New Menu Ideas

Industry Standard Food Service · Jefferson County Contract · All items available from current vendors — no new vendors required

9 Hot Lunch Ideas 4 Breakfast Ideas 5 Dinner / Sandwich Ideas 6 Dessert & Side Ideas
Total Ideas
24
across 4 categories
Lowest Cost
$0.04/srv
Gelatin (Jell-O)
Cheapest Hot Lunch
$0.15/srv
Navy Bean Soup / Lentil Soup
Cheapest Sandwich
$0.18/srv
PB&J
Vendors
SHV · PFG
No new vendors needed
Hot Lunch Entrées 9 items · sorted by cost
Item Cost/Srv Ingredients / Case Specs Notes
Navy Bean Soup
~$0.15
Beans Dry Navy 50# — Shaver $36.49
Carrots Sliced Frozen 20# — Shaver $14.34
Chicken Base — Shaver $13.34 · Cornbread (existing)
Lowest cost hot lunch — high protein, serve with cornbread
Lentil Soup
~$0.15
Beans Dry Lentil 50# — Shaver $49.26
Carrots Sliced Frozen 20# — Shaver $14.34
Chicken Base — Shaver $13.34
Tied for cheapest — very high fiber and protein, serve with cornbread
Pasta Marinara
~$0.20
Rotini or Ziti 2/10 LB — Shaver $13.73
Tomato Sauce 6/#10 — Shaver $28.89
Diced Tomatoes 6/#10 — Shaver $30.36
Under $0.20/serving — add TVP to boost protein when budget allows
Red Beans & Rice
~$0.22
Pinto Beans Dry 50 LB — PFG $25.67
Parboiled Rice 50 LB — PFG $26.38
Sausage crumble (existing)
High protein and fiber, dirt cheap per serving — classic Southern staple
Southern Beans & Rice Bowl
~$0.22
Great Northern Beans Dry 50# — Shaver $39.00
Parboiled Rice 50 LB — PFG $26.38
Sausage crumble (existing)
Flavorful, filling, dirt cheap per serving
Mac & Cheese
~$0.28
Elbow Macaroni 2/10 LB — Shaver $13.10
Cheese Sauce 6/#10 — Shaver $48.12
One of the cheapest hot lunches possible — universally popular, zero waste
Chili Mac
~$0.32
TVP Beef Chunks 25# — Shaver $60.46
Elbow Macaroni 2/10 LB — Shaver $13.10
Diced Tomatoes 6/#10 — Shaver $30.36
Tomato Sauce 6/#10 — Shaver $28.89
TVP doubles as a beef extender — hearty, filling, under $0.35/serving
Bean & Cheese Burrito Plate
$0.54
Bean & Cheese Burritos 80/4oz — Shaver $43.40
Parboiled Rice 50 LB — PFG $26.38
Tomato Sauce (salsa) — Shaver $28.89
Fully turnkey, zero prep — no cooking equipment needed
Chicken Corn Dog Plate
$0.67
Corn Dog Chicken 72/2.5oz — Shaver $48.45
Mixed Vegetables 30# — Shaver $26.75
Cornbread (existing)
Simple, fast, universally popular — no prep required
New Breakfast Options 4 items
Item Cost/Srv Ingredients / Case Specs Notes
Pancake Day
$0.16
Shaver Pancake 144/1.2oz — $23.08/case
Syrup 4gal — Shaver $15.83 (+$0.02/serving)
Replaces bread slice one morning/week — add syrup for under $0.18 total
Waffle Day
$0.16
Shaver Waffle 12/12/1.25oz — $22.97/case
Same cost as pancakes, different texture — easy rotation variety
French Toast
$0.28
Shaver French Toast 144/1.5oz — $40.09/case
Slightly higher cost but a distinct, popular offering
Oatmeal with Raisins
+$0.04
Existing oatmeal + Shaver Raisins 30# ($61.59)
Adds nutrition and variety to current oatmeal days with minimal added cost
Cold / Sandwich Dinner Options 5 items · sorted by cost
Item Cost/Srv Ingredients / Case Specs Notes
PB&J
~$0.18
Peanut Butter (existing) + Jelly 200ct — Shaver $9.53 + Bread (existing)
Lowest cost dinner option — keep as a budget anchor night in rotation
Bologna & Mustard Sandwich
~$0.25
Shaver Bologna Logs Chik 3/8# — $39.02/cs ($1.63/lb)
Bread Pullman (existing) + Mustard (existing)
One of the cheapest protein sandwiches available — slices easily at scale
Salami Sandwich
~$0.40
Salami (existing rotation) + Bread Pullman (existing) + Mustard (existing)
Already on current rotation — maintain as one of the weekly nights
Turkey & Mustard Sandwich
~$0.45
Turkey deli meat (existing) + Bread Pullman (existing)
Mustard / Mayo (existing)
Clean, familiar protein — switch bread to Shaver for per-oz savings
Chicken Salad Sandwich
~$0.50
Shaver canned/pouch chicken + Mayo (existing)
Bread Pullman (existing)
Cold prep, no equipment needed — good rotation alongside bologna and turkey
New Dessert & Side Options 6 items · sorted by cost
Item Cost/Srv Ingredients / Case Specs Notes
Gelatin (Jell-O)
~$0.04
Shaver: Cherry, Lime, Orange, Raspberry — all $23.32/case (6/16oz)
Nearly free dessert upgrade — rotate 4 flavors across the week
Vanilla or Chocolate Pudding
~$0.05
Vanilla 25# — Shaver $63.84
Chocolate 25# — Shaver $68.93
Replaces cake 1–2×/week — adds variety without cost increase
Broccoli or Cauliflower
<$0.20
Broccoli Cuts 30# — Shaver $27.47
Cauliflower 30# — Shaver $31.30
Adds vegetable variety beyond current carrot/peas rotation
Breaded Okra
<$0.20
Shaver Okra Cut Breaded 20# — $26.77/case
Southern staple, pairs with any protein, adds texture variety
Applesauce Cup
$0.30
Shaver Applesauce Unsweet 96/4.5oz — $28.49/case
Only vitamin C source in current catalog — priority add
Corn on the Cob (Summer)
$0.35
Shaver Corn Cob 3in 96ea — $33.74/case
Seasonal crowd-pleaser, easy to serve, no prep required