Noodles & Company is encouraging its guests to have fun with food and get creative by designing a personalized doodle of themselves using their favorite edible items like fruits, vegetables, pasta, candy, cookies, and chips.

From now until Friday, August 22, people can design their doodle, take a digital photo, and upload it to Noodles & Company’s contest Web site located at www.noodles.com along with a 50-word essay on why their doodle exemplifies who they are. Grand prize winners will be selected by a panel of Noodles & Company judges and will be awarded in three age categories–six to 11, 12 to 17, and 18 and older. Each winner will receive free Noodles & Company meals for one year and a special VIP tasting for themselves and up to five friends at a local Noodles & Company restaurant.

In addition, there is an opportunity for fans to visit the contest Web site to vote for their favorite doodle in each age category to select the People’s Choice winners. The People’s Choice winner in each age category will receive a $150 Noodles & Company gift card and a VIP tasting. All winners will be announced the week of August 24.

“We developed our You Are What You Eat… Now Show Us Who You Are Doodle Contest as a fun-filled activity the whole family can enjoy,” says Ross Kamens, executive chef at Noodles & Company. “At Noodles & Company we care about what our guests are eating, and that’s why we are committed to nutritional transparency and serving fresh, wholesome, balanced menu options.”

Noodles & Company’s current ‘You Are What You Eat’ campaign furthers this mission by providing guests with recommendations on what to order if they are watching calories, fat, sodium, or carbs. The campaign is being supported by in-restaurant materials and online information.

In recognition of Noodles & Company’s commitment to health and nutrition, Health magazine recently honored Noodles & Company with the number-one spot on its new list, “America’s Healthiest Fast-Food Restaurants.”