Chartwells

What’s on the Menu? New School Year Brings Foods Kids Love for Students at Rolla School District

Chartwells K12 is Making Mealtime a School Day Highlight for Students in Rolla

As the school year begins, hard-working cafeteria professionals at Rolla School District are ready to go above and beyond to serve healthy meals to students each day. These school lunch heroes ensure that students leave the cafeteria happier and healthier than when they came in by serving food kids love to eat, offering interactive nutrition education that encourages fun and discovery, and creating a place where students can connect and recharge. 

The start of a new school year presents the perfect opportunity for students to enjoy their favorite meals and try new foods. This year, the value of school lunch is top of mind as families continue to experience inflation and growing food costs at home. In addition to giving kids the chance to try new foods and cut back on food waste, school lunch provides students with healthy, balanced, and safe meals at an affordable price, while saving families time and stress. 

“Nutrition plays a vital role in students' academic performance, overall health, and well-being,” said Christina Craft, Director of Dining Services, Chartwells K12 at Rolla School District. “This year, students can expect to fuel their busy days with favorite menu items and a variety of delicious new recipes.” 

Food Kids Love to Eat

Chartwells’ dedicated team of culinary professionals and nutrition experts has been hard at work crafting a menu that not only meets strict nutritional guidelines, but also appeals to the diverse tastes and preferences of students at Rolla School District. The cafeteria team takes pride in offering healthy food that kids love to eat that will fuel their bodies and minds throughout the day. Students can look forward to meals during the first few weeks of school that include: 

• Breakfast Bowl
• Carne Asada
• Chicken Fajita Cheesesteak Sandwich

Meal Cost & Free and Reduced-Price Meal Applications

For the 2026-27 school year, prices are located on this webpage. Free or Reduced-Price Meals are available again this year to students who qualify for these benefits. All families, regardless of income, are encouraged to complete and submit a short, confidential school meal application prior to the start of the school year to ensure there are no gaps in meal benefits for students who qualify for free or reduced-price meals. Parents or guardians can submit a confidential application online here. It’s an easy and confidential way to ensure children stay well-nourished at school.

Programs that Encourage Fun and Discovery

Chartwells continues to inspire healthy eating habits and spark a culinary curiosity to last a lifetime through fun and engaging programs, including:

• Global Eats: Highlighting the unique ingredients and authentic flavors from cuisines around the world, Global Eats brings a world of flavors to the cafeteria. Our newest signature program takes students on a food exploration that celebrates cultural heritages, traveling through China, India, Italy, Mexico, Korea, and the Caribbean.
• Discovery Kitchen: Designed to make nutrition education fun and entertaining, Chartwells chefs and dietitians have worked together to create curricula that get kids cooking, trying new foods, and learning about what they’re eating. Each month has a different theme, and activities will be adapted for the current meal programs. For example, October is “Seed to Table,” and December is “Spice it Up”. 
• Mood Boost: This innovative program helps elementary and middle school students connect what they eat with how they feel. It features recipes and characters that focus on six moods: Smart, Happy, Confident, Alert, Strong, and Calm.
• Student Choice: Giving junior high and high school students a voice in deciding which food concepts are featured and new menu items that will be available, Student Choice brings the latest food trends to school menus.

Inviting Environments & Happy Cafeterias

Students need a place to eat where they can connect with others, recharge, and enjoy a sense of happiness and a meal with their classmates. All of the cafeterias are getting a new look this year with a Fun Pun concept at the elementary schools. A Pop-Art concept at the intermediate schools. Then the high school and junior high have a Modern design.

Menus and Nutrition Facts at Your Fingertips 

Chartwells K12 continues to bring technology to the forefront of the dining experience to help students and their parents prioritize healthy food choices and understand ingredients so they can help protect children from allergic reactions. Through Nutrislice, an innovative app, students, parents, and faculty have access to school menus, including nutrition information, allergens, and photos. Nutrislice can be downloaded for free from the App Store (iOS) or Google Play (Android) and is available on desktop and mobile devices. Menus are also available under the Menu button on our homepage.

Celebrating School Lunch Heroes

As kids advance from grade to grade with new classes and different teachers, the dedicated lunch ladies and men in the school cafeteria are often one of the few constants throughout the academic journey. Throughout the school year, these heroes of the cafeteria are dedicated to making mealtime a bright spot in a student’s day, ensuring kids throughout the Rolla community are served nourishing meals.

We are always looking for talented individuals to join the dining services team with perks including family-friendly schedules, no night or weekend work, hiring incentives, and more. For more information, visit the Chartwells Careers Website or use the QR Code.

Through sharing their passion for great-tasting food, instilling a sense of food discovery, and most importantly, providing nourishing meals, Chartwells is excited to continue serving up happy and healthy to Rolla School District in the year ahead.

 About Chartwells K12 

Chartwells K12's goal is to make sure students leave the cafeteria happier and healthier than they came in, by serving food kids love to eat and creating custom dining programs. With more than 16,000 associates in 4,500 schools, ranging from large public institutions to small charter and private schools, Chartwells K12 is built on decades of food, education, and operational experience driven by top culinary, nutrition, wellness, and sustainability talent. For more information, visit the ChartwellsK12 website.