ALTAMONTE SPRINGS, Fla. – Clay County students interested in healthy eating are encouraged to enter the Dairy Council of Florida’s third annual Gridiron Cooking Challenge, a fun-filled food competition for elementary and middle school students throughout Florida.

The initiative is created and supported by the Florida Dairy Farmers and is part of Fuel Up to Play 60, an in-school nutrition and physical activity program launched by the National Dairy Council and NFL to help encourage today’s youth to lead healthier lives.

Elementary and middle school students in groups of four are encouraged to create and submit an original recipe featuring dairy products, such as milk, cheese and yogurt. The deadline for submissions is Feb. 29.

The top four student teams in each Florida NFL market – represented by the Miami Dolphins, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Jacksonville Jaguars – will compete for the grand prize at the Gridiron Cooking Challenge as they create their recipe on-site in under 60 minutes. The students’ creations will be judged by a select group of distinguished professionals including NFL players, local celebrity chefs, Florida Dairy Farmers and Fuel Up to Play 60 student ambassadors.

The winning team in each NFL market will receive a prize pack for their school valued at up to $2,500. Each student on the team will receive an iPad mini 2, among other prizes.

“The Gridiron Cooking Challenge was developed to highlight the health benefits of dairy products and to emphasize the importance of an active lifestyle,” said Vanessa Hodak, vice president of school health & wellness for the Dairy Council of Florida. “Each year, we look forward to reviewing the recipes submitted and interacting with the students during the competitions in Miami, Tampa and Jacksonville.”

Recipe entry forms can be found on the Florida Dairy Farmers website, and can be submitted via mail or email. For more information, visit www.floridamilk.com.