HONOLULU (KHON2) – Every year, the Department of Education cooks up something new in the kitchen to get keiki eating local and eating healthy.
Officials say while school menus are refreshed annually, this year’s expanded offerings are possible thanks to new supply contracts and months of planning to ensure ingredients could be sourced in the right quantities.
Some items students and families can expect to see are:
- Breakfast items like ʻuala yogurt bowl made with dragon fruit
- Local ʻulu banana bread
- Scratch-made pumpkin bread
- Empanadas
- Hamburger stew with local ʻulu and kalo
- Scratch-made chicken adobo
- Korean beef bowl made with local ground beef
- Grilled chicken pasta florentine
- Orange chicken
We’re told taking a new item from idea to students’ trays can take months to perfect and planning typically begins at least a year in advance. New menus really try to emphasize Hawaiʻi-grown ingredients such as ʻulu, kalo, ʻuala, beef, pork, and seasonal fruits and vegetables.
In addition to daily meals, students can look forward to themed monthly events featuring local ingredients in global-inspired, scratch-made recipes that celebrate Hawaiʻi’s diverse food culture.
For example, last month they served chicken papaya soup and this month they’ll be making volcano bowls, which is like taco salad with local lettuce, tomatoes and beef.