Aug 3, 2020

By Adam Friedlander, MS, CFS, Manager, Food Safety and Technical Services

Creating a recipe with food safety instructions is simple – the first step is always wash your hands. 

Consumers are more likely to follow food safety instructions if they are embedded within the recipe, and retailers are uniquely positioned to educate consumers on practicing food safety in their home kitchens. 

Unsurprisingly, more families are cooking at home since the COVID-19 pandemic began, and there is a long-lasting opportunity to prioritize food safety each time we step foot in the kitchen. To further promote a strong food safety culture within our homes, the Partnership for Food Safety Education (PFSE) is sponsoring the inaugural 30-Minute Meals Safe Recipe Contest to challenge our industry in creating a delicious, nutritious and safe recipe. 

In March 2019, the FMI Foundation and PFSE released the Safe Style Recipe Guide to support all consumers in developing, and inserting, specific food safety text that promotes positive cooking behaviors within recipes. This guide directly addresses four primary areas of concern in the home kitchen: (1) cooking/storage temperatures; (2) handwashing; (3) cross-contamination; and (4) produce handling. 

To accelerate the Family Meals Movement, FMI strongly encourages all retailers to spread the word about this contest. Recipes will be accepted until August 17, 2020. 

Entering the Contest:

This contest is open for U.S. residents that can submit their recipe in the following four categories: 

1. BAC Fighters – Health and Food Safety Educators, Nutrition Educators, Dietitians, Teachers or Cooperative Extension agents.

1. Food Writers/Bloggers – You must have an active blog or social media platform where you promote/post recipes.
2. Kids – Any youth ages 5 to 17. You must have parent/guardian permission to enter. 
3. Employees of Food Retailers and Grocery Stores – Your employer must be a member of FMI or the National Grocers Association (NGA) to enter. 

Judging:

• Taste: 25%– Is this recipe delicious from the first bite to the last? Does it have an interesting yet balanced flavor combination? Would you want to make this recipe over and over again based on taste alone?
• Visual Appeal:  25% – Does this recipe present beautifully on a plate or in a baking dish? Do your eyes make you want to eat this before you even smell or taste it?
• Creativity:  25% – Is this recipe an original idea or does it have a twist that makes it unique? Did it use common ingredients in an uncommon way? Was it fun to make?
• Crowd Appeal: 25% – Was it easy to prepare within thirty (30) minutes? Will home cooks be inspired to try it? Will the entire family enjoy this meal?

Prizes:

• One winner will be chosen from each of the four categories above for a cash prize of $50.
• The winning recipes will be featured in an online cookbook distributed to thousands of people through fightbac.org! Each category winner will be entered into the Grand Prize selection pool.
• The Grand Prize winner will:

• Receive a total $100 cash prize
• Be featured in the safe recipe’s online cookbook
• Have their recipe developed into a professionally produced recipe video in English and Spanish.

Consumers trust retailers to sell safe food, and FMI members can build upon this trust by providing consumers the foundational skills needed to keep their family safe during home-cooked meals. To help inspire creative and forward-thinking approaches, PFSE has generously shared sample recipes that can assist our community in food safety recipe development. 

For more information on contest rules, please visit https://www.fightbac.org/30-minute-meals-safe-recipe-contest-rules/