TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) is now accepting entries for Florida Future Chef 2026, a statewide student cooking competition that challenges young Floridians to creatively reimagine school meals using Florida-grown ingredients, while learning about the nutrition standards that guide the National School Lunch Program.
“Parents are paying closer attention to what’s in their children’s food, and they should,” said Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Wilton Simpson. “The Florida Future Chef competition encourages students to think differently about nutrition by using fresh Florida-grown ingredients instead of relying on heavily processed foods. That’s good for our kids, good for our farmers, and good for Florida.”
Now in its sixth year, Florida Future Chef invites Florida students ages 8-12 (at the time of the September 2026 finale event) to submit a two-to-five-minute video showcasing their unique take on a favorite school meal. Recipes must be inspired by federal school meal nutrition standards – which promote a variety of whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and protein foods – and feature Fresh From Florida ingredients.
The contest is open now through July 13 at 11:59 p.m. ET. Students will compete for prizes and up to $5,000 in college funds provided by the presenting Sponsor, Sprouts Healthy Communities Foundation.
From hundreds of submissions statewide, FDACS’ Division of Food, Nutrition, and Wellness will select three finalists to advance to a three-day finale held in Tampa. During the event, these talented student chefs will strengthen their kitchen skills, learn how nutrition standards shape school meals, and put their creativity to the test by presenting a final dish to a panel of judges.
In addition to earning the title of Florida Future Chef Champion, finalists will compete for up to $5,000 in a Florida 529 Savings Plan scholarship, the honor of having their recipe adapted into a real Florida school meal, and other special prizes.
The contest is an extension of Florida’s National School Lunch Program, which provides students across the state access to nutritionally balanced, low‑cost or no‑cost meals each school day. By reducing food insecurity and supporting balanced nutrition, the National School Lunch Program helps children succeed in the classroom and beyond.
To learn more about the competition, review the official rules and enter by July 13, visit FloridaFutureChef.com.
For more information about Commissioner Simpson and the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, visit FDACS.gov.
Provided by FDACS