Food judging is fun!

Food is one of my passions alongside all things healthy living including movement, getting outdoors into nature, breathwork and meditation and more.

As we all become increasingly health-conscious, the demand for nutritious and wholesome food has surged. In response, numerous organizations and competitions have emerged to celebrate and recognize excellence in the field of healthy food production.

Judging healthy food awards requires a careful evaluation process that considers various factors, including nutritional value, taste, ingredients, and sustainability.

Over the last 5 years I’ve been one of the judges for the Nourish Awards as last week I got the chance to taste even more nutritional goodies - I’m unable to talk about any of the details as winners are yet to be announced and some categories have yet to be judged.

I came home with a full belly after sampling categories that included gut health (yay my favourite), soft drinks and breakfasts.

Although it would have been nice to just turn up and eat lots of healthy food all day, there’s a bit more to it than that as explained below.

a. Nutritional Value: Judges should assess the food product's nutritional composition, including macronutrients (proteins, carbohydrates, and fats), micronutrients (vitamins and minerals), and dietary fibre content. The product's alignment with recommended daily allowances and its contribution to overall health and wellness should be considered.

b. Taste and Flavour: Healthy food need not sacrifice taste. Judges should evaluate the sensory appeal of the product, including its flavour, texture, and aroma. The balance between nutrition and culinary pleasure is essential to encourage consumer adoption of healthier options.

c. Ingredient Quality and Sourcing: The ingredients used in the food product should be of high quality, preferably organic and free from harmful additives, preservatives, and excessive processing. Transparency in ingredient sourcing, such as supporting local and sustainable producers, should also be considered.

d. Sustainability and Environmental Impact: Assessing the environmental footprint of the food product is crucial in today's eco-conscious world. Judges should consider factors like packaging materials, waste reduction strategies, sustainable farming practices, and efforts to minimize carbon emissions.)

Colourful fruit and vegetables help us feel great and full of Zest!

Blind Judging Process:

To maintain fairness and objectivity, a blind judging process is often employed. This means that judges are not provided with any information regarding the brand or manufacturer of the food product during the evaluation. This approach ensures that the judgment is solely based on the product's merits, preventing any bias or favoritism.
Collaboration and Consensus:
Judging healthy food awards is not a solitary task; it requires collaboration among the judging panel to arrive at a fair and balanced decision. Through discussions and deliberations, the judges can share their perspectives, evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of each entry, and collectively determine the winners. A transparent and well-documented scoring system can help facilitate this process.
Award Categories:
Healthy food awards often have different categories to honour diverse aspects of nutrition and food production. These may include best organic product, most innovative plant-based alternative, sustainable packaging, or best functional food, among others. Categorizing the awards allows for targeted recognition and encourages innovation in specific areas of healthy food production.

So after a day of blind tasting (and drinking black coffee in between to clear my palette.. did you know that smelling coffee beans is useful to help clear the nose when smiling fragrance for same reason) I left with a belly full of food and an improved knowledge after spending time with some very knowledgeable nutritionists and other entrepreneurial women, I’m excited to see who the winners are in the categories we judged and the other categories judged on other days.

The awards gala held later in the year is always a great chance for producers to meet each other as well as industry experts and like anything that brings people together - it’s a great way to feel part of a community.

That’s why I set up my FREE ‘Zest for Life” Community on Facebook where I share all my foods inspiration plus other healthy living ideas and tips. Yesterday I shared my salad spinner as someone was fed up of soggy lettuce!

Click here if you’d like to join

and if you are on Instagram I share more about healthy living there as it’s my passion to help more women, especially those going through peri-menopause and menopause, to feel great.

Click here to see my Instagram page

Happy eating :)

Zita x

ps Remember FOOD is medicine … so choose what you consume wisely.

Food judging is fun!

I never expected this