K-12
52 Accredited Recipe Ideas for Every Week of the Year
10/8/2025
What’s for lunch? It’s the daily question that students have, which means it’s the endless challenge you have to tackle—coming up with new, interesting menu items that will get kids excited. Add in the pressure to also develop new breakfast, snack, and grab-and-go options and it’s no wonder every K-12 operator hits a creative block every so often.
We’re here to help. We’ve developed 52 accredited recipes—one for every week of the year—to help you keep your menu fun and exciting. They feature a wide range of cuisines and flavors, and they’re easy for your team to execute. Whether you use them as-is or put your own twist on them, you are sure to find new student favorites to consider as a permanent part of your menu rotation.
Breakfast Options
- Raspberry Chocolate Energy Bites
These energy bar bites are both sweet and functional, featuring Simple Goodness™ IQF Raspberries with oats, chocolate, and SunButter®.
- Coffee Bar
Give students the coffee drinks they love right in the cafeteria. A selection of colorful coffee drinks combines fruit, sweet cream, and cold brew coffee for a morning or afternoon pick-me-up.
- Avocado Smoothie
A smoothie is a must-have for today’s breakfast or snack menus, with this option offering up plenty of flavor and a wide range of healthy ingredients.
- Raspberry Parfait
Layers of flavors and textures come together in this enticing parfait, which can be a healthy menu option for any time of the day.
- Southwest Sweet Potato Bowl
For a hearty breakfast—or a hearty “breakfast for lunch” option—this bright bowl is actually vegetarian, but it’s packed with flavor and is very filling.
- Flame-Roasted Fuji Apple Parfait
How do you level up the flavor of a traditional fruit parfait? Swap in RoastWorks® Flame-Roasted Fuji Apples, giving this breakfast or afternoon snack option a tender, richer flavor profile.
- Blueberry Parfait
Students love berries, so combine Simple Goodness™ Blueberries with a traditional flavor pairing—lemon yogurt—in this breakfast or snack option.
- Roasted Apple Overnight Oats
Start students’ days off right with a comforting, hearty breakfast of overnight oats featuring roasted apples and vanilla yogurt.
- Dairy-Free Smoothie Bowl
We made the colorful smoothie bowl even lighter by focusing on pureed fruit and omitting the dairy, giving students an even healthier way to begin the day.
- Apple and Sausage Pancake Muffins
Flex your creativity and turn a wide range of breakfast favorites—apples, potatoes, sausage—into an on-the-go, scratch-made morning treat.
- On-the-Go Bagel Kit
Personalization goes portable in this breakfast kit that features everything a student might need to create a flavorful, well-balanced loaded bagel.
- Bagel Breakfast Sandwich
A bagel breakfast sandwich has become a classic for a reason, giving students the filling, on-the-go option they need to get through the day.
- Peacamole Toast
This bright green breakfast option takes avocado toast in a new direction with the addition of tender peas and rich hard-boiled eggs (and the name is pretty fun, too).
- Egg and Potato Bites
Egg bites have become an on-trend, protein-filled breakfast snack at restaurants and retail. Now you can bring them to your students with your own homemade version.
- Big Breakfast Burrito
When students need a hearty breakfast option that will fill them up until lunch, these hefty breakfast burritos filled with Tater Pals™ Savory Loops are just the answer.
Lunch Options
- Garden Pizza
A healthier take on an indulgent favorite is always a winner for students. Consider this garden pizza, which tops a whole wheat flatbread with options like spinach, peppers, and onions.
- Street Corn Chicken Sandwich
This balanced meal gets a street food-inspired spin with a flavorful chicken sandwich that riffs on the flavors of Mexican street corn.
- Cheesy Corn and Buffalo Chicken Bake
This comforting, cheesy dish may become a new signature item in your cafeteria, packing in plenty of flavor, plus it’s easy to make and scale depending on the number of students you are feeding.
- Arroz Con Pollo
For a take on the traditional Spanish arroz con pollo, opt for labor-saving options like Simplot Good Grains™ Brown Rice and RoastWorks® Flame-Roasted Sweet Corn & Peppers.
- Baby Bakers™ and Butter Chicken
Chicken, potatoes, and a lot of flavor—what’s not to like? With spices like cumin and garam masala and rich ingredients like sour cream and yogurt, this will quickly become a student favorite.
- Gobbler Bowl
Celebrate Thanksgiving—or the comfort of a Thanksgiving meal year-round—with this Gobbler Bowl featuring traditional favorites like turkey, cranberries, and gravy in an all-in-one bowl.
- Lattice Pizza Fries
Pizza and fries? This is sure to become a new student favorite, combining two of their favorite options in a vegetarian lunch option.
- Apple and Chicken Sausage Pasta
This wholesome pasta option is a little bit savory and a little bit sweet, combining turkey sausage with apples, peppers, and onions.
- Roasted Corn Pudding Casserole
Creamy and comforting, this rustic casserole is a go-to side or even main option, showcasing the sweet, toasty flavor of RoastWorks® Flame-Roasted Corn.
- Sweet Pizza
Kids go crazy for any pizza and this option leans into the sweet flavor profile of veggies like corn and sweet potatoes for a colorful, balanced lunch.
- Philly Grilled Cheese with Crinkle Cut Fries
Take inspiration from a regional American favorite—Philly cheesesteak—in this super-savory sandwich.
- BBQ in a Box
For a summery option—or a warming lunch choice in the colder months—transform BBQ into an easy-to-grab meal with this BBQ in a Box featuring a pulled pork slider (or two for bigger kids), a side of flame-roasted corn, and SIDEWINDERS™ Junior Cut Fries.
- Build a Burrito Bowl
Let students create their perfect lunch option with a build-your-own burrito bowl bar, showcasing a wide range of ingredients that kids can mix-and-match to their own tastes.
- Southwest BBQ Chicken Pizza
Italy meets the Southwestern U.S. in this best-of-both-worlds pizza, combining lots of crunchy veggies with tangy BBQ sauce.
- Corn and Potato Chowder
When the weather gets a little chilly, give students a warm, comforting option with this creamy soup featuring plenty of corn and potatoes.
- Loaded No Mac and Cheese
It’s no secret that kids love mac and cheese, but it’s also no secret that it can often be heavy with calories and fat. This twist subs in Simple Goodness™ Riced Cauliflower for a lighter take.
- Beef Birria Loaded Tater Gems®
Give students one of the trendiest options on menus today with beef birria, but add a twist. Load up Simplot Traditional Tater Gems® with seasoned ground beef, cheese, onions, cilantro, and Harvest Fresh® Western Guacamole.
Global Flavors
- Combo Orange Chicken Plate
Asian-inspired options are on-trend picks for many students today. This crispy orange chicken option is paired with rice and veggies for a healthier version of a take-out favorite.
- Chicken and Vegetable Pancit
Looking to introduce students to new globally-inspired options? Filipino pancit, or stir-fried noodles, is packed with veggies and a soy-ginger sauce that takes the flavor to the next level.
- Noodle Bar
Give the traditional pasta bar an Asian-inspired twist with this noodle bar featuring a range of veggies alongside chicken and a warm, flavorful ginger-soy broth.
- Paella
Traditional Spanish paella becomes a kid-friendly rice option with chicken, veggies, and Simple Goodness™ Riced Cauliflower.
- Cauliflower Stir Fry Bowl
This bold bowl is a comforting global favorite without the excess fat and carbs. A base of Simple Goodness™ Riced Cauliflower is amped up with peas and carrots and topped with sweet-and-spicy orange chicken.
- Chicken Adobo Bowl
Students will love the wide range of flavors and textures in this Latin-inspired bowl—chicken, grains, corn, a richly-flavored adobo sauce, and a final topping of mango.
- Pad Thai Rice
Give students a flavorful take on Pad Thai featuring rice, veggies, chicken, a little spice from sriracha, and a crunch from peanuts.
- Carnitas Bowl
This flavorful bowl option rivals anything students can get from a local fast-casual chain, topping nutty brown rice with marinated pork and RoastWorks® Flame-Roasted Peppers & Onions Blend.
- Greek Salad with Grains, Falafel and Tzatziki
Give students a vibrant twist on a Mediterranean classic with this Greek salad featuring crunchy plant-based falafel. It’s easy to prepare with Good Grains™ Orzo, Red Quinoa, and Vegetable Blend.
- Southwest Chicken Pita
No boring sandwiches here. This stuffed pita duo is packed with crunchy veggies, flavorful seasoned chicken, rich guacamole, and bold salsa.
- Beef Picadillo Fiesta Rice Bowl
Comforting yet unique at the same time, this rich rice bowl features layer upon layer of flavor.
- Avocado Toast Bar
Challenge your students to make their own social media-ready avocado toast creation at this build-your-own bar option featuring options like guacamole, corn, and mango.
Snacks and Sides
- Mini Fried Rice Cups
These handheld cups are perfect for snacking or on-the-go eating, combining rice, veggies, and eggs in a fun form factor.
- JR’s Gravy Fries
This indulgent, comforting take on Canadian poutine is a unique option for today’s students, combining Tater Pals™ Crinkle Cut Wedge Fries with RoastWorks® Flame-Roasted Corn & Jalapeño Blend.
- Wild-Style Burger and Secret Sauce Animal Fries
This burger combo is nothing but craveable flavor, topping a burger patty (opt for turkey or beef) with Simple Goodness™ Caramelized-Style Onions, cheese, and your very own secret sauce.
- Japanese BBQ Fries
Take a student favorite—fries—in a new, globally-inspired direction with Japanese ingredients and flavors, including a tangy ginger-soy sauce.
- Sweet Potato, Corn and Black Bean Quesadilla
A balanced meal option that kids will love? It can be done. This cheesy quesadilla amps up the flavor with plenty of veggie fillings.
- Veggie Fajita
Kids love a make-your-own option. This veggie-focused take on a fajita eliminates all of the chopping and sautéing, making it an easy-to-execute twist for Taco Tuesday.
- Secret Sauce Animal Fries
The secret to these fries are the bold flavors that take them to the next level, giving students the exciting flavors they want today.
- Dill Pickle Cheeseburger Quesadilla
The dill pickle trend is everywhere, so give students something unexpected yet approachable with a dill pickle-flavored quesadilla mashed up with another familiar favorite: the cheeseburger.
Did you make one of the recipes above? Put your own twist on it? Did students love one of these options? We’d love to hear your story–share it with us here.
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