the body of the email. Categories include:
Food on the Vine (or Shelf): For this category, kids may take a photo of vegetables or fruits that are either still growing in a garden, field or orchard or that have been harvested but not yet prepared for serving.
Silly/Fun Food: Kids are invited to decorate a ready-to-eat food, such as a rice cake or waffle, with other foods, or alternatively, may use food to create a picture or work of art.
Cake Decorating: This category showcases the cake decorating talents and artistry of the exhibitor. Any size or type of cake may be decorated.
Main Course or Dessert Plating: Participants are asked to submit a photo of a meal or dessert that they have artistically arranged on a plate. Everything (except the plate) must be edible. The presentation should take color, texture and patterns of different foods and sauces into consideration to create a visually pleasing arrangement.
Food Prints or Tie Dye: Kids can put their artistic skills to work using fruits and vegetables to make either prints or dyes to decorate a sheet of paper, a T-shirt or other item.
For more information, head online to go.uvm.edu/edible-art. To request a disability-related accommodation to participate, contact Rose Garritano at rosemarie.garritano@uvm.edu or (802) 651-834, ext. 505, by July 31.