Hillsborough student nutrition unveils new menu items, keeps lunch prices steady at many schools

Hillsborough County Public Schools student nutrition officials presented a revamped menu for the new year, new scratch‑cooked items and a districtwide effort to keep prices steady despite rising food costs.

Shaney Hall, identified at the event as the student nutrition general manager, said students voted in a district food show and that new items this year include chicken fajitas, beef teriyaki with Asian rice and Mardi Gras chicken. Hall noted the district served about 2,432,000 slices of pizza last year and described the pizza as a healthy option that remained the most popular item.

Why it matters: School meal choices and prices affect food access for students and household budgets. Officials said 198 schools participate in the Community Eligibility Provision, where lunch is free for all students, and that non‑CEP elementary lunch prices will be $2.25 while middle and high school lunch prices remain $2.75.

Nutrition staff said they held a food show to solicit student preferences and increased scratch cooking to contain costs while maintaining taste and nutrition. Hall singled out district chefs and nutrition staff for helping hold prices steady. “We were able to keep the lunch prices the same,” a nutrition official said.

The district also described parent-facing tools for meal information on the new district website and app. No policy or price votes were taken during the event; the statements summarized nutrition plans for the coming year.