Black boy with blue shirt

You want to serve every student a fresh, delicious meal that meets government requirements.

We're Here To Help

17 million kids get most of their calorie intake at school. As dedicated food service professionals, we will make the most of limited resources and use cafeteria tools and equipment that will last. The USDA estimates that to meet new Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act (HHFKA) and USDA standards it will require schools to absorb over a billion dollars in food and labor costs.

To succeed where famous chefs have failed, you have to get creative.

To be competitive, not with other schools but with fast food restaurants and convenience stores, you have to offer an affordable, restaurant-like experience. It’s challenge to provide delicious meals when fast food chains aren’t bound by the same restrictions.

Better Grades & Better Attendance

Student lunch professionals are leveraging mealtime tactics into better test scores, grades, and attendance numbers. The number of students going to school nurses with stomachache complaints has decreased. Progressive school lunch administrators have even gotten ahead of the curve by using in class lunch programs to generate grant income!

When delivering meals to classrooms, use sturdy, reliable equipment that brings a restaurant-style quality and experience to mobile student lunches. Carlisle offers wheeled serving stations in all styles with customizable options available for branding and promotion.

For quick and fun applications like drinks and snacks at physical fitness and outdoor events, consider the durable and easy-to-clean Dinex MealtimeXpress. With Carlisle’s Cateraide line of insulated food transportation and beverage dispensing carriers, transport and maintain the temperature of meals to your students, wherever they are. For an authentic to-go meal experience consider our ProEx containers. Control portioning with Measure Misers.

More: See all of our School Solutions

Cafeteria Serving Enhancements

Serving counters help kids eat with their eyes. Increase lunch participation with a more restaurant-like service that students can get excited about.

Six Star™ Food Bars

  • Wider sneeze guard and end posts with acrylic shields provide more complete coverage

  • Two‑piece acrylic shields allow for easy assembly

  • NSF Listed bars are filled with thick polyurethane foam to hold ice for hours and help keep your food at the correct serving temperatures

  • Textured finish resists scratching and is simple to clean

  • Recessed 5" non-marking swivel casters, two with brakes; optional tray slides and end shelves

ValueXpress

  • The economical series of modular stainless steel counters for serving line or stand-alone station

  • Value line hot and cold food counters are available in 2 or 3 well sizes

Dinex® MealtimeXpress®
Your Kitchen on Wheels

  • Serve Hot and Cold food from cafeteria to off-site locations

  • Maintain regulatory hot and cold temperatures with one unit

  • Serves up to 40 meals with the Hot and Cold version and up to 100 meals with the Hot and Hot version coupled with an air curtain refrigerator

  • Can be plugged anywhere with a standard 120v plug

  • The unit is powered by a standard outlet

ProEx® Food Packaging

  • Speed up your serving line and offer more service points for kids on the move.

  • Variety of shaped designed to serve, reheat and store hot or cold to-go food

  • Available from 8oz to 32 oz for individual serving or family portions

  • Attractive Black Polypropylene containers with sure-seal lids

  • Ask your Dinex sales representative for custom made container for your school system

Serve In Fast, High-Quality Settings Kids Will Be Excited About

School lunches don’t just have to taste good; they need to be quick, clean, and safe. Consider custom-wrapped fiberglass serving trays to keep kids moving down the line with minimum mess.

Your logo.
Your artwork.

Build your reputation and turn heads with your own customizable trays. Seize the opportunity to custom decorate your high-quality fiberglass trays with any image or color, on both sides of the tray. The artwork never fades or washes off.

Self-Service Improvements

Carlisle offers convenient food stations and dispensers to meet every need. Condiment systems and universal dispensers save money and provide greater choice and quick access to students on the move.

Modular FrontLine™ Pump & Accessories

  • Dispenses from gallon jar, #10 can, Cryovac® bag and direct pour

  • Portion Cup & Lid Dispensers use EZ-Fit Technology to dispense one-at-a-time

  • Soft-Touch pump for smooth dispensing

  • Attachable drip tray keeps excess sauce from the countertop

  • Rubber feet prevent slipping

Condiment Dispensers

Ideal for large volume applications and all types of condiments, dressings, & toppings

Modular Straw & Napkin Dispensers

  • Over-under design for combined footprint to save countertop space

  • Integrated dispenser for condiment organizer below napkins (or easily switch to straw dispenser under napkins)

  • High capacity napkin dispensing for less frequent refills

Tray Buyer’s Guide

Carlisle offers a large variety of sizes and compartment combinations available.

 

*6-compartment trays hold government “Type A” lunch

Elementary

4-Compartment

 

  • Smaller size for children to safely carry

  • Portioned for children’s nutritional needs

Middle School

6-Compartment

 

  • Offers greater variety of serving combinations with three smaller upper compartments, two larger lower compartments, and a flatware holder on right or left side

  • Conveniently located silverware compartment for both left and right handed users

High School

Fiberglass

 

Offers the most carrying space for a wide variety of food and drink options

  • Metal reinforcing rods provide extra strength, eliminate warping

  • Five year warranty against breakage

  • Air flow corner reinforcements and stacking lugs

  • Temperature range: 35°F to 200°F

  • Dishwasher safe

 

Compartment Trays

Melamine

 

  • Quick dry

  • Dishwasher safe

  • Heavy, rigid material with the look and feel of china

  • Scratch and break-resistant

  • Highly resistant to chemicals and food acids

  • Temperature range: 0º to 212ºF

Polypropylene

 

  • Economical and durable

  • Chemical resistant

  • Temperature range: 30º to 180ºF

Polycarbonate

 

  • Highly break-resistant

  • Chemical and scratch resistant

  • Great for correctional facilities

  • Five-year warranty against breakage

  • Temperature range: -40º to 212ºF

  • Dishwasher safe

ABS

 

  • Excellent choice for general use

  • Break and scratch resistant 

  • Temperature range: 0º to 180ºF, dishwasher safe

Cafe Trays

 

  • Low cost and durability make this tray the perfect solution for any high traffic, self-bussing cafeteria 

  • Patterned surface in a basket weave design reduces food and drink spills and extends life

Meet Students Where They're At

 

To ensure students eat, school lunch programs may need to deliver food to students without the traditional kitchen and cafeteria equipment. It takes extra work and the right tools to meet students where they are. Budget-savvy student lunch professionals can borrow from the catering industry and deliver fresh, hot or cold meals anytime, anywhere.

Cateraide™ XD, LD, & PC

 

  • Low-cost food and beverage transport

  • Insulated holding that’s great for hot or cold applications

  • Scratch-resistant polyethylene exterior looks great for years

Bussing Carts

 

  • Perfect for serving and transporting applications

  • 300 pound capacity

  • Sturdy shelves are textured for better grip and to minimize scratches

  • Easy to assemble

  • Raised edges on shelves help keep contents secure during transport

Tongs, Ladles & Spoons

Carlisle has the most extensive selection of color-coordinated accessories to complement your food bar or cafeteria line. Tongs, ladles, and spoons are available in a wide range of sizes.

 

  • Heat is transferred so that utensils stay cool to the touch

  • One-piece construction for easy cleaning and longer life

Central Kitchen & Cook-Chill

 

Increase food quality, achieve standardization, consistency, cost control and scheduling efficiency. Carlisle offers efficient HACCP solutions to deliver meals across the district.

PerfectServe® Ultra

 

  • Can hold up to 8 full size pans per cabinet to serve up to 40 meals in the chillotherm / cold version and 80 in the double chillotherm version

  • Innovative: touch screen control panel for easy programming

  • Convenient: large work area with 2 programmable top heat zones

  • Technology: convention rethermalization results in improved food quality, menu variety, and flexibility