Growing up, you either loved or loathed your cafeteria school lunch. For example, we remember having to soak up pizza grease with napkins before taking a bite. Yeah — it was a little gnarly. Or maybe you had chicken nuggets that allegedly bounced. Milk in plastic pouches that you had to stab with a straw? We were curious to see if things have changed since we were back in grade school. So, we did some investigating and checked out school lunches in every state across the U.S. For the most part, these menus sound a lot more appetizing than what we were subjected to back in the day.
As one might expect, some states take advantage of their local cuisine. Louisiana school districts serve their kids jambalaya, and New Jersey puts a fisherman’s platter (a variety of fried seafood) on their school menus every few months.
It’s interesting to see what kids around the country are digging into at lunch time, and we’re happy to report that, for the most part, every daily spread looks pretty healthy — that is, if kids want to opt for healthy selections. Most schools we looked into provided students with a salad bar and served fruits and veggies with every meal. Of course, this doesn’t mean that every student eats those healthy options. But, at least they’re there.
It’s worth noting that school districts vary within states — and they vary within cities. So we’re giving you just a small taste of what school lunches look like in each state. Some schools might fare better, and some unfortunately worse.
We think it’s definitely saying something that our stomaches are growling after making this list. We wouldn’t mind heading back to school to get a taste of these cafeteria lunches.
Alabama
The Montgomery Public School system offers students a “Beefy Nacho Bar,” and/or chicken tacos and quesadillas, served with pinto beans, corn, and fruit. Other days, MPS offers “Ranch Chicken Pasta,” as well as a BBQ pulled pork sandwich. Honestly, this sounds pretty good — especially since they serve fruit for a bit of dessert sweetness.
Alaska
Ursa Major Elementary School serves up a classic chicken nugget meal with sweet potato fries and applesauce. Other days, students get breakfast for lunch with strawberry pancakes or Dutch waffles, potato puffs, and sausage patties. Breakfast for lunch sounds ideal, but we’re glad they are also getting their fruits and veggies alongside it.
Arizona
Arizona’s Mesa Public Schools serves baked chicken and waffles with a side of potato tots, meatball subs, and sometimes offers honey sriracha boneless wings. That sounds pretty gourmet to us, though it could end up being pretty heavy on students’ stomachs. Just like with Alaska, we hope there are fruits and veggies on the side.
Arkansas
Lavaca Public Schools keep their lunch menus simple with ham and cheese sandwiches, spaghetti with meat sauce, fish sandwiches, and pizza calzones. Their “Kid Favorite!” option includes dishes like chicken strips, French fries, green beans, biscuits, and chilled pears. Though their menu is simple, we’re glad there is plenty of variety.
California
The Los Angeles Unified School District offers their school lunch menus in either English or Spanish (nice!). High schoolers can choose from teriyaki veggie patty sandwiches, oven-fried chicken drumsticks, and whole grain Hawaiian pizza. They can also pick up some taco bean dip served with tortilla chips on certain days of the week.
Colorado
Students attending the Colorado Springs Charter Academy get to have their pick between a pizza lunch box, lasagna, a chicken taco kit, and teriyaki chicken with noodles. For any students with dietary restrictions, the menu also clearly marks which meals include pork and which meals are vegetarian – which is a move we can totally get behind.
Connecticut
The Chamberlain School in New Britain serves up a grilled cheese sandwich with broccoli and pears, low-cholesterol chicken nuggets, and a potato crusted fish filet complete with tartar sauce and a garden salad. The school also serves a “stuffed bread,” which makes us wonder: what could the bread be stuffed with?
Delaware
Hayes High School in Delaware City offers a “Top Your Own Asian Bar” where students can choose a starch (noodles or rice), pick a protein (beef, pork, or chicken), and then choose select toppings (black beans, corn, stir-fry veggies). Students here can also grab a panini at the panini grill or build their own taco bowl.
Florida
Berkshire Elementary in the Palm Beach Country School District serves a variety of options to its students including vegetarian chili with tortilla chips, Asian chicken bites with rice and veggies, and cheese “pizza dunkers” with marinara sauce. Some days the kids can grab a serving of Beefaroni or home-style chicken with hush puppies.
Georgia
Atlanta Public Schools has a special lunch menu for Earth Day consisting of plant-based meals like “On the Ranch Dip” served with tortilla chips, black bean and corn quesadillas, a hummus plate, a garden burger, and Ranch wraps. The rest of the year, the schools serve Salisbury steak, BBQ baked chicken, and soft tacos.
Hawaii
The Waikiki School’s students get to enjoy a mean sweet and sour pork with pineapple rice, chicken papaya soup with rice, and Kalua pork with cabbage and rice. They do the standard school lunch fare as well: Sloppy Joes, cheese pizza, and popcorn chicken are all options on the lunch menu.
Idaho
Idaho Falls School District 91 offers their students a variety of “SMART” school meals to choose from through a program that is also referred to as their “School Meals Redefining Trays” program. These healthier options include everything from spicy chicken and Ranch wraps to chicken parmesan and even ham hoagies.
Illinois
Illinois’s Springfield Public Schools #186 serves their middle school students a number of different options including personal-sized cheese or pepperoni pizzas, turkey bacon cheeseburgers, and BBQ beef rib sandwiches. On occasion, they also serve Philly cheesesteaks, meatball subs, and chicken nuggets — a true school-yard classic that a lot of students can get behind.
Indiana
Students who attend classes in the Indianapolis Public Elementary School system get to enjoy meals such as breaded pork chops, breaded orange chicken and rice bowls, sriracha chicken sliders, and even home-style chicken bites. Other dishes including broccoli, corn, mashed potatoes, and baked beans are also often served as sides.
Iowa
Goodrell Middle School in Des Moines, Iowa offers “Zippy” coleslaw, mini corn dogs, “Little Smokies” with cinnamon rolls, and French bread pizza. They also have a “Walking Beef Taco,” which is either an inside joke or means you can easily walk while eating the taco? We hope the students can take their lunch break and not have to zip around campus, though.
Kansas
High school students attending classes in Kansas City get to choose from lots of flavorful menu options such as hamburger pizza, mesquite chicken legs, spaghetti bakes, and even vegetable egg rolls. Other side options include dishes like romaine salad, corn, coleslaw, potato wedges, cheesy bread sticks, and broccoli with dip.
Kentucky
West Middle School students in the Shelby County Public School District are served pepperoni calzones, pork “ribaque,” a lasagna roll up, and grilled cheese sandwiches. “Vendor pizza” is also listed on the menu, making us think students are perhaps treated to Domino’s or Pizza Hut, or another local pizza chain.
Louisiana
Lafayette Parish School System elementary-level students are offered lunch meal options consisting of meatball stew, turkey and sausage jambalaya, BBQ hamburgers, and a turkey roast. And for those students who like to stick to the classics, they can pick between a classic cheese pizza, chicken nuggets, and macaroni and cheese.
Maine
Middle school students attending classes at Portland, Maine, public schools are treated to Amato’s pizza, a super chicken burrito, chicken drumsticks, and mozzarella sticks to celebrate the Red Sox Opening Day. They can also choose to grab fish and chips, chicken and waffles, or something called a “chicken nugget boat.”
Maryland
Baltimore City elementary and middle school students can pick up a steak sub with cheese, a double stack burger, a “zesty” Italian cold-cut sub, or some sweet chili turkey meatballs for their daily lunches. They are also offered dishes such as chicken po’boys with “boom boom sauce,” tuna salad, and deli sandwiches.
Massachusetts
Scituate High School students get to choose between tangerine chicken, cheese quesadillas, chicken tenders with sweet potato fries, and macaroni and cheese. The students are also treated to Sal’s Pizza Day every Friday, during which they get to select a cheese or pepperoni slice from Sal’s pizza, a favorite local eatery.
Michigan
High schoolers attending classes at Hart High School have a “Create” option everyday where they are invited to make their own themed lunches, like build-your-own tacos or breakfast bowl. Students can also pick up select pizzas, and “On The Go” selections like ham and cheese sandwiches, and chicken poppers if they’d prefer.
Minnesota
Banfield Elementary School in the Austin Public School District serves their students options such as tangerine chicken with brown rice, French bread pizza, and macaroni and cheese with a whole grain dinner roll. They also offer students the opportunity to make a salad every day at the fruit and veggie bar.
Mississippi
In Jackson, Mississippi, secondary school students have the opportunity to pick up a “Fiestada” pizza, a chili dog, or some chili cheese corn chips for lunch. They can also choose to grab some seasoned baked chicken, smoked sausage, and a fish-melt sandwich if they want to switch things up a bit.
Missouri
The secondary level students attending classes at various Columbia Public Schools can choose between a chicken-chili roll up, orange-glazed meatballs, chicken-sausage patties, or even mini-pepperoni calzones at lunchtime. Each student also has the option to enjoy a fresh salad from the garden bar alongside their meal if they so choose.
Montana
Students attending classes at schools throughout Shepherd School District #37 are offered a choice between lots of tasty dishes at lunchtime including fish patty sandwiches, country fried steak, baked spaghetti, and even “Crispitoes.” Sloppy Joes, ravioli, and BBQ pork ribs are also frequently on the menu as an added treat.
Nebraska
Students at Woodland Park Elementary School in Norfolk, Nebraska, dine on delicacies such as beef stroganoff, pork fritter sandwiches, baked and breaded steak fingers, and baked ham. They can also grab a hardy helping of chicken ranch pasta, beef goulash, and switch things up altogether with a tasty taco burger.
Nevada
Arbor View High School students in Clark County, Nevada, are given options such as a steakhouse burger, beef and cheese taco roll up, a California turkey BLT, and a spicy chicken club sandwich. And if they are in a rush, students can instead grab a quick slice of takeout pizza.
New Hampshire
Broken Ground Elementary School in Concord, New Hampshire, serves its students meals such as American chop suey, chicken patty sliders, tri-color tortellini, and Fenway Franks — in honor of the Red Sox. Other healthier lunch meal options include dishes like “sunbutter” and jelly sandwiches or simply a yogurt and bagel meal.
New Jersey
The Rosa Parks High School in the Patterson Public School District offers students a fisherman’s platter, a chicken filet with roasted peppers, a pizza burger, and a roast beef with cheddar sandwich. There are also plenty of vegetarian options like veggie empanadas, cheese lasagna, and a bean and cheese wrap.
New Mexico
Barcelona Elementary School, which resides in the Albuquerque Public School District, serves its kids option such as French toast with pork links, “Corn Chip Pie,” and pasta with a three-cheese sauce. Students also get the choice of a “Tornado Ranchero,” which is served with pinto beans, and beef teriyaki bites.
New York
High schools that work with the School Food NYC program get to offer their students baked beef ravioli, New York beef hamburgers and cheeseburgers, and homemade grilled cheese sandwiches. Every Thursday, the program also celebrates locally sourced and produced food like chicken dumplings, Jamaican beef patties, and New York apples.
North Carolina
Reid Ross Middle School in Cumberland County, North Carolina, serves students an array of lunch options including a sausage, egg, and cheese sandwich; a Carolina BBQ burger; and a lasagna roll up. The school also offers dishes such as teriyaki beef nuggets, a fruit and yogurt parfait, and popcorn chicken.
North Dakota
Century High School in Bismarck offers their students meals such as a hot ham-and-cheese sandwich on a pretzel bun, meatballs and gravy, a “taco in a bag,” and even a quesadilla pizza. Students can also check out the calorie counts and nutrition facts for the various menu items on the school’s website.
Ohio
Marietta City School elementary students have the option to grab a three-cheese calzone, some taco bites, a grilled chicken sandwich, a salisbury steak with gravy and rice, or some “Bosco” marinara sticks. Depending on the meal, kids can pick up sides of refried beans, French fries, potato stars, and green beans.
Oklahoma
High school students attending classes in the Oklahoma City school district can pick between a four-cheese lasagna, a jalapeño cheeseburger, some cheesy eggs, a pair of pepper jack enchiladas, or some bean-and-cheese tostadas. The schools will also sometimes serve dishes such as “Cherry Blossom Chicken,” egg rolls, and Philly cheese steaks.
Oregon
Schools in the Oregon School District prefer to stick to the lunch time classics, including meals like toasted cheese sandwiches, chicken nuggets, hot dogs, and fish sticks. The schools also sometimes give kids the option to mix things up a bit and eat breakfast for lunch, offering omelets and French toast sticks instead.
Pennsylvania
The main School District of Philadelphia serves its elementary school students meals such as taco scoops, chicken nuggets, chicken queso burritos, and red beans and rice. And when it comes to options for sides, students can choose between servings of maple baked beans, sweet maple butter carrots, and “cucumber coins.”
Rhode Island
Warwick Public Schools offer high schoolers the choice of tacos (assembled at a “taco bar”), enchilada stackers, beef and cheese lasagna, broccoli cheddar flatbread, and a grilled chicken bacon melt. Warwick also celebrates national food appreciation days like National Grilled Cheese Day and National Pretzel Day, which is pretty cool.
South Carolina
Elementary school students in Greenville County are served meals such as turkey pot roast, meatloaf, and chicken pot pie. They also have the option to indulge in a mac and cheese bar where they can apparently also add seasoned chicken, meatballs, and/or taco meat to their mac and cheese.
South Dakota
Sioux Falls School District students can choose between enjoying a breakfast-for-lunch (consisting of French toast bites with scrambled eggs), a turkey dinner, or some fish tenders. There’s also a meal option called a “Dakota Burger” on the menu, which comes with a side of steamed carrots and a “birthday treat” dessert.
Tennessee
Students from kindergarten through 8th grade attending classes in the Nashville Public School District are offered options such as home-style chicken sandwiches, buffalo wings, a “poppin’ potato bowl” with turkey pot roast, and a weekly “manager’s choice” casserole. Casseroles often include cheesy turkey, broccoli with rice, or garlic roasted turkey Alfredo.
Texas
Ninth-graders attending school in the Lancaster Independent School District select their daily lunches from the “Barack and Michelle Obama menu,” which includes custom subs, chicken caesar wraps, and classic cheeseburgers. The kids can even add fun sauces like cilantro crema, pico sauce, creamy sriracha, and garlic parmesan, to sandwiches and burgers.
Utah
Canyon Creek Elementary School, located in Davis, Utah, serves its students daily lunches consisting of cheese pizza crunchers, pot pie, and pepperoni pizza “rippers.” They even treat their students to a Nacho Tuesday once per month during which the kids get to enjoy a combination of tortilla chips, taco meat, and cheese sauce.
Vermont
The Burlington School Food Project supplies students with quite a lot. The children indulge in chicken and broccoli Alfredo, a pasta and beef goulash, baked ziti, and fajitas. Occasionally, the School Food Project will also provide the Burlington students with crispy chicken sandwiches, cheesy bread sticks, and turkey meatball subs.
Virginia
Bayside Elementary in the Virginia Beach City Public School District doesn’t just serve up regular lunch foods. This particular school also offers Domino’s pizza, El Monterey soft chicken tacos, and garden salads. And to top it off, these main courses come with a choice of curly fries, green beans, or salsa.
Washington
James Caldwell High in the Caldwell-West Caldwell Public School District does lunch the right way. They have a yummy-sounding chicken and cheese quesadilla, General Tso’s Chicken, Philly cheesesteak hero, and a meatball parmesan hero. They also seemingly do a “Meatless Monday” each month and offer a three-cheese grilled cheese sandwich with tomato soup.
West Virginia
Jefferson County School District isn’t really breaking the mold when it comes to school lunches. The district tends to serve student diners chicken noodle soup, meatloaf, and chili with baked potatoes. They also provide the more usual lunch items like chicken tenders, beef tacos, corn dogs, and spaghetti with sauce.
Wisconsin
The Madison Metropolitan School District also has their menus available in English and Spanish. They recently introduced a Mongolian beef brown rice meal and a chicken and squash curry meal to their menu. Kids can also pick up beef taco salad, soy butter and jelly, and pizza dunkers with carrots.
Wyoming
Gladiola Elementary School in the Wyoming Public School District seems to take a county fair approach to food. The district serves their kids “crispy, crunchy nacho fish sticks,” turkey corn dogs, and cheese-stuffed breadsticks. They also serve a [marinated version of] tangerine chicken and a BBQ “beef riblet” sandwich.
School lunch has come a long way. We’re feeling the need to grab some fish sticks and pizza (but hold the grease, please).
