As housing costs and inflationary pressures rise, the Hillsborough County school district is doubling down on its commitment to student nutrition, providing free breakfast for all students and free lunch for students at all but 31 of the district’s 217 traditional schools and centers.
“We try to find every way to get our kids fed,” said Shani Hall, the school district’s general manager for school nutrition. “Our kids are coming to school hungry, and a hungry child can’t learn.”
Meanwhile, menus for the 2025-26 school year have been updated. Based on a taste-testing event with students earlier this year, new menu items include southern chicken bites, hummus vegan wrap, Cajun chicken salad and teriyaki beef with fried rice pagoda. Fan favorites remain, including pizza, cheeseburgers and pasta. As for the popcorn chicken bowl with mashed potatoes? “That’s been around forever,” Hall said. “It’s not going anywhere.”…