The HGS Dining Room is open daily at break and lunchtime, and provides a wide selection of hot and cold food and soft drinks. In addition, the Coffee Shop is open to Sixth Form students and staff between 8am and 1.30pm each day.

We offer a range of options to encourage healthy eating, provided by Aspens, the specialist schools caterers. The three-week menu is refreshed for the Autumn/Winter and Spring/Summer seasons. See the Aspens newsletter

The catering team, along with the midday supervisors, will welcome you into the Dining Room and will be happy to help. If you are unsure about any food, please ask any member of staff there. 

If a student has any allergies, intolerances or other dietary requirements, the Special Diet Form at the bottom of this page needs to be downloaded, completed and returned to admin@hgs.herts.sch.uk referencing Special Diet Form in the subject.

Examples of the food on offer

• Daily streetfood dish plus a hand-held version
• Daily vegetarian/vegan options
• Authentic pizza and pasta dishes
• Hacienda Mexicana burritos, rice pots and sides
• Voulez Poulet’s house-rub chicken, dogs and sides
• Healthy sandwiches, paninis, wraps, jacket potatoes and salads
• Fruit and cold dessert pots

Cashless catering system

The Dining Room and Coffee Shop use a cashless catering system for the purchase of meals, snacks and drinks. The system links a student's thumbprint scan to their ParentPay account, so they just have to place their thumb on the reader at the till to pay. The scan is used to generate a unique id number - the thumbprint itself is not stored and it cannot be used by any other system.

Parents can add funds to ParentPay, their online payment account, with a few clicks at any time.

The Dining Room is unable to accept cash or card/contactless payments. The Coffee Shop can accept card/contactless payments.

Free School Meals

Check if you qualify for Free School Meals at https://www.gov.uk/apply-free-school-meals

Healthy eating

The school has adopted 'Healthy Schools' status and encourages students to eat healthily, be active, appreciate their surroundings and care for their physical and mental wellbeing.

Healthy eating guidelines

• Eat a mixed, varied and balanced diet
• Aim to select fruits and vegetables (five a day)
• Think before adding any salt
• Select healthier snack options
• Eat or drink something before starting school
• Drink plenty of water - aim for eight glasses a day