All Putnam City elementary students are invited to enter the First Annual Kids’ Cooking Contest sponsored by Putnam City’s Child Nutrition Department and Sodexho. The contest begins Monday, April 16.

The contest focuses on healthy after-school snacks. For the contest, students are encouraged to create a tasty, healthy snack they would enjoy when they get home after a day at school. Recipes will be judged on:

• Health-conscious foods
• Simple, kid-friendly preparation
• Fun kid foods
• Creativity in recipe

The recipe entry form includes a spot to list all ingredients as well how to assemble and prepare the ingredients into a winning snack.

All recipe entry forms must be turned in to teachers by Friday, May 4. The district’s chef, Michael Morris, will team up with other child nutrition experts to select one winner from each elementary school.

To choose a grand prize winner, a district cook-off will be held at 4 p.m. on Monday, May 21. Students who submitted winning recipes from each school will gather at Central Intermediate School to prepare their snack. A panel of judges will taste each snack to determine the grand prize winner.

The contest includes prizes. The grand prize winner will receive a new bicycle, plus a classroom visit from District Chef Michael Morris, who will prepare the winning snack for classmates of the student who submitted it.

In addition to the prizes for the overall winner, each school winner will receive a smoothie party for their class.

"This contest is a way to help teach students about good nutrition and how to create nutritious snacks that are simple to prepare and enjoyable to eat," says Morris.

For a contest flyer or a copy of the recipe entry form, check the downloads section of the contest home page.