MANCHESTER, N.H.- As you walk through the cafeteria doors at Central High School on a Wednesday afternoon, the smell of spicy cumin-seasoned beef tickles your nose. On the menu today, seco de carne, a Latin American beef stew served with peppers, onions and a side of mashed potatoes.
“This recipe actually came to us from someone in the community,” says Manchester School District Food Service Director Jim Connors, “Empanadas are on the menu next week, they’re pretty universally popular, any time we make them, they fly right out the door.”
The dish is part of an ongoing program started by the District’s food and nutrition services department in 2024 to help diversify the meals offered to students in the District. The goal is to offer meals that are not only more appealing to students, but that reflect the diverse population. Submitted recipes can include anything from regional specialties to soups, salads or side dishes. Nothing is off limits.
“We put out flyers in multiple languages on the website and social media with a dedicated email address for people to send them in. Some are popular, some not so much, but we have a handful in the rotation at the schools.”
Cafeteria staff are also encouraged to bring their own recipes to the table, making adjustments to feed the large crowds and ensuring they fit within federal nutritional standards.
“We received a chicken shawarma recipe from the community after we launched the program. Well, we had three Sudanese women working at Memorial at the time, and they adjusted it to make it their own. They said ‘this is what we make at home!’ “
Chicken shawarma remains on the menu rotation at Memorial. Served up with rice and bell peppers, it’s a comforting, homemade meal that’s clearly prepared with love. While the meals aren’t always the biggest sellers on the menu, for the kids who are getting a little taste of home during the school day, it means a lot.
“The kids who have it, like it. It’s easy to make, we’ve given something that’s culturally relevant, we’ve done our job,” says Memorial Cafeteria Manager Gina Olore.
Universally, and unsurprisingly, one of the most popular meals at all of the city’s schools is pizza, which is made from scratch in the school cafeterias or commissary kitchen. At Memorial, 65 pies are already being prepped for the next day’s lunch as chicken shawarma continues to go out the door.
“We have to start at least a day ahead… That’s about 520 slices.”
The staff gets creative when creating recipes for pizzas as well, coming up with creations such as chicken broccoli alfredo and buffalo chicken in addition to more traditional options like cheese or pepperoni.
“I think one of the best things we ever did was bring back a pizza program because it used to be frozen pizza or vendor pizza delivered to certain schools,” says Connors. “I think it really, really helped to up the game, people started taking pride in it.”
Connors, who has been with the District for nearly two decades, says he enjoys helping his 95 employees create meals tailored to each school’s unique student population.
“We look at what the kids like, what they don’t like, how they’re getting through the lines… We’re not a cookie cutter operation, each school is so different, the populations are so diverse.”
Breakfast at all of the District’s elementary, middle and high schools costs $1.70, while lunch ranges from $2.90 for elementary students to $3.15 for middle and high school students. All meals include fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean protein and low fat milk. Families can apply to receive free or reduced cost meals at any point during the school year, including if they’ve been rejected in the past but life circumstances have recently changed. The form takes just minutes to fill out, and is available in multiple languages on the District’s website.
“When I have an opportunity to go out to a school, it really makes my day. Kids come up and ask you questions or tell you they like something… It’s always rewarding, you know for some of them it may be the best meal they’re going to get all day.”
If you’d like to submit a recipe or an idea for a dish, email foodrecipe@mansd.org or fill out the form here.