I wasn't especially fond of what we got at the elementary school cafeteria back in the '90s, but the nostalgic itch still has to get scratched from time to time.
Hairnets on; here are 22 school cafeteria classics for the home kitchen.
Homemade Sloppy Joes with Smoky Paprika
Recipe by Tori Hammontree
Don't lose these recipes! Drop your email and we'll send them to you, so you've got them handy the next time you're planning dinner.
Ever wanted a sloppy Joe, but you just didn't have the mix to make it? Well, that was me, and I'm going to tell you EXACTLY how to make it with ingredients you probably already have in your pantry!
See the original recipe and story →
Ingredients
Method
- Partially cook ground beef in a medium saucepan, then drain. Dice and add onion before the beef finishes cooking.
- Add seasonings; cook until beef is completely done.
- Add wet ingredients; bring to a simmer and taste.
- Adjust to taste, adding more ketchup or using less Worcestershire as preferred.
- Set aside to cool. Toast buns, add preferred condiments, and fill with the sloppy Joe mixture.
Notes
Rectangle School Pizza
Pizza day was the best day; I know I'm not alone in my fond recollections of rectangular school pizza. A parbake on a sheet pan gets you that iconic texture.
Ingredients
Method
- Stir warm water, yeast and sugar together and let stand for 5 minutes until foamy.
- Mix in 2 tablespoons oil, flour and salt, knead for 5 minutes and let rise covered for 45 minutes.
- Heat oven to 475°F and brush a 13-by-18-inch rimmed half-sheet with the remaining oil.
- Press dough evenly to the corners, prick it all over and parbake for 8 minutes.
- Brown beef into very fine crumbles, drain and combine tomato sauce with Italian seasoning and garlic powder.
- Spread sauce to within 1/4 inch of the crust edge, scatter beef and both cheeses evenly.
- Bake for 12 to 16 minutes until the cheese melts and the underside is set; rest 5 minutes and cut into 12 rectangles.
Soft Cafeteria Yeast Rolls
The key to soft yeast rolls is a milk dough with some shortening. A brush of butter at the end elevates things just a bit.
Ingredients
Method
- Stir milk, yeast and 1 teaspoon sugar together and let stand for 5 minutes.
- Whisk in remaining sugar, egg and shortening, then mix in flour and salt.
- Knead for 7 minutes until smooth and slightly tacky, cover and let rise for 1 hour.
- Grease a 9-by-13-inch pan, divide dough into 15 equal balls and arrange them in three rows.
- Cover and proof for 35 to 45 minutes while the oven heats to 375°F.
- Bake for 18 to 20 minutes until evenly golden and brush immediately with melted butter.
Lunchroom Peanut Butter Bars
What makes a peanut butter bar lunchroom-style is the mix of oatmeal and peanut butter at the base. Be sure to cool all the way before coating with chocolate.
Ingredients
Method
- Heat oven to 350°F and line a 9-by-13-inch pan with parchment.
- Beat butter, 1/4 cup peanut butter and both sugars, then beat in egg and vanilla.
- Stir in flour, oats, baking soda and salt and press the thick dough evenly into the pan.
- Bake for 16 to 18 minutes until the edges brown lightly, then cool for 15 minutes.
- Spread the remaining peanut butter in a thin layer over the warm base and cool completely.
- Whisk milk, confectioners' sugar and cocoa into a soft frosting, spread it over the bars and cut into 24 squares.
Cafeteria Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
These are basically blonde brownies, dotted with chocolate chips. The butter and extra egg yolk are what provide that dense texture, although I very much doubt our cafeteria had the funds for real butter.
Ingredients
Method
- Heat oven to 350°F and line a 9-by-13-inch metal pan with parchment.
- Whisk melted butter and both sugars, then whisk in the egg, yolk and vanilla.
- Fold in flour, baking soda and salt just until no dry streaks remain.
- Reserve 2 tablespoons chips, fold in the rest and press dough evenly into the pan.
- Scatter reserved chips over the surface and bake for 22 to 25 minutes until the edges are golden but the center remains soft.
- Cool completely in the pan before cutting into 24 rectangles.
Cafeteria Spaghetti with Meat Sauce
The spaghetti at the cafeteria was awfully sweet, wasn't it? Nothing al dente here, no simple, elegant marinara, but if you want a blast from the past, here's the recipe.
Ingredients
Method
- Brown beef and onion in a Dutch oven, breaking the meat into very fine crumbles; drain excess fat.
- Add garlic and tomato paste and cook for 1 minute.
- Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, brown sugar, oregano, salt and pepper and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes.
- Boil broken spaghetti in salted water until tender and drain, reserving 1 cup pasta water.
- Fold spaghetti and Parmesan into the sauce, adding enough pasta water to keep it loose and scoopable.
- Simmer together for 2 minutes and serve in shallow bowls.
Oven-Baked School Chicken Nuggets
Chicken nuggets are nearly impossible to recreate at home, but this is a facsimile that'll actually taste pretty good. Crushed Ritz crackers provide a smoother crust.
Ingredients
Method
- Heat oven to 425°F, line two rimmed sheet pans with parchment and brush them lightly with oil.
- Cut chicken into 32 similar two-bite pieces and toss with buttermilk, salt and garlic powder.
- Combine cracker crumbs, breadcrumbs, paprika and pepper in a shallow bowl.
- Coat each drained chicken piece firmly in crumbs and arrange with space between pieces.
- Drizzle or spray with remaining oil and bake for 9 minutes.
- Turn the nuggets and bake 7 to 9 minutes more until crisp and the centers reach 165°F.
- Serve hot with ketchup or honey mustard.
Salisbury Steak with Brown Gravy
A homemade Salisbury steak is actually pretty good — a whole lot better than what we got at school. While cornstarch in the gravy would probably be more accurate for this recipe, a roux-thickened gravy is just plain better.
Ingredients
Method
- Heat oven to 375°F and lightly grease a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.
- Mix beef, crackers, milk, egg, half the Worcestershire, onion powder, salt and pepper gently and shape eight oval patties.
- Brown patties in oil for 2 minutes per side and transfer them to the dish.
- Cook sliced onion in the same skillet until soft and scatter it over the patties.
- Melt butter in the skillet, whisk in flour for 1 minute, then gradually whisk in broth and remaining Worcestershire.
- Simmer gravy for 3 minutes, pour it over the patties and cover the dish with foil.
- Bake for 25 minutes until the patties reach 160°F.
Chilled Cafeteria Fruit Cups
I never liked the fruit cup, but if you were a fan, here's an accurate recipe. This version leaves out bananas because they get dark while the fruit salad is chilling, but if you don't mind, chop one or two in.
Ingredients
Method
- Drain pineapple and peaches over a measuring cup, reserving 1 cup combined juice.
- Whisk the reserved juice, lemon juice and cornstarch in a saucepan.
- Cook over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes until lightly glossy, then cool completely.
- Fold pineapple, oranges, peaches and grapes into the cooled dressing.
- Divide among eight 6-ounce cups, add one cherry to each if desired and cover.
- Refrigerate for at least 2 hours and serve cold within three days.
Yellow Butter Sheet Cake with Chocolate Frosting
When it's not made from the box, yellow cake can be quite good. Just like at school, the soft chocolate layer on top isn't quite frosting.
Ingredients
Method
- Heat oven to 350°F and grease and flour a 9-by-13-inch metal pan.
- Whisk flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl.
- Beat butter, oil and sugar until pale, then beat in eggs one at a time and add vanilla.
- Mix in the flour mixture in three additions, alternating with 1 cup milk.
- Spread batter evenly and bake for 28 to 32 minutes until a tester comes out clean; cool completely.
- Beat frosting butter and cocoa, then add confectioners' sugar and 1/3 cup milk until soft and spreadable.
- Frost the cake in the pan and cut into 20 squares.
Classic School Sloppy Joes
The sweet ketchup-based topping ("ragu" is far too kind a description) is what makes it a sloppy joe. Be sure to scoop it onto the bun with your grumpiest lunchlady face.
Ingredients
Method
- Brown beef and onion in a Dutch oven, breaking the beef into fine crumbles, and drain excess fat.
- Stir in ketchup, tomato sauce, brown sugar, mustard, Worcestershire, chili powder and salt.
- Simmer uncovered over low heat for 15 minutes, stirring often, until thick enough to mound.
- Warm the buns in a 300°F oven for 4 minutes.
- Spoon about 2/3 cup filling onto each bottom bun and close the sandwiches.
Mild Beef and Bean Cafeteria Chili
This recipe won't win any state fair prizes, but it's not bad for a basic chili. I won't blame you if you amp up the spice — I know I would.
Ingredients
Method
- Brown beef and onion in a Dutch oven and drain excess fat.
- Stir in chili powder, cumin and garlic powder for 30 seconds.
- Add tomatoes, beans, broth, brown sugar and salt and bring to a gentle simmer.
- Cook uncovered for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Whisk masa harina with water, stir it into the chili and simmer 5 minutes more.
- Rest off heat for 5 minutes before ladling into bowls.
Baked School Macaroni and Cheese
Sometimes nuclear orange mac and cheese just hits right. The cheddar topping in this recipe is honestly a lot better than what we got.
Ingredients
Method
- Heat oven to 350°F and grease a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.
- Boil macaroni until tender, drain and spread it in the dish.
- Melt butter, whisk in flour for 1 minute and gradually whisk in both milks.
- Simmer gently for 3 minutes, remove from heat and melt in American cheese and 8 ounces cheddar.
- Season with salt, mustard powder and pepper and pour over the macaroni.
- Top evenly with remaining cheddar and bake uncovered for 22 to 25 minutes until bubbling.
- Rest 10 minutes before scooping.
Chicken and Rice Lunchroom Bake
It's not like those institutional cooks were using much in the way of fresh ingredients. This is how they would have made the chicken and rice casserole, right down to the peas and carrots frozen together.
Ingredients
Method
- Heat oven to 375°F and grease a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.
- Whisk hot broth, soup, milk, onion powder, poultry seasoning, salt and pepper in the dish.
- Stir in rice, chicken and peas and carrots and drizzle butter over the top.
- Cover tightly with foil and bake for 35 minutes.
- Stir once, re-cover and bake 10 to 15 minutes more until the rice is tender.
- Rest covered for 10 minutes before serving.
Turkey and Gravy over Mashed Potatoes
Turkey gravy was my absolute least favorite on the school menu. However, some good-quality leftover turkey makes this a decent holiday-season meal.
Ingredients
Method
- Boil potatoes in salted water until very tender, about 15 minutes, and drain well.
- Mash with 3 tablespoons butter, warm milk, half the salt and half the white pepper until smooth.
- Melt remaining butter in a skillet, whisk in flour for 1 minute and gradually whisk in broth.
- Add poultry seasoning and remaining salt and pepper and simmer until smooth and lightly thickened.
- Lay turkey slices in the gravy, cover and warm gently for 5 minutes without boiling.
- Serve turkey and gravy over rounded scoops of mashed potatoes.
Open-Faced Cafeteria Pizza Burgers
I don't think we actually had these growing up, but I'd heard about them, and I'm sure my idea of them was better than they actually were. Think of it as a sloppy joe and an open-faced cheeseburger smashed into one.
Ingredients
Method
- Heat oven to 400°F and line two rimmed sheet pans with parchment.
- Brown beef and onion into fine crumbles and drain well.
- Stir in tomato sauce, tomato paste, Italian seasoning, garlic powder and salt and simmer for 5 minutes.
- Arrange 16 bun halves cut-side up on the pans and toast for 3 minutes.
- Spread each half with beef mixture and top evenly with both cheeses.
- Bake for 8 to 10 minutes until the cheese melts and the bun edges are crisp.
Crisp Baked Fish Squares
Before they were trendy, monkfish and Chilean sea bass were common ingredients in industrially processed fish; we didn't know how good we had it. Cod does the trick here just as well.
Ingredients
Method
- Heat oven to 450°F, line a 13-by-18-inch rimmed sheet with parchment and brush it with half the oil.
- Cut cod into eight similar rectangular pieces and pat them very dry.
- Place flour in one dish, whisk eggs with milk in another and combine cornflakes, breadcrumbs, paprika, salt and pepper in a third.
- Coat each fish piece in flour, egg and crumbs, pressing firmly.
- Arrange on the sheet, drizzle with remaining oil and bake for 8 minutes.
- Turn carefully and bake 6 to 8 minutes more until crisp and the fish reaches 145°F.
- Serve hot with tartar sauce.
Corn Dog Muffin Cups
A corn dog uses a similar batter to corn muffins, so the same principle works here. I would, I have to say, be tempted to use a kielbasa instead, but that's hardly in keeping with school spirit.
Ingredients
Method
- Heat oven to 400°F and place a well-greased 12-cup muffin tin in the oven for 5 minutes.
- Whisk cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a bowl.
- Whisk buttermilk, eggs and melted butter separately and fold into the dry mixture.
- Divide batter among the hot muffin cups and press one hot-dog half upright into each center.
- Bake for 14 to 16 minutes until golden and a tester in the cornbread comes out clean.
- Cool for 5 minutes, loosen the edges and serve with ketchup and mustard.
Crunchy Beef Taco Salad
It doesn't get much more lunchroom than taco salad. And with some better ingredients, it can actually be pretty good.
Ingredients
Method
- Brown beef in a large skillet and drain excess fat.
- Add chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, salt and water and simmer until thick, about 4 minutes.
- Let the beef cool for 5 minutes while arranging lettuce in six shallow bowls.
- Divide beans, tomatoes, seasoned beef and cheddar over the lettuce.
- Add crushed corn chips immediately before serving.
- Serve with mild salsa and sour cream for spooning over each bowl.
No-Bake Chocolate Oat Lunchroom Bars
No-bake bars are about the most kid-friendly recipe there is. While not exactly foolproof, they are the ultimate no-fuss treat.
Ingredients
Method
- Line an 8-by-8-inch pan with parchment, leaving overhang on two sides.
- Combine butter, sugar, cocoa and milk in a saucepan and bring to a full rolling boil.
- Boil for exactly 1 minute, stirring constantly, then remove from heat.
- Stir in peanut butter, vanilla and salt until smooth, then fold in oats.
- Press the warm mixture firmly and evenly into the pan.
- Refrigerate for 2 hours, lift out by the parchment and cut into 16 squares.
Strawberry Pretzel Salad Squares
This one's news to me — we never had these at the cafeteria. A solid layer of cream cheese prevents the gelatin from leaking into the pretzel crust, so make sure it's solid.
Ingredients
Method
- Heat oven to 350°F and mix pretzels, melted butter and 3 tablespoons sugar.
- Press into a 9-by-13-inch glass dish and bake for 10 minutes; cool completely.
- Beat cream cheese with 3/4 cup sugar, fold in whipped topping and spread to every edge of the cooled crust.
- Refrigerate for 30 minutes while dissolving gelatin in boiling water.
- Cool gelatin until room temperature, stir in strawberries and carefully pour it over the sealed cream layer.
- Refrigerate for at least 4 hours until firm and cut into 20 squares.
Oven French Toast Sticks
The French toast sticks never really tasted like French toast, did they? For this recipe, the thicker the slices, the better.
Ingredients
Method
- Heat oven to 425°F, line two rimmed sheet pans with parchment and brush with half the butter.
- Cut each bread slice lengthwise into two thick sticks.
- Whisk eggs, milk, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon and salt in a shallow dish.
- Dip each stick briefly on all sides, let excess custard drip away and arrange without touching on the pans.
- Brush the tops with remaining butter and bake for 10 minutes.
- Turn the sticks and bake 8 to 10 minutes more until evenly golden and set in the center.
- Serve hot with small portions of maple syrup for dipping.
