Sandwiches at School: Go Global

Student diners today are “embracing bold flavors” and global cuisines, according to the Chartwells 2025 trends outlook. Move over peanut butter and jelly—young people revel in new flavors and new concepts. Seafood-forward sandwiches are a win-win for school and campus foodservice operations.

Prized by chefs around the world, tuna lends itself to global cuisine. Its versatile, mild flavor profile invites diverse ingredients and interesting flavors. Culinary concepts include a vast selection of sandwich applications—perfect for meeting the on-the-go lifestyle demands of campus diners. Take a look at these concepts inspired by global cuisines:

• Our Vietnamese-style tuna bánh mì features albacore tuna salad, pickled vegetables, and spicy sriracha lime cilantro yogurt sauce. Sandwiches come together in mini baguettes. Asian cuisine is trending, and bánh mì is seeing a spike in popularity on menus, according to Tastewise.
• Chili lime tuna fajitas feature ready-to-use yellowfin tuna mixed with chili powder and lime juice mounded on flour tortillas and topped with salsa for a fresh twist on classic fajitas.
• Dill tuna pita proves it’s all about the bread. Filled with a dill tuna salad, pita pockets make for fun eating. In this recipe, feta cheese adds to the Mediterranean flair, while water chestnuts deliver a surprise element to round out the food adventure. The cucumber dill tuna pita sandwich is a refreshing twist on a classic pita sandwich.
• Tuna veggie wrap with hummus creates an enticing view when sliced and adapts seamlessly to grab’n’go menus. Albacore tuna, mixed greens, and an array of vibrant vegetables make this a healthy recipe that comes together easily in the foodservice kitchen.
• Tuna falafel sandwiches combine Albacore tuna with traditional chickpeas for an exciting new falafel. It’s topped with arugula, cucumber, and purple cabbage, and a honey tahini dressing for a colorful handheld with deep flavor elements.
• Old Bay® tuna roll moves closer to home with the renowned regional seasoning, Old Bay®. A four-ingredient tuna salad makes this an easy recipe to manage with minimal labor. The recipe offers the option of using Greek yogurt instead of mayonnaise, adding to the protein value of the meal.

Feeling creative? Tuna salad with a twist is a hot trend as “new flavors and ingredients fuel enthusiasm in the kitchen and at the table,” notes the blog, New Twists on Classic Tuna Favorites. You can replace the mayonnaise base with an unexpected ingredient like pesto or guacamole. You can layer the salad with kimchi or giardiniera, or stir in unique condiments to kick up the flavor.

The nutrition edge

Campus diners increasingly prioritize protein and healthful nutrition, notes Chartwells. As school foodservice menus lean away from red meat and saturated fat, seafood offers an option with no saturated fat, valuable protein, omega-3s, and other nutrients. By federal school meal standards, 1 ounce of drained tuna equals 1 M/MA.

As you plan menus for the new school year, get trend insights for K12 foodservice and college/university foodservice from Chicken of the Sea. Looking for menu inspiration? Visit the foodservice recipe collection.