Global scone competition invites health and social care teams to showcase creativity with sweet and savoury scones — including dysphagia-friendly and allergen-free classes.

Nutrition and Hydration Week returns for its 15th year, running from Monday 15th to Sunday 21st March, with organisations across the UK and around the world — from Australia to Canada to Spain to Qatar— taking part. Wednesday 17th March will once again put Afternoon Tea in the spotlight, giving colleagues everywhere a chance to indulge in cake and, of course, scones.

Nutrition and Hydration Week exists to highlight, promote and celebrate improvements in the provision of nutrition and hydration locally, nationally and globally. In keeping with that shared objective, this year the Week is running a scone recipe competition. The competition invites teams to enter any of the two classes, showcasing their culinary skill, creativity and innovation, with the aim of leaving a long-term legacy and inspiring, good practice across health and social care.

The Competition Classes

Class One – Scones
Recipes for either or both sweet and savoury scones, which may include regional or international variants.

Class Two – Allergen-Free Scones
Recipes for either or both sweet and savoury scones that meet all 14 known allergens as defined by the Food Standards Agency (FSA). Recipes in this class must be vegan.

Judging Criteria

  • Compliance with each class requirements
  • Costed recipes
  • Innovative ideas and presentation
  • To have fun

Andy Jones, founder of Nutrition and Hydration Week, said:

“Wednesday is a global focus through that most British of institutions, an Afternoon Tea. It appears to grab our colleagues overseas to join us in sharing and promoting good nutrition and hydration in health and social care around the globe, whilst having a bit of fun and providing a novel experience for the people they care for.”

Anyone wishing to enter should submit their recipes and photographs by the closing date of Wednesday 18th November 2026, by email to nhweek@yahoo.co.uk.

Find out more

Further details of the legacy that Nutrition and Hydration Week is building across health and social care can be found at the Nutrition and Hydration Week website.