What's Cooking?

Wondering what’s for Breakfast? 

Every morning your student can get a nutritious start to their day with school breakfast for no-cost. We serve a variety of cold and hot choices along with 100% juice, fresh fruit/vegetable and choice of milk. Students must have 3 components and one must be at least a ½ cup of juice or fruit to qualify as a no-cost meal. Come enjoy breakfast with us every morning! 

Breakfast times are:

• Middle School: 7:00-7:30am 
• High School: 7:10-7:40am 
• HLA and Heights/Longfellow: 7:45-8:10am
• Jefferson and West: 8:00-8:25am 

Farm Fresh and Locally Grown

Did you know that your student’s school meal includes fruits and vegetables that were grown right here in West Michigan? That’s right! We work with a Co-Op of local farmers and distributors to serve locally grown produce that is seasonally fresh. This fall look for Paw-Paw’s (Michigan’s native “banana”) as well as fresh Michigan apples from Gavin Orchards to be served in our cafeterias.

• The town Paw Paw, Michigan is named for this funky fruit as well as town in West Virginia, Kentucky & Oklahoma.   
• The fruit is about 3 to 6 inches long and has a mango-banana-citrus flavor. The best way to eat it is without the skin and to spit the seeds out.
• This fruit is from the largest edible fruit trees native to North America and found from the Great Lakes to Florida.  
• Members of the Lewis & Clark expedition ate pawpaws for pleasure and sustenance. 
• Pawpaws bruise easily and have a short shelf life of two or three days at room temperature. They can be eaten raw, made into smoothies, deserts, salsas and more.  

Come and try one this week at lunchtime!

Food Allergies and Special Diets

Our goal is to provide healthy and nutritious meals for all students! We do our best to provide meal accommodations for those with various restrictions and allergies. These meals can be:

• Gluten-free
• Dairy-free
• Vegan/Vegetarian
• Halal meals
• Peanut or Tree nut-free
• carb and sodium restricted

. If your student requires a special meal accommodation, please complete the special diet request form completely and return it to the Nutrition Services Department or your school secretary.

For the 2024-25 school year, HPS will once again be participating in the Michigan School Meals Program. 

• All HPS students to have one breakfast and one lunch per school day at NO-COST to them. 
• Milk only purchases (all buildings) or à la carte items (high school only) must be paid for at the time of purchase with either cash or funds in their account.

 Any food service related questions can be directed to 616-494-2245.

All families should complete the Education Benefits form.