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National recipe contest offers foodservice operators $200,000 in cash and prizes

March 1, 2019

Marking its fifth year, the Neighborhood to Nation Recipe Contest from General Mills Foodservice is bigger than ever — doubling the number of winners to give even more food trucks and independent restaurants the chance to win more than $200,000 in cash and prizes. As of March 1, the restaurant recipe contest is officially accepting entries for original recipes that use at least one item from General Mills' list of eligible products as a recipe ingredient, according to a press release.

The annual Neighborhood to Nation Recipe Contest gives food trucks and restaurants the opportunity to showcase their one-of-a-kind dishes and enjoy some time in the national spotlight. This year's competition will honor 10 regional recipe winners, two from each region, who will each receive $5,000 in cash and an additional $1,000 to share with a local charity of their choice. General Mills will also travel to each regional winner's hometown to host a festive celebration event at their restaurant or food truck as a way to recognize them in their communities.

"We started this contest five years ago to recognize the hard work and passion that our favorite neighborhood restaurants put into their menu items — those signature dishes and familiar favorites that stand out and instill a great source of hometown pride," Alyca Judge, senior marketing manager for General Mills Foodservice, said in the press release.

The company partners with foodservice operators to provide back-of-house products, recipe inspiration and culinary support.

"We look forward to traveling across the country to celebrate the 2019 contest winners, and putting them and their award-winning recipes on the center stage," Judge said.

One of the 10 regional winners will also be named the grand prize recipe winner and receive a total of $10,000 in cash and $2,000 to share with a local charity as well as a three-day trip for two to the 2019 New York City Wine & Food Festival.

For every eligible recipe received from March 1 to April 30, 2019, General Mills will donate $5 to No Kid Hungry up to $10,000 as part of the national campaign to end childhood hunger in the United States.  

"We have been touched by the generosity of independent family and neighborhood restaurants over the years and how much they give back to their own communities," said Judge. "As General Mills Foodservice marks the fifth year of Neighborhood to Nation, we sought a meaningful way to show our gratitude, and we are proud to help raise funds for childhood hunger which impacts neighborhoods nationwide."