Kids Invited to Send Recipes for Chance to Win Trip to White House

First Lady Michelle Obama, in conjunction with the U.S. Departments of Education and Agriculture as well as Epicurious.com, is launching a nationwide recipe challenge to promote healthy lunches. One winner from each state will be invited to a White House Kids State Dinner this summer.

The Healthy Lunchtime Challenge & Kids' “State Dinner” invites kids age 8-12 to work with their parents or legal guardian to create an original, nutritious lunchtime recipe that is “healthy, affordable, and tasty.”  Entries should represent each of the food groups, either in one dish or as parts of a lunch meal, including fruit, vegetables, whole grains and protein and low-fat dairy foods. Entrants are encouraged to reference the nutritional guidelines of the USDA’s site, ChooseMyPlate.gov, to ensure recipes meet the primary criterion of being healthy. 

“This is a great opportunity for kids and their parents to have fun and promote healthy eating,” said U.S. Sen. Jack Reed, who helped increase federal funding for school breakfast and lunch programs.

The winning recipes will be available free to all in a downloadable and printable e-cookbook that features nutritional analysis, and photos and drawings of the recipes, available via the contest website, letsmove.gov, USDA.gov and Ed.gov.

Recipes may be submitted through June 17, either online at or via mail at:

The Healthy Lunchtime Challenge
c/o Epicurious.com
1166 Avenue of the Americas, 15th Floor
New York, NY 10036

Winners will be notified July 16. The White House Kids “State Dinner” is scheduled to take place in August. Winners will receive free air travel to Washington, DC, and accommodations at a Westin Hotel. For more information and contest rules, visit www.recipecontest.epicurious.com.