The start of a new school term always brings a sense of reset, especially after the whirlwind of the Christmas holidays. It can often take time for everyone to get back into the swing of things. So, to help make the transition a little easier, we’ve launched our brand-new lunch menus that will give pupils and students plenty to look forward to in the new year.
What’s on the menu?
We’ve based our back-to-school menus on the flavours children and young people know and love, introducing a series of themed days to keep things fresh and exciting throughout the term.
These themed days are a great way to create a buzz at lunchtime, especially during the first few weeks of term while everyone is settling back in. We’ve chosen themes that are familiar and inclusive, making sure they are a hit across all age groups.
Take a look at what we have coming up for the term ahead:
Pizza the Action
A guaranteed hit. Warm pizza pockets filled with ham and mushroom, margherita or pepperoni are served with fajita fries for a bit of extra flavour, followed by a chocolate and caramel tiramisu.
Lunar New Year
Cantonese sweet and sour chicken or sweet and sour vegetables, served with a vegetable spring roll or egg noodles. Finished with a golden apple fortune muffin or sticky toffee banana sponge.
Pancake Day
A highlight on the British food calendar for many! Classic crêpes served with lemon and sugar or chocolate spread.
British Pie Week (Secondary schools)
Students can choose from chicken and mushroom puff pie, creamy vegetable pie or masala chicken pie, served with mashed potato, peas and gravy. Topped off with a comforting apple pie with custard.
World Book Day (Primary schools)
World Book Day brings a story-inspired lunch, with a choice of The Twits’ chicken and vegetable pie or the BFG’s Snozzcumber veggie pie, served with mash, cabbages, carrots and gravy. For dessert, pupils can tuck into Paddington’s marmalade sponge.
View the full Primary and Secondary menus
Mindful meals
Behind the scenes, these menus have been months in the making to ensure they work around busy school schedules. Each dish has been carefully chosen because it’s simple to plate up, helping kitchen teams serve a great variety of cuisines without adding unnecessary pressure to lunch service.
While the menus have been refreshed, our core principles remain the same. By introducing these themed pop-up menus, we’re not only fuelling children and young people but also empowering them to thrive academically and socially. These wholesome, balanced meals adhere to strict nutritional requirements, keeping students and pupils energised and focused right through till teatime.
By bringing global flavours into the mix, we’re also giving students a chance to see their own cultures reflected on the menu while learning to appreciate others. These shared moments help lunchtime feel more communal, and make school dinners a highlight of the day.
Fuelling futures
These menus have been carefully developed by our dietitians and shaped around the practical realities of lunchtime service, so schools can feel confident in both nutrition and delivery. We’d like to say a big thank you to our dietitians and kitchen teams who have worked tirelessly behind the scenes to bring these menus together. We can’t wait to see what 2026 has in store as we continue our mission to fuel every child's learning with tasty, nutritious and sustainable food.