LANCASTER -- It's a contest that requires speed, quick thinking, precision -- and the ability to fill a grocery bag without breaking an egg.

Grocery workers who have competed in the Ohio Best Bagger Contest know bagging groceries, especially when your work is being timed and scrutinized by a judge, isn't as easy as it looks.

But that hasn't stopped more than 30 baggers from signing up to compete in this year's contest -- which will take place Tuesday at Carnival Foods in Lancaster.

Otis Tate, support staff member for Carnival Foods, is coordinating the upcoming competition and said he feels privileged that his store will host the contest.

"This contest is a big deal, and we've very excited because we know we can do well with it," Tate said.

The Ohio Best Bagger Contest is an annual competition that brings together baggers from groceries across Ohio.

The winner of the state contest moves on to a national competition in February in Las Vegas.

Four baggers from Carnival Foods -- two from the Circleville store and two from the Heath store -- will take part in the contest. Representatives from stores such as Kroger, Giant Eagle and Buehler's also will participate.

Tate said several factors are taken into consideration when baggers are graded on how effectively they fill their bags. The first round in the competition requires baggers to fill two paper bags with 30 items.

"You're timed on how fast you bag the items and on whether the weight of the items is distributed equally between the two bags," Tate said. "You also have certain rules for bagging the items; the eggs can't break and cleaning products can't go next to foods that could absorb them."

The best five baggers move on to a final round, where they're required to bag 30 items inside plastic bags. Tate said the winner receives $1,000 and groceries. Money raised from the sale of snacks during the event will be donated to Foundation Dinners in Lancaster.

This year's contest is the second one Michelle Manning, assistant front end manager at Carnival Foods in Heath, will participate in. Manning came in seventh place in the 2008 competition in Findlay.

Manning, who has been bagging groceries for two years, said the contest has helped her become quick and efficient when she's working at a register. She said customers do notice when baggers take the time to pack the groceries properly and with care.