High school offers trending, cultural menu offerings

Food service staff build ramen noodle bowls for students.

Hatboro-Horsham School District’s Food Service Department launched a new initiative at the high school this year. Every third Tuesday of the month students can sample trending menu offerings from diverse cultures.

The initiative kicked off in September with chicken tikka masala, cilantro brown rice and whole-grain naan bread. Each month, a guest chef visits the district to show food service staff how to cook and present these products properly. Michael Ciccarone, a K-12 specialist with Acxion Foodservice, taught staff how to cook and prepare the ramen noodle bar for October.

“K-12 food producers have started to diversify menu selections, and add more flavor and spice to many products,” said Jessica Oldsey, food service director. “They present these offerings every year to food service directors, and I thought, ‘Let’s bring it to the kids.’”

Oldsey asked these companies to visit the district and sample it with the students. She coordinates the menu’s main offering and sides to ensure they meet regulations.

Upcoming menu offerings include tamales, birria tacos with Mexican corn and plant-based proteins. If the items are well-liked by students, they will be added to the regular menu rotation. At the high school, students can choose from seven or eight menu options daily.

“We offer fresh salads and sandwiches, hot food options that are either customizable or grab-and-go. We also have scratch-made items and tons of delicious choices every day,” said Oldsey. “We accommodate all allergies and food preferences, always striving to satisfy customers and grow our program!”

Hatboro-Horsham School District operates under the National School Lunch and Breakfast Program to provide healthy meals at a reasonable cost. They are also partners with the National School Nutrition Association and the School Nutrition Association of Pennsylvania.