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.