Back for its fifth year, the IFTSA Smart Snacks for Kids Competition challenges students to develop a fun and nutritious food or beverage product targeted at kids and/or teens. Products must abide by the USDA Guide to Smart Snacks in Schools recommendations. Teams were empowered to use their imagination to engage their chosen audience in the science and overall appeal behind a novel product of their creation. A crucial component of a winning product is the team’s ability to relay the food or beverage’s “smart” qualities to both a technical and a general audience.
The competition will take place from 3–5 p.m. on Monday, July 11, in the Vista Room S406AB of the convention center. Here’s a look at the concepts from the six finalist teams:
Anagrahams – University of Wisconsin, Madison (USA)
Fingerella – Tel Hai College (Israel)
Jiro – Tecnológico de Monterrey Campus Monterrey (Mexico)
Ocean Hero Bites – Purdue University (USA)
Saurus Snacks – Utah State University (USA)
Waffuns – University of Costa Rica (Costa Rica)
Winners of the competition will be announced at the IFTSA Closing Ceremony on Tuesday evening, July 12, in the S100 Ballroom of the convention center. Each of the finalist teams will receive a certificate and a reimbursement for travel to IFT FIRST 2022 of up to $1,500. Prizes include $3,000 for first place, $1,500 for second place, and $500 for the third-place team.
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