HONOLULU (KHON2) — The Hawaiʻi State Department of Education will see a change in school meal prices this upcoming academic year, which also includes more access to free school meals for keiki.
Act 139, which was signed into law in May by Governor Josh Green M.D., provided this expanded free meal access to students beginning in the 2025-2026 school year. Per the act, qualifying students will now receive a free breakfast meal, as well as a free lunch meal daily.
“Removing the cost for reduced-price meals ensures more students are fed, focused and ready to learn — no matter their family’s financial situation,” said Superintendent Keith Hayashi.
Last school year, approximately 11,000 students qualified for reduced-price meals. Act 139 would make these reduced-price meals completely free for the students this upcoming year.
“As a mother and grandmother, I have seen firsthand how hunger affects a child’s ability to focus and learn,” said Senate Vice President and Education Committee Chair Michelle Kidani, who introduced the act to the legislature. “I still remember visiting classrooms in my district where teachers kept granola bars or crackers in their desks, just in case a student came to school without breakfast.”
For Kidani, equitable access to nutritious meals is not just a matter of hunger — it’s a matter of ensuring a successful future for keiki.
“This bill is about more than food. It’s about dignity, equity and ensuring every child has a fair chance to succeed,” she said. “Well-nourished students learn better, and I am proud to have authored this bill.”
The only price increase for meals are for second meals and adult meals, with the prices increasing by just over a dollar for breakfast and two dollars for lunch.
Students in the state that receive free meals will be categorized as “reduced-price eligible” per federal guidelines, with their meals being 100% reduced and their state-designated category being “Reduced — No Charge.”
Here’s the full list of meal prices for the 2025-2026 academic year:
| PreK through eighth grade | $1.10 |
| Ninth through 12th grade | $1.10 |
| Reduced-price, PreK through 12th grade | Free |
| Student second meal | $3.50 |
| Adult Meal | $3.50 |
| PreK through eighth grade | $2.50 |
| Ninth through 12th grade | $2.75 |
| Reduced-price, PreK through 12th grade | Free |
| Entree | $2.25 |
| Student second meal | $7.50 |
| Adult Meal | $7.50 |
To apply for the free and reduced meal program, visit the EZMealApp or the HIDOE website.