February 2026

For students at Dr. Franklin Perkins School in Lancaster, the 2025-26 school year has been an opportunity to explore new global cuisines, with passports and stickers in hand. One destination has been Mexico, where students enjoyed Pulled Pork Pozole (recipe). Pozole is one of Mexico’s most traditional dishes dating back to pre-Hispanic times, alongside Arroz y Frijoles (“rice and beans”) a cornerstone of everyday Mexican cuisine, and elote (Mexican street corn (recipe)). This tray proudly features local ingredients including corn, bell peppers, and onions from Harper’s Farm and cucumbers from World Farmers in Lancaster, MA, sweet snack peppers from Ward’s Berry Farm in Sharon, MA, poblano peppers from Silverwood Organic Farm in Sherborn, MA, Gala apples from Bolton Orchards in Bolton, MA and homegrown scallions from a staff member’s home in Clinton, MA. What a delicious way to explore the world, one lunch tray at a time! Check out Food Service Director Danielle Sprague’s February lunch menu for more inspiration.

January 2026

Walpole Public Schools is ringing in the new year with a seasonally inspired Roasted Vegetable, Parmesan Crisp Kale Salad (Recipe), complete with local apple slices celebrating January’s Harvest of the Month crop. This colorful salad features Brussels sprouts and carrots from Joe Czajkowski Farm in Hadley, MA, its apple from Brookdale Fruit Farm in Hollis, NH and focaccia bread from the Maine-based company The Good Crust, which sources local whole grains from farmers across the region. Fresh flavors, local foods, and a Parmesan crisp that really seals the meal—talk about starting the year with a crunch!

December 2025

Arlington Public School’s Khmer curry tray not only puts Cambodia on the map for its students but honors the Cambodian school nutrition professionals in Arlington that make school lunch possible every day. Khmer curry (recipe) is a coconut-based dish traditionally served to celebrate Cambodian New Year (observed in April). Known as somlar kari, Khmer curry is milder and sweeter than Thai curries and gets its primary flavor from a fragrant paste called kroeung, made from a variety of herbs and spices. Arlington’s school nutrition team grounded their dish in local sweet potatoes and carrots from Joe Czajkowski Farm in Hadley, MA and local cauliflower from Kitchen Garden Farm in Sunderland, MA. A local donut peach from Pine Hill Orchards in Colrain, MA rounds out the plate. For more fresh ideas, check out Arlington’s December school lunch menu.

November 2025

We’re delighted for Northampton Public Schools’  Terrific Tray this November, featuring the new field fritter developed by Commonwealth Kitchen is made with organic yellow field peas grown at Aurora Mills & Farm in Aroostook County, Maine, a family-owned farm that practices regenerative land management. These field peas also serve as a cover crop that restores soil health. Rounding out this school lunch are carrot sticks from Joe Czajkowski Farm in Hadley, MA, an apple from Klein’s Kill Fruit Farms in Germantown, NY, lettuce from Little Leaf Farms in Shirley, MA as well as Northampton’s new house-made tzatziki and allergen free hummus made with sunbutter instead of tahini. For more fresh ideas, follow Northampton on Facebook & Instagram (@eatfreshampton). The field pea fritter featured here is part of the Partnerships for Local Agriculture & Nutrition Transformation in Schools (PLANTS) Grant program, which is funded by the USDA Food & Nutrition Service Healthy Meals Incentives Initiative and is administered by the Chef Ann Foundation.

October 2025

Congratulations Waltham School Nutrition for winning the October 2025 Terrific Tray! Waltham Public School students enjoyed a Southwest-inspired chicken enchilada alongside cilantro-lime rice, fire-roasted peppers, and southwest black bean and corn salad. This zesty dish, courtesy of the Waltham High School Nutrition Team – Tanja Peterson, Isabel Lopez, and Jen Paul – features onions from Abrantie Farm in Stow and Boxborough, MA, as well as cilantro and shishito peppers from Applefield Farm in Stow, MA. Mango wedges and strawberries rounded out the plate – this school lunch is a wrap – literally! For more fresh ideas, follow Waltham updates on Facebook (@WalthamSchoolNutrition) and Instagram (@walthamschoolnutritionk12).

September 2025

Kicking off SY25-26, Lincoln Public Schools is keeping it cool with a fresh Turkey Ramen Bowl. School Nutrition Director Kelly Haley and her team crafted this light, flavorful dish with plenty of New England produce including carrots from Joe Czajkowski Farm in Hadley, MA, portobello mushrooms from My County Mushrooms in Gardner, MA, lettuce from Little Leaf Farms in Shirley, MA and broccoli from Harvesting Good and Circle B Farms in Caribou, ME. For a little extra spice, Golden Pumpkin Craic Sauce, produced in Lowell, MA, was available to students on the side. Follow Lincoln Public Schools Food & Nutrition on Facebook.

April 2025

Brookline Public Schools students dove into a delicious and sustainable meal featuring Northcoast Seafood’s “seaweed -ish” kelp meatballs drizzled with boom-boom sauce. Sasha Palmer, Brookline Food Service Director, and her team made waves with their spread of cilantro-lime rice, rainbow carrots roasted with oil and thyme, fresh salad and bright orange wedges. In addition to kelp meatballs, featured local foods include the crinkle carrots sourced from Joe Czajkowski Farm in Hadley, MA, the lettuce from Little Leaf Farms in Shirley, MA, and the cilantro and thyme from Brookline’s very own indoor terraponic growing system. This meal was shore to please! One additional ingredient to Brookline’s success is the district’s school wellness policy which centers program goals for serving plant-based, freshly-prepared and minimally processed foods that are locally- and regionally-sourced, when possible. Follow @brooklinefoodservice on Instagram for more school meal inspiration!

March 2025

Smith Vocational  and Agricultural High School (SVAHS)’s food service director, Heather Bouley & her lunch bunch crew have put together a wonderful tray ft. 7 (!!!) different local fruits and veggies, incl. tomatoes & squash from Bardwell Farm, and cucumbers and cauliflower from Plainville Farms. Their Mediterranean chicken gyro included romaine lettuce grown by SVAHS’s horticulture dept. And they’re celebrating March’s Harvest of the Month: Diary by serving feta from Maplebrook Farm and Greek yogurt from Cabot, VT.

February 2025

Everett Public Schools served an acai bowl packed with yogurt, granola, and fresh fruit. Chef Raymon Lebron and his team paired this meal with a honeycrisp apple from Carlson Orchards and quinoa kale salad with hyper local kale from Everett Community Growers. This tray is the perfect blend of local, nutritious and colorful ingredients! For more school meal ideas, check out Everett’s menus. 

January 2025

Falmouth Public Schools has taken local to the next level with their Tamale Pie (Recipe:) featuring Falmouth-grown kale in honor of November’s Harvest of the Month. Kale was sourced from Coonamessett Farm, Peach Tree Circle Farm, and from Falmouth’s very own school garden. Cook Manager Amy Keefe and her team at Mullen Hall Elem. School served the tamale pie with applesauce, veggies, and hummus. For more inspiration, you can view the food service team’s photo slideshow, and their January menus.

December 2024

Ralph C. Mahar Regional School District (Orange, MA) is bringing a local, fall twist to a cafeteria classic. Food Service Director Katrina Bressani & her team prepared Koginut squash (cross b/w kabocha and butternut) from Wards Berry Farm (Sharon, MA) and baked it with marinara, mozzarella, basil, and parmesan. Their Squash Parmesan was served with a salad featuring tomatoes from Backyard Farms (Madison, ME), whole wheat garlic knot, and a Bosc pear grown at Yonder Farms (Albany, NY). Check out Mahar’s upcoming December menu for more seasonal ideas. 

November 2024

 Seekonk Public Schools is rolling out something special with Chartwell’s Teriyaki Chicken Sushi Roll! Chef Steve DaFonseca and his team served their sushi with a cucumber tomato citrus salad featuring cucumbers and tomatoes from Ward’s Berry Farm (Sharon, MA). Paired with a crisp edamame carrot slaw, this meal is a hit! Check out Director DaFonseca’s upcoming November lunch menu for inspiration. 

October 2024

Wilmington Public Schools students are enjoying roasted local chicken (recipe) and summer vegetables this fall. Wilmington Food Service Director Mary Palen and her team sourced rotisserie chicken from Nallie Pastures in Dracut, MA, corn on the cob from Northern Valley Farms in Granby, CT, romaine lettuce from CT Food 4 Thought in Torrington, CT and apples from Blue Hills Orchard in Wallingford, CT. Follow Wilmington School Nutrition on Facebook, X, and Instagram (@cafewildcat_)!

September 2024

Springfield Public Schools’ Chicken Caesar Salad (Recipe) is kicking off the school year with crispy Little Leaf Lettuce grown year-round in Devens, MA in a hydroponic greenhouse! Students at Springfield’s High School of Commerce had the opportunity to customize their salad with such toppings as cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, baby carrots, croutons, diced chicken, and cheese. A pear, orange and scratch made Ceasar dressing round out the tray. Follow Home Grown Springfield on Facebook and Instagram @homegrownsps for more program updates!

2023-2024 Tray of the Year: Littleton Public Schools*

*Voted on by school communities & beyond around Massachusetts. 

Monthly Winners

April 2024

Belmont Public Schools’ fish tacos are a catch when offering students a taste of local New England seafood. As part of Boston fishery, Red’s Best  “Catch of the Day” program, Food Service Director Jackie Morgan receives fresh fish including haddock, pollock, hake, and fluke monthly based on what is caught in abundance off New England’s shoreline. The featured hake was served with lettuce from Little Leaf Farms (Devens, MA), with apples from Carlson Orchards (Harvard, MA) and a noodle salad made with sweet potatoes and beets sourced from Joe Czajkowski Farm (Hadley, MA). Follow Belmont’s menu updates on Facebook  and read more about their sea-inspired offerings in the Spring 2024 issue of Edible Boston.

March 2024

Pittsfield Public Schools perfected a school meal classic serving up a beef meatball sub on a whole grain hoagie with scratch made marinara sauce  and a side of roasted butternut squash from Plainville Farms in Hadley, MA. To complete the tray, Food Service Director Jeremy Wells and staff procured local Cortland apples from Pine Hill Orchards in Colrain, MA and made a scratch buttermilk ranch dressing to compliment their tossed salad. Follow their updates on Instagram (@pittsfieldfoodservices) and check out their upcoming March middle school lunch menu for ideas!

February 2024

The Dr. Franklin Perkins School (@RFKCommunity) in Lancaster learned about traditions celebrated during Kwanzaa (Menu) as part of the holiday edition of “World Lunch Day.” World Lunch Day is a global cuisines project, which also featured Hanukkah & Holiday Movie themed meals. Food Service Director Danielle Sprague & her team prepared a scratch-cooked meal of jerk chicken sourced from Kalon Farms in Lancaster, just one mile from campus. Her tray also included black eyed peas, jollof rice, bacon braised collard greens, and mini sweet potato pie bites, and bulk milk. Check out Dir. Sprague’s February lunch menu for inspiration.

January 2024

Belchertown Public Schools is serving beef stew this winter, sourcing beef directly from Austin Ridge Acres, a woman-owned farm in Belchertown, MA. This robust stew includes potatoes, onions, carrots and garlic, with thyme sourced from Swift River Elementary School’s garden within the district! Department of Defense (DOD) broccoli, cauliflower and carrots add color on the side, and garlic bread, 1%milk, plum, and orange slices round out the tray. Follow Belchertown’s updates on Facebook (@btownschoolmeals) and Instagram (@Btown_school_meals). 

December 2023

Acton Boxborough celebrated the fall season with cinnamon delicata smiles sourced from Plainville Farms in Hadley, MA along with delicious local apples from Carlson Orchards in Harvard, MA. The Acton Boxborough High School food service team – Kevin, Patrick, Amy, Noppy, and Rosario – served up these local bites with chicken parmesan pasta, a garlic breadstick and a freshly tossed salad. Follow their updates on Facebook (@ABFoodServices1) and X (@ABFoodServices1) as well as on Instagram (@abfoodservices)!

November 2023

Waltham Public Schools students tested a new, fun-gi focused school lunch, a grilled cheese with local mushrooms from Fat Moon Farm in Westford, MA as well as spinach from Queens Greens in Amherst, MA, paired with a summer squash, zucchini medley (top left) grown just down the road at Waltham Fields Community Farm. Chef Tanja Peterson from Waltham High School dreamed up this mixed mushroom grilled cheese sandwich recipe with Food Service Director April Liles. Together they plan to continue experimenting with other cheeses, breads, veggies and sauces for added menu variety. Follow their updates on Facebook (@WPSNutritionK12) and X (@WPSnutritionK12) as well as Instagram (@walthamschoolnutritionk12)!

October 2023

Littleton Public Schools students enjoyed a chicken fajita bowl jam-packed with local eats! Leah Botko (she/her), Littleton Food Service Director, and team sourced heirloom tomatoes for their mozzarella cheese, balsamic, tomato stack from Wards Berry Farm in Sharon, MA, cherry tomatoes complimenting the tex mex corn salad (recipe) from Stonefield Farm in Acton, MA and crispy apples from Fairview Orchard in Groton, MA. Shout out to the delicious self-serve produce bar featured behind the tray. Follow them on Facebook (@LPSNutritionMA) and X (@LPS_NutritionMA) as well as Instagram (@littletonmalunches)!

September 2023

Chicopee Public School students enjoyed potato wedges and pickle spears grown and processed at Joe Czajkowski Farm in Hadley, MA. The Chicopee FRESH team used this Potato Wedge recipe from Food Hero/Oregon Harvest for Schools, and credits in the “starchy” vegetable subgroup, while pickle spears credit in the “other” vegetable subgroup. In this case, they are served as a delicious extra, complementing Chicopee Fresh’s bacon swiss burgers served by Jackie McCollaum at Chicopee Comprehensive High School.