How is the Food, Really? - Brooks School: Coeducational Private School in North Andover, MA

"Prepare with care," is the vow Brooks' dining services company Meriwether Godsey swears by.

And that's exactly what the vendor and Brooks' dining hall staff does with each daily breakfast, lunch, dinner and special event served in Wilder Dining Hall.

The menu is ever-changing and always features fresh, local food made from scratch.

DIY Options & Sides

In addition to each day's three main menu items, Brooks' Wilder Dining Hall features the following self-serve stations:

Pasta bar
Cereal bar
Salad bar
Gluten-free breads and desserts fridge
Coffee, latte and hot chocolate maker
Fresh fruit table
Soft-serve ice cream machine!

Snack Shop

During hours when the dining hall is closed, students may visit the "Linda's" Snack Shop, located within the campus Student Center hangout area.

Offerings include fan-favorite açai bowls, muffins and coffee in the morning, mozzarella sticks and other savory treats in the afternoon, as well as cafe tables to chill at and talk with friends or do a bit of homework during free periods.

Next door, the school store also has cold drinks, chips and candy for sale during the school day and afternoons.

Typical Daily Menu

something for everyone

Breakfast

Fresh fruit & yogurt bar
Breakfast sandwiches
Steel-cut oats bar
Scrambled eggs
Sausage gravy & biscuits
Hashbrowns
Croissants

Snacks

After Chapel a few times a month, the whole campus community is treated to a special "Chapel snack." Indulgences include warm chocolate chip muffins, donut holes and cinnamon rolls.

Lunch

Chicken enchilada soup
Meatball subs
Teriyaki chicken wraps with lettuce leaves
Honey roasted carrots
Lentil salad
S'mores brownies

Dinner

Caesar salad bar
Oven-baked fried chicken
Tortellini with marinara
Farmer's market vegetables
Warm garlic bread
Ice-cream cookie sandwiches or pie bar, a la mode!

Safe Meals

Dining hall team members are required to receive a ServSafe Certification to provide them with the tools to properly handle allergens, cross-contact prevention and identify hidden allergens in ingredients. We also use high-visibility signage and label allergens for every menu item.

The school's dining services app allows guests (and parents) to easily view the foods and meals each day — and users can customize their dietary restriction profile to highlight recipes that contain items they want to avoid.

Photo of Brooks' dining services provider's app for daily menus.

A dedicated gluten-free hot food table (as well as packaged items in a cold food refrigerator) are also maintained in the servery for easy, self-serve access.

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Seated lunch

Students enjoy weekly "seated lunch" together throughout the year on Thursdays.

With assigned-table seating, each gathering includes one adult teacher or employee and about six students.

The idea is to give classmates who may not already know each other well a chance to socialize and for students to get to know community members not otherwise in their regular routine.

Photo of Brooks School's seated lunch with students and teachers sitting together.

You're paired up randomly at Seated Lunch… and it's a great time for you to meet new people, learn new names.”