CONTENTS
CONTENTSOn this page
In this section#
The recipes in this section include ingredients, quantities, directions, portion guidance, special diet substitution ideas, product information, recipe tips and more.
You can check out the different recipes using the navigation menu.
Recipe costs per serve#
These are the costs per serve for each recipe. This information is up to date as of Term 3 2026.
| Recipe | Year 0 to 3 | Year 4 to 8 | Year 9+ |
|---|---|---|---|
| BBQ beans with eggs and bread | $1.08 | $1.24 | $1.55 |
| Bacon and salad sandwich | $1.08 | $1.80 | $2.27 |
| Butter chicken | $0.89 | $1.17 | $1.44 |
| Chicken burger wrap | $1.40 | $2.40 | $2.40 |
| Chicken noodles | $1.19 | $1.66 | $2.08 |
| Chicken pesto pasta salad | $1.74 | $2.34 | $3.13 |
| Chicken rice bowl | $1.81 | $2.26 | $2.58 |
| Chicken sandwich | $1.16 | $2.13 | $2.29 |
| Chicken tenders, mash, peas and gravy | $1.01 | $1.21 | $1.51 |
| Chilli mince and beans loaded fries | $1.38 | $1.82 | $2.31 |
| Cottage pie | $1.11 | $1.34 | $1.67 |
| Creamy chicken and broccoli pasta | $1.20 | $1.60 | $1.92 |
| Egg sandwich | $1.20 | $2.22 | $2.69 |
| Ginger and beef rice bowl | $1.61 | $2.01 | $2.69 |
| Ham and cheese salad sandwich | $1.00 | $1.78 | $2.55 |
| Lasagne-style pasta bake | $1.09 | $1.38 | $1.66 |
| Mac and cheese | $0.93 | $1.12 | $1.40 |
| Pasta with chicken and tomato sauce | $1.01 | $1.19 | $1.69 |
| Satay chicken noodle salad | $1.22 | $1.63 | $2.04 |
| Savoury soy and beef noodles | $1.37 | $1.82 | $2.34 |
| Spaghetti and meatballs | $1.16 | $1.51 | $1.88 |
| Spaghetti and toast | $1.04 | $1.37 | $1.66 |
| Vegetarian chilli beans with salad and rice | $0.93 | $1.24 | $1.49 |
Cost-effective recipes quantity calculator#
This calculator helps to work out the order amounts needed to make each recipe based on the school roll numbers.
The quantity calculator should be used along with the provided cost-effective recipes. The calculator is not for recipes in general and ingredients cannot be added, altered or removed.
You can download the quantity calculator as an Excel spreadsheet. There are a set of instructions on the second tab.
If you have any questions, contact your Healthy School Lunches senior advisor.
Two-week sample menu#
We have created a sample menu using our recipes to make planning and delivery as easy as possible for busy kitchen teams.
This menu is designed to help schools make the most of their resources. It prioritises efficiency and maintains a good balance of nutrition, variety, cost-effectiveness and student appeal. We will update it each term to keep menus fresh and in line with seasonal ingredients.
The menu is designed to:
- reduce menu planning time
- simplify food preparation
- deliver nutritious and appealing meals that students enjoy
- support the Healthy School Lunches funding budget.
There are also helpful tips for creating your own original menu.
Download the sample menu and use it as part of your Healthy School Lunches resources.
If you plan to use this menu for the upcoming term, please let us know before the start of term by emailing [email protected].
