It’s a whole new world of food in Hampshire secondary schools from September.
School meals provider HC3S is expanding its menu to accommodate changing tastes on the high street, appealing to older children by reflecting what they might eat when out and about with friends and family, while keeping popular plates.
The international menu means students can continue to enjoy a wide variety of choice for their school lunch and ‘taste’ flavours from around the world.
Inspired by European and international influences and combining Greek and Spanish options, the school cooks are preparing a wide range of dishes from scratch using local and seasonal produce wherever possible. Students will be tempted to try their Spanish inspired potatas bravas and Greek inspired anakopita (a spinach tart) or moussaka.
Mains also include classic dishes such as roast dinners, macaroni cheese, and lightly baked fish and chips, but these will be offered alongside new dishes such as pulled pork burrito that comes with a smoky sauce, a fish finger taco with a lime mayo, pizza yorkie (a giant Yorkshire pudding), open bagel and other exciting street options.
Students can also choose an authentic Moroccan beef stew, chicken and chorizo paella or tortilla de patatas (Spanish omelette). There is also room on the menu for a Mexican chicken enchilada with strong hints of coriander and paprika with the offer of healthy fresh Greek or Italian style salad.
The new menu has also included tantalising dishes on its veggie menu. Diners can now choose from Thai green curry or a chickpea and aubergine tagine, combining superfood butternut squash sweetened with cinnamon and complemented by jewelled couscous.
There’s also a Quorn tortilla tower, with red lentils, vegetables and sweet potato, roasted in garlic and herbs, or a fragrant hoisin, BBQ or sweet chilli noodle pot and the choice of a cold dessert treats which include brownies with hidden beetroot, courgette and lemon muffins, reduced sugar flapjack or chocolate crunch, yoghurts and cheesecake filled with cherry, peaches or mandarins, as well as a selection of hot puddings on Wednesday such as berry sponge or apple crumble with custard.
The deli range offers layered salads combining noodles or pasta as well as traditional bloomers, wraps, sandwiches and baguettes alongside crudités of vegetables with dips.
