The days of plain, predictable school lunches are fading in some districts. Mystery meat is out. Bolder options like honey chipotle grilled chicken sandwiches are in.
Across the country, school kids are hungry for change. They want spicier, more global flavors — recipes that are as vibrant and diverse as classrooms themselves.
In a survey fielded by Datassential in January and February of this year, 73% of parents said their children had tried new foods in the week prior to when they were polled. Meanwhile, flavors such as hot honey and Nashville hot have grown in popularity by more than 200% and 100%, respectively, in recent years.
“Kids are very savvy now. They know exactly what they want. They are interested in trying new things,” said Sheila Buhse, nutrition director at the South Huntington Union Free School District on Long Island.
Gwinnett County Public Schools in Georgia added menu items including churrasco chicken, ramen and chicken masala to provide students with more options, many of which came directly from student feedback. It also offers hot sauces such as Texas Pete and sriracha, among others.
“Students have asked for more variety, bold flavors, and options that reflect their diverse tastes and dietary needs—and we listened,” said Bernard Watson, Gwinnett County Public Schools director of community and media relations.
The shift isn’t just about turning up the heat. It reflects broader demographic changes and a growing demand for menus that feel more familiar and representative of students’ home cooking and restaurant experiences.
The industry is paying attention. Tyson Foods and food service companies JTM Food Group and Aramark are rolling out new menu items to keep up with students’ cravings. At the same time, school districts like South Huntington are taking note and offering more spicy and globally inspired dishes at lunchtime.
NBC News tasted some of the new spicier and more diverse recipes Tyson Foods is offering customers along with 11 students ages 9 to 17 at Walt Whitman High School in the district.
They tried the company’s mini spicy pimento cheese chicken biscuit, honey chipotle grilled chicken sandwich, steak and poblano bowl, cheesy enchilada bake and saucy spicy southern drumstick with a chipotle garlic parmesan rub.
The pimento cheese chicken biscuit and steak and poblano bowl quickly stood out as crowd favorites.
“If this was like at school, like a lot, I would probably bring money if you could pay to get a second lunch,” Jacob Alfaro, a sixth-grader, said after biting into his biscuit. “This is like 10 out of 10 for me.”
Tyson Foods Executive Chef Steven Bell isn’t surprised to hear that kids are gravitating toward spicier foods. “It’s something that gets the endorphins going.”
Several of the students who thought they didn’t like spicy foods surprised themselves.
” think it’s good to try new spicy stuff. I mean, I usually wouldn’t, but I feel like it’s good to get used to it — maybe try something spicy every once in a while. I feel like I’m kind of venturing out to it, because I wouldn’t usually have spicy, but this is really good,” said sixth-grader Julianne Meijer. “I feel like now I want to try more spicy stuff. I’m excited.”
Not every dish was a hit. The Nashville hot apricot honey sauce served with the southern drumstick was a step too far for some.
“I thought it was gonna be like a really sweet and nice sauce, but then, like five seconds later, it’s like, boom. And everything’s super, super spicy,” said Lilyana Moon who’s in fifth grade.
“It was a little too spicy for me,” said eighth-grader Taylor Young. “I hate spicy foods, like, I could never eat anything spicy.”
Students also want foods that reflect their cultures — and those of their classmates.
“It definitely makes me feel a lot better that I get to have a choice of what I can eat at home, and being able to eat it here at school, and getting to see my peers get to try food from my culture,” said Allison Palacios, whose family is Ecuadorian.
High school senior Lucy Maniatis said she would love to see Greek food in the cafeteria to have an opportunity to share her background with her classmates.
“When you see different foods from different cultures, you understand what your peers are eating at home, and more about your peers,” she said. “It just builds more bonds with your friends.”
These changing tastes come at a time when school lunch prices have gone up — both for those packed at home and packed onto a cafeteria tray.
The average daily cost to pack a student lunch is now $6.15, according to Deloitte. That’s up 3% on average, compared with the start of the 2024 school year.
School districts are also shelling out more — the South Huntington Union Free School District saw an increase of 18% in cost for school lunches last year compared to the prior school year. That’s not tied to spicier or more international recipes, Buhse said, but simply the reality of inflation. She attributes the hike to the increased cost of ingredients such as eggs, meat, cheese and paper goods.
“Pricing depends on a variety of factors but Tyson Foods works with customers to mitigate increases where possible,” a Tyson Foods spokesperson said in response to NBC News’ request for pricing on these new items.
With prices rising and tastes evolving, schools face new challenges, but also new opportunities. When kids’ stomachs are growling, and the lunch bell rings, what they stack onto their tray is just the beginning.
“Food is something that everyone can bond over, and that’s why it’s so important to have that variety in the lunchroom, because I have bonded over food school food with my friends throughout high school, and it’s been really fun to talk about,” said Maniatis.
Meanwhile both Bell and Buhse said they’re going to continue to get feedback from the students — or their “clients,” as Buhse calls them — to keep the knowledge flowing even when the books are closed.
“The cafeteria is a classroom. They’re still learning,” said Bell.
