Central New York Girl’s Healthy Recipe Takes Her To The White House [VIDEO]

Julia Rissberger, a 5th-grade student at Oneonta’s Riverside School, was one of 55 winners of PBS’ Healthy Lunchtime Challenge contest. She enjoyed a Kids' “State Dinner” at the White House hosted by First Lady Michelle Obama on Friday, July 10. 

Julia Rissberger, 11 years old from Oneonta was one of 55 winners out of more than 1000 entries of the Healthy Lunchtime Challenge, a nationwide recipe contest for kids ages 8-12 that promotes cooking and healthy eating. Winners representing all 50 U.S. states, four territories and the District of Columbia enjoyed a Kids' “State Dinner” at the White House hosted by First Lady Michelle Obama on Friday, July 10.

Julia entered her original lunch recipe called Spinach and Apple Salad with Blueberry Vinaigrette and Whole-Grain Cheese Pennies. She also wrote an essay giving some details on how it would be served using major food groups along with other required information. Julia included step-by-step preparation instructions, including cooking times; the number of servings the recipe will make; and a photograph of the completed dish.

Here's how the kids were judged:

50% healthy nutritional value of the recipe
25% taste
15% creativity and originality
5% affordability
5% the essay accompanying the recipe

As a winner of the contest, Julias recipe is now published in the Healthy Lunchtime Challenge Kids' "State Dinner" Cookbook.

Julia Rissberger is so excited about meeting President Obama and she was also very excited about meeting N.Y. Sen. James Seward. She says her next goal is to make Chopped Juinor.