First Lady Michelle Obama hosted young chefs at the White House where some of their own healthy culinary creations were on the menu.
Distinguished guests, all of whom have yet to make it to high school, arrived at the White House for a state dinner on Tuesday afternoon. The VIPs were 54 young chefs—representing each state, three territories and D.C.—who submitted recipes for a contest cooked up by First Lady Michelle Obama and the food website Epicurious. Also supported by the U.S. Departments of Agriculture and Education, the contest promoted Michelle Obama’s “Let’s Move” campaign to reduce childhood obesity, and the young cooks, aged eight to 12, were charged with creating recipes that met federal criteria for healthy, nutritious meals. Their delish winning dishes won them a spot at the “Kids’ State Dinner,” (well, actually a lunch since the event occurred at midday) where the President made a surprise appearance among elaborate pepper-and-sprout centerpieces. “Usually at a State Dinner, I get invited,” Obama joked. But he praised the attendees for their innovation and effort, saying, “To think that all of you have invented all of this fabulous food shows how creative you are and shows that food that tastes good can be healthy too.” Which recipes earned the top honors? Here’s a selection of ten winning dishes, selected from more than 1,300 entries, along with some advice from the chefs on how to eat healthy. For a complete list of the winners, visit letsmove.gov.