What if your next favorite meal could help restore Kansas’ ecosystems?
This fall, the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks is inviting home cooks, hunters, and foragers to turn wild, locally sourced ingredients into culinary creations at the second annual Wild Foods Cook-Off, a growing tradition that’s as sustainable as it is delicious.
Hosted by the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks, the Wild Foods Cook-Off will take place on November 2 at the Baker University Wetlands Discovery Center in Lawrence.
As KSNT reported, it’s now in its second year, and the event invites participants to prepare dishes using ingredients sourced directly from Kansas’ fields, forests, and waterways, from venison and wild mushrooms to invasive species like Asian carp.
The goal? To celebrate local ecosystems, promote sustainable food practices, and show just how flavorful conservation can be.
With growing interest across the state, the cook-off is quickly becoming a community-driven showcase of creativity, stewardship, and homegrown pride.
By encouraging Kansans to cook with wild and foraged ingredients, the Wild Foods Cook-Off helps everyday people reconnect with the land in a meaningful, hands-on way.
“Go with what you know,” Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks engagement coordinator Amy Bousman said, per KSNT. “Use this as an opportunity to do a test kitchen run with an innovative new idea with a wild ingredient or go with what you know, go with what is proven. You can go with a fan favorite or try something brand new.”
For hunters, anglers, and backyard foragers, it’s a chance to put their harvests to creative use, while home cooks get to explore new flavors that don’t come from a grocery store.
Environmentally, the event promotes sustainable food sourcing and even rewards the use of invasive species, turning ecological challenges into delicious solutions.
It’s a grassroots approach to conservation that’s not only good for local ecosystems but also brings communities together around shared values of sustainability, resourcefulness, and Kansas pride.
Invasive species like Asian carp and garlic mustard may seem like small nuisances, but they can overwhelm native plants and animals, throwing entire ecosystems off balance.
By finding practical, community-driven ways to use and reduce them, events like this help restore harmony to the landscape, while empowering people to be part of the solutions.
It’s not just about food, it’s about reclaiming a healthier, more resilient future for Kansas, one wild bite at a time.
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Dining and Cooking