Feeding the Future is BWP’s signature culinary contest that pairs teams of 2-4 students with chefs from around Arizona and challenges them to create school meals that are healthy, delicious, culturally-relevant and meet federal guidelines (including cost, nutrition, and time). Team recipes will be judged by a panel at our January event and prizes are awarded to each grade level category, including up to $5,000 in educational scholarships for the top-placing high school team! The recipes are then shared with schools to be served as part of school food programs. #abettertrayeveryday

This event fosters leadership and critical thinking among participants, and puts student-centered meals on menus all over Arizona.

Quick Facts:

This year’s contest will be held on Saturday, January 24, 2026 at the Farm at South Mountain.
Schools can enter the contest as an elementary school team, a middle school team or a high school team.
Each student team must have a school mentor who is responsible for leading the team and collaborating with a BWP chef on recipe testing and contest prep.
Students in teams of 2-4 will work with their school mentor and their assigned BWP chef to develop a recipe that meets NSLP or SBP guidelines.
Recipes will undergo multiple reviews before the contest to ensure they meet guidelines.
Recipe development and testing takes place from August-December.
You can expect to meet with your chef both in person and virtually at least 2 times over the recipe development stage.
BWP provides funding for recipe testing. Details included in the contest booklet.
Examples of prizes: kitchen equipment, cookbooks, school garden supplies and scholarship money for the highschool teams who place 1st, 2nd or 3rd.
Recipes will be collected, scaled, and shared with school food departments across Arizona after the competition!