{"id":10914,"date":"2025-04-29T07:50:00","date_gmt":"2025-04-29T17:50:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/hawaiipublicschools.org\/?p=10914"},"modified":"2025-10-09T10:00:08","modified_gmt":"2025-10-09T20:00:08","slug":"2025-hawaii-public-schools-pilot-new-banana-bread-recipe-featuring-local-ulu-flour","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hawaiipublicschools.org\/ceb\/2025-hawaii-public-schools-pilot-new-banana-bread-recipe-featuring-local-ulu-flour\/","title":{"rendered":"Ang mga publikong eskwelahan sa Hawai'i nag-pilot sa bag-ong resipe sa pan nga saging nga adunay lokal nga 'ulu nga harina"},"content":{"rendered":"

HONOLULU \u2014 This April Hawai\u02bbi public school cafeterias statewide were offered the opportunity to serve \u02bbulu (breadfruit) banana bread for breakfast using local \u02bbulu flour, supplied by the Hawai\u02bbi \u02bbUlu Cooperative<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

While \u02bbulu \u2014 in its fruit form \u2014 debuted in Hawai\u02bbi public school meals during the 2017-18 school year with a local-style kalua pork burrito and was then featured during the 2019-20 school year with \u02bbulu beef stew, this is the first time that \u02bbulu flour is being incorporated into school meals. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The \u02bbulu banana bread recipe was developed and finalized by Kaiser High School\u2019s school food services manager, Christian Lee-Tomita, and baker, Edison Ching. An estimated 240 pounds of \u02bbulu flour grown by local Hawai\u02bbi farmers was distributed to 90 participating schools, serving over 11,000 students. Local bananas, as available, were also used in the recipe. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Helemano Elementary students and parents were eager to try the new recipe. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThere’s a lot of students that came [to breakfast] \u2014 first-timers \u2014 and a lot of parents that came too. They’re interested and curious about how it tastes,\u201d Devie Nakamura, Helemano\u2019s school food services manager said. \u201cIt’s a good recipe that we’re using and I’m so happy we get to support our local farmers.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fifth grader Dallas Agricula never had \u02bbulu before but was impressed with the new recipe. \u201cIt was the best banana bread I ever had in my life,\u201d he said. \u201cIt’s chewy, it has a lot of flavor, and it tastes a lot like banana.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

His classmate, Thomas Simer, was familiar with \u02bbulu but never had it in banana bread. \u201cIt tasted like regular banana bread\u2026it’s sweet,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Helemano Elementary parent Chantelle Evangelista agreed. \u201cHonestly, I don’t even taste the difference in the banana bread \u2014 it’s pretty good!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The fruit is naturally gluten-free, low fat, and contains all of the essential amino acids, fiber, vitamins A, B, and C, as well as phosphorus and iron. In addition to being dried and milled into flour \u2014 a potential substitute for all-purpose wheat flour \u2014 the versatile fruit can also be baked, boiled, roasted or fried to substitute potatoes, which are often imported to Hawai\u2019i. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Substituting ingredients with \u02bbulu not only has health and economic benefits, but it also helps the local environment and community. \u02bbUlu is one of the only staple foods that grows on trees so additional planted trees help to boost reforestation efforts in Hawai\u02bbi. One tree produces about 450 pounds of fruit each growing season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThere’s a ton of community benefits that come with \u02bbulu,\u201d said Dana Shapiro, CEO of the Hawai\u02bbi \u02bbUlu Cooperative, which supplied the local \u02bbulu flour to schools. \u201cIt’s better for you, it’s better for the community and economy, and it’s better for our environment.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Department is in the process of determining how local \u2018ulu flour can be incorporated as a regular ingredient for future school meals \u2014 a change that would help amplify the Department\u2019s farm-to-school initiative to enhance local food sustainability, and align with Buhat 175<\/a>, nga nagtutok sa pagpalambo sa panglawas sa mga estudyante samtang nagsuporta sa lokal nga mga mag-uuma. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe would love to see \u02bbulu on the regular school breakfast and lunch menu all year-round,\u201d Shapiro said. \u201cI hope to see more innovative uses of \u02bbulu so that the kids can try it in new ways, learn, and get inspired for how they might cook with \u02bbulu, or create other products out of \u02bbulu in the future.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ang mga publikong eskwelahan sa Hawai\u02bbi mao ang kinadak-ang institusyonal nga konsumidor sa mga produkto sa pagkaon sa estado, nga nag-alagad ug kapin sa 100,000 ka pagkaon sa estudyante kada adlaw. Ang Departamento nagpadayon sa pagtrabaho pag-ayo uban sa mga lokal nga vendor sa tibuok estado aron makita kung unsa ang presko nga lokal nga produkto mahimong madugangan sa tanan nga mga eskwelahan sa umaabot sa usa ka regular nga basehan. <\/p>\n\n\n