JAPANESE and vegetarian delights, old British favourites and traditional Italian staples are in the mix of delicious tuckshop treats vying for the top gong in the Queensland Association of School Tuckshops’ annual Recipe of the Year contest.

For the past four years, this competition has recognised and celebrated the amazing work being done in school tuckshops, shining a light on the hard-working devotees behind the roller doors who feed the tummies of thousands of hungry school children every day of the school week.

The competition, which is supported by Health and Wellbeing Queensland, is delivered by the Queensland Association of School Tuckshops (QAST) and attracts entrants from school tuckshops across Queensland, QAST CEO, Deanne Wooden said.

“It was amazing to see some truly innovative tuckshop meals that are both nutritious and hearty, but not breaking the bank for hard working parents,” Ms Wooden said.

“From variations on the popular Burrito Bowl, to classics like the humble Cottage Pie and Quiche, it was great to see old favourites make a comeback, and veggies featuring as the hero.”

“With the cost of food rising and tuckshops doing it tougher than ever, affordability was a key criterion this year, making it an incredibly tough task for our judges to narrow down this year’s finalists.”

2024 finalists:

• Creamy Vegetable Pasta – Bay View State School (Thornlands)
• Crustless Cottage Pie – Ipswich State High School (Ipswich)
• Fish Burrito Bowl – Tannum Sands State School (Tannum Sands)
• Pasta Bolognese – Kalkie State School (Bundaberg)
• Quiche Slice with Salad – Currumbin State School (Currumbin, Gold Coast)
• Teriyaki Chicken, Rice and Salad Bowl – Musgrave Hill State School (Southport, Gold Coast)

Health and Wellbeing Queensland Chief Executive, Dr Robyn Littlewood, said she was impressed with the quality of entries and the diversity of healthy options tuckshops continued to offer students across Queensland.

“We know many families rely on the tuckshop to provide nutritious, affordable and convenient food and drink choices for their children,” Dr Littlewood said.

“This competition continues to show that tuckshop meals can be not only healthy and delicious, but the type of food that kids, and parents, can get excited about.”

The winner of the 2024 Recipe of the Year competition will be announced on Thursday, 5 September.