What's for lunch in October: every Cape Ann school menu, side by side

School lunch on Cape Ann is free for every student, and October's menus are out. We pulled every one of them, from Gloucester's elementary schools to Manchester Essex's high school, and put them on one page: every school's breakfast and lunch, day by day.

Here is what stands out.

Every district has a rhythm

In Gloucester's elementary schools and in Rockport Elementary, Friday is pizza day, all five Fridays. Gloucester's elementary kids can always get a SunButter sandwich or a yogurt snack pack if the hot meal isn't for them, and the hot meal rotates through chicken tenders, mac and cheese, beef nachos, mandarin orange chicken with edamame and, on Oct. 26, chicken enchiladas with plantains.

At Memorial Elementary in Manchester and Essex Elementary, the two schools share one menu, and Friday means a fish fillet sandwich on a whole grain bun, four weeks running. Most days also have a "fun lunch" choice, from build your own pizza to a cereal, yogurt and cheese plate.

The high schools look more like food courts. Gloucester High serves a cheeseburger, a deli bar, entree salads and a veggie bar every day, with a rotating hot special on top. Manchester Essex Regional Middle High School lists about 30 items a day, with pizza and burgers on the line daily, a hummus and veggie bento box, and a daily special that runs from General Tso's chicken to vegetable dumplings in orange sauce.

Something new at Rockport High

Rockport Middle High School has the most adventurous menu on the cape this month. Oct. 27 brings a new Power Protein Bowl: teriyaki, grilled or buffalo chicken over quinoa, edamame, spinach, broccoli and peas with a Greek yogurt dressing. There is a chickpea "chicken" salad on Oct. 19, a black bean burger on Oct. 26, and, according to the menu, a full salad and garden bar and vegan garden burgers every day.

Breakfast for lunch

Pancakes and waffles show up at lunch across the cape: French toast sticks and sausage in Rockport on Oct. 8, an emoji waffle in Gloucester's elementary schools on Oct. 7, and buttermilk pancakes at Memorial and Essex Elementary on Oct. 22.

Half days

Parents of younger students should look closely at early release days. Gloucester's elementary and O'Maley menus list no lunch on Oct. 15 or Oct. 22, the two PreK to 8 conference early release days on the district calendar. Gloucester High, which is not on that schedule, serves lunch both days. In Manchester and Essex, lunch is listed on the Oct. 7 half day, but the elementary menu lists none on Oct. 29, the K to 8 conference half day. Menus can change, so check with your school before a half day.

No school

There is no school Oct. 12 in all three districts. Rockport is also off Oct. 13, and Manchester Essex is off Oct. 30.

Halloween week

Rockport Elementary closes the month on Oct. 30 with a "Spooky" pizza and a Halloween cookie, and Rockport High promises a "sweet Halloween treat." Memorial and Essex Elementary serve pumpkin shaped soft pretzels Oct. 26 to 28.

Allergies

The sandwiches in Gloucester's schools and the Manchester Essex elementary schools are made with SunButter, a sunflower seed spread, and Rockport offers it at breakfast. The Manchester Essex Middle High School menu lists peanut butter sandwiches and a peanut butter and cracker plate every day. Families managing allergies should check the school's own menu, where most dishes list allergens, or call the food service office: in Rockport, Food Service Director Deborah Nokes at 978-546-1243.

See every school's October menu