Planning A School Menu
1. What criteria is used to plan our menus?
When creating a menu and staying within our guidelines, we try to find a good balance between the student favorites as well as expanding their taste buds with different foods. Other things that we have to include in our planning are budget, product availability (all of our products must be made in America!) staffing, skill levels, kitchen equipment, timeliness etc.
2. What guidelines must be adhered to?
We follow the rules and regulations set by the USDA for the NSBP and NSLP. These programs help ensure healthy and age-appropriate meals. It requires us to be within certain ranges in regard to sugar, salt, calories and fat. We are also required to provide whole grains, meat or meat alternates, fruit, vegetables, and milk every day. The vegetables must represent all the different categories each week, dark greens, red/orange, legumes, starchy and others.
3. How long does it take to finalize our menu?
By early spring the menu is mostly decided for the upcoming school year. It will take most of the summer break to develop the menu. We make updates to the menu throughout the school year as well, to keep the students excited about the lunchroom. In Fall, Winter, and Spring we introduce new items and include the "loved" items as well.
4. What is our main goal?
To provide healthy, exciting, flavorful meals that will nourish the students throughout the day.
5. What are some of our student's favorite meals?
Some of their favorites are Nachos, Pizza, and Chicken Nuggets. Breakfast for lunch and Orange Chicken are popular as well.
6. How has scratch cooking changed the nutrition in a meal served?
It will enhance the meals in regard to flavor, which is easier when building a meal from scratch. Also, it lets us provide less processed foods. Fun and creativity are side effects, which we want to encourage!
7. What else is going on in Food Services?
To learn what the students would like to have on the menu we try to survey them in different ways. Recently we had a district wide competition where each school kitchen manager created an entree that will be considered for our Winter menu. Students from each school level joined us to taste and select their favorite choices. Our Superintendent Mr. Mapes, Mr. Orr, Board members and several teachers and administrators. We will announce the winner after fall break. We also offer alternative meals to students with allergies and diet preferences. We are always looking for ways to be accommodating and provide diverse and culturally inclusive options.
1st Semester Department of Health Inspections
At Hamilton Southeastern School we take food safety seriously and it shows! We are proud to announce our 1st semester Department of Health Inspection scores.
Congratulations to the following schools who have obtained a perfect 100% on their Health Department Inspections!
It takes a TEAM and we appreciate all who made this happen.
Cumberland Road Elementary
Fishers Elementary
Fishers Junior High
Harrison Parkway Elementary
Hoosier Road Elementary
Lantern Road Elementary
New Britton Elementary
Sand Creek Intermediate
Thorpe Creek Elementary
Southeastern Elementary
Hamilton Southeastern Intermediate Junior High
Riverside Intermediate
Riverside Junior High
Hamilton Southeastern High School
Fall Creek Junior High
Fall Creek Elementary
Fishers High School
Durbin Elementary/Focus
Deer Creek Elementary
A very honorable mention to the following schools that scored a 95% A rating and above.
Fall Creek Intermediate
Brooks School Elementary
Global Flavors
Exploring global flavors is like taking a culinary journey around the world! Each cuisine has its own unique ingredients, spices, and techniques that tell a story of culture and tradition.
Each month we feature a menu item from different regions of the globe for our students to taste and experience.
September Paella from Spain
Paella is a well-known Spanish dish of rice, meat, seafood, and vegetables, cooked in a flat, round pan called a paellera. The name comes from the pan itself, which is pronounced "paella" in the Valencian dialect. Here are some things to know about paella
October Jamaican Chicken Curry from Jamaica
While curried goat is often the more celebrated Jamaican dish, curried chicken is a simpler yet equally delicious staple. Curries appear in the Jamaican diet courtesy of East Indian indentured laborers who were brought from India by the British to work on plantations after the end of slavery.
November Thanksgiving Meal from America
Traditional foods include turkey, stuffing, gravy, sweet potatoes, cornbread, mashed potatoes, and cranberry sauce. Many people serve pie for dessert at the end of the meal. Popular pie flavors are pumpkin, pecan, sweet potato, and apple.
December Empanadas from Argentina and South America
An empanada is a stuffed bread or pastry baked or fried in many countries of Latin America and the south of Europe. The name comes from the verb empanar, meaning to wrap or coat in bread. Empanada is made by folding a dough or bread patty around the stuffing.
Harvest of the Month
"Harvest of the Month" highlights seasonal fruits and vegetables, showcasing what's fresh and in-season each month. This initiative promotes our students discovery of new recipes and ways to enjoy these ingredients.
September Corn
Corn is a healthy grain and source of fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. It may promote eye and digestive health. Refined corn products, however, such as tortilla chips, offer fewer health benefits. Also known as maize, corn is one of the world's most popular cereal grains.
October Figs
High in fiber, promoting digestive health. Rich in antioxidants. May support healthy blood pressure. A good source of bone-friendly minerals.
November Pomegranates
People have enjoyed pomegranates since ancient times for their health benefits. They have powerful antioxidants that can help protect the health of your heart, kidneys, and gut microbiome. They may also help protect you from Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and some cancers.
December Collard Greens
Nutrition. Collard greens are rich in potassium, which is important for regulating your heartbeat, helping your muscles contract, and balancing out the effect of salt on your body. Collard greens also have a low glycemic index rating, which means they won't cause your blood sugar to spike after eating.
How to check the status of your free or reduced application status
When your application is processed a message will be sent to your Skyward family access wall and email. You can also find this information in Skyward family access by navigating to the food services tab and finding your student's lunch type.
How to check your student's account balance
Our Food Services department sends negative balance emails every Friday to alert you that your student's lunch account has gone negative. However you can view your student's account balance in Skyward family access under the Food Services tab any time to prevent this.
Free or reduced applications are always accepted after July 1st. Don't forget to apply.
Each school year a new application must be on file to continue receiving meal benefits. Instructions on how to apply electronically via Skyward and paper applications are available at hseschools.org under Food Services.
Please note if your student(s) qualifies for Direct Certification from the state, you will not be able to submit an application through Skyward. This is due to your student(s) already qualifying for meal benefits.
Breakfast and Lunch Menus
Breakfast and Lunch menus can be found on the Food Services section of our district website at hseschools.org. Select your student's school and the menu will generate. A separate printable menu will not be posted on our page as items listed are subject to change based on availability. Check the online menu or app for the most current information.
What is included in a student breakfast meal?
It is important to note that even if your student doesn't have the funds in their account, a Meal Deal is never denied.
A breakfast Meal Deal consists of at least three and no more than four items. One item must be a 1/2 cup of fruit and/or vegetable to qualify as a Meal Deal. A juice can be a fruit at breakfast however due to sugar content, only one juice can be included in a Meal Deal.
If your student is receiving free or reduced lunch it's important to encourage your student to take the correct components to qualify for meal benefits.
What is included in a student lunch meal?
It is important to note that even if your student doesn't have the funds in their account, a Meal Deal is never denied.
A Meal Deal consists of at least three components but can be up to five. One component must be a 1/2 cup of fruit and/or vegetable to qualify as a Meal Deal. The five components consist of a whole grain, protein, vegetable, fruit, and a milk.
To build your Meal Deal you must first select an entree which contains two of the five components. Then a 1/2 cup of fruit and/or vegetable must be taken. Milk is optional but is included if your student chooses to take one. Although there are several different ways to make a lunch meal deal, for a truly nutritious meal choose all five!
If your student is receiving free or reduced lunch it's important to encourage your student to take the correct components to qualify for meal benefits.
You child's student ID number is the same as their lunch number
Please encourage your student to memorize their Student ID number. This number will stay with them until graduation and is used in many areas of the school. Memorizing this number also aids in faster service through the lunch line. This number can be found in Skyward under the Food Services tab.
A la Carte Purchases
A la Carte items cost extra and are not included in a Meal Deal. Student accounts would need to have the available funds to cover this cost in their lunch accounts. Meal Deal purchases will always be sold and available regardless of a student's account balance. You can track student purchases and account balances under the Food Services tab in Skyward.
Questions??
Please reach out to the cafeteria manager at your child's school.
Making eFunds payments
Did you know you can fund your student's lunch account electronically? Click the link in the picture to access our eFunds portal or go to hseschools.org and navigate to the Food Services section. You will need your student's name and ID number to set up a payment. Be sure to click Fund Lunch to ensure your payments go to your student's lunch account. Please note electronic payments include a processing fee and can take up to 48 to post.
Don't want to pay the fee?
You can always send in cash or a check with your student. Be sure include the student's name and ID number with the payment to ensure the funds are applied to the correct account.
Unused Food Service funds will stay in a student's account from year to year. If you are needing to transfer funds from one student to another please email tluce@hse.k12.in.us with the details of the transfer of funds.
Setting up Low Balance Alerts in Skyward
Although the Food Services department sends out negative balance emails every Friday, a low balance alert is available for you to turn on in Skyward to prevent your student's account from going into the negative. This alert will notify you via email or text any time your student's Food Services account is below $10.00. Log in to Skyward and navigate to My Account. Under My Account navigate to the section labeled Email Notifications then check the box that reads Receive Notifications when Food Service Balance is under $10.00. After you have checked this box, choose how you would like to receive the notification. Click Save and you're done.
