BC vs. Manitoba: The Hands-on Cook-off Goes National

VANCOUVER, BC--(Marketwired - April 11, 2016) - Now in its 7th year, BC's popular Hands-on Cook-off contest goes national this year! For the first time, the Hands-on Cook-off contest will be available in Manitoba, raising awareness of the significant benefits of cooking and eating together, and inspiring families to reap the associated benefits.

Explains Sydney Massey, one of the creators of Better Together and Director of Nutrition Education at the BC Dairy Association: "We're so encouraged that Manitoba has adopted this contest, and we hope to see other provinces following suit in the years to come! The Hands-on Cook-off contest is our primary campaign to promote the benefits of cooking and eating together to families-and we're excited to see it expand across Canada."

Each year, BC's Hands-on Cook-off contest enjoys the support of hundreds of chefs, schools, community organizations, and media. This year's panel of judges represents all of these groups, and includes: Jennifer Pallian, Ethan Adeland, Claire Newell, Alexandra Gill, and Denise Marchessault.

The Hands-on Cook-off contest was born from research that shows that when families cook and eat together, kids gain many valuable benefits-including better grades in school, better physical and mental health, and better overall social adaptability. According to a recent study out of New Zealand, teenagers who cook are healthier and more likely to have better mental health and feel more connected to their family.

Says Contest Judge Claire Newell, Global TV's Travel Consultant: "Growing up, my parents always prioritized family dinners, which were yummy because my mom is an amazing cook. I've tried to instill those same values in my own family. We all love to create healthy, tasty meals and I treasure the time together that we spend eating them. That's why I love this contest - it reminds families to set aside the screens & stress of everyday life and make family meals a priority."

"There is nothing more precious we can give our children than quality time at the table and the skills they require to cook themselves a lifetime of beautiful, nutritious meals. I love that this contest turns to the kids themselves to campaign for this." Says Contest Judge, Jennifer Pallian, Registered Dietitian and Creator of the popular home cooking blog, Foodess.

Enter the Contest:

From April 20th until noon of May 20th any BC resident can enter the Hands-on Cook-off Contest. Simply grab a friend or relative and create a home video cooking show three minutes long or less. Videos must include two or more people preparing a recipe together… and having fun! Full contest details, including sample videos and where to upload, can be found on the contest site: http://bettertogetherbc.ca/contest

Prizes:

Several cash prizes of $1000 and $500 will be awarded in different categories to individuals and schools. Total prizes up for grabs are valued at over $4000. Full prizing details can be found here: http://bettertogetherbc.ca/contest/page/prizes-awards

Enter the Hands-on Cook-off: http://bettertogetherbc.ca/contest

About Better Together

Better Together, http://bettertogetherbc.ca, is an active online community forum, designed to celebrate family meals, cooking, and trying new recipes. We exist because eating together, whether as a family or other group, offers many health and social benefits for both children and adults- including better nutrition, school performance and social adjustment. Find out more:

Twitter: @bettertogether

Facebook: /bettertogetherbc

Pinterest: bbettertogether

#handsoncookoff

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