{"id":13765,"date":"2025-06-23T07:29:54","date_gmt":"2025-06-23T17:29:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/hawaiipublicschools.org\/?p=13765"},"modified":"2025-11-13T08:18:19","modified_gmt":"2025-11-13T18:18:19","slug":"2025-hidoe-regional-kitchen-model-aims-to-boost-student-meal-production-support-local-farmers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hawaiipublicschools.org\/vi\/2025-hidoe-regional-kitchen-model-aims-to-boost-student-meal-production-support-local-farmers\/","title":{"rendered":"HIDOE regional kitchen model aims to boost student meal production, support local farmers"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>The Hawai\u02bbi State Department of Education (HIDOE) has unveiled plans for a network of new regional centralized kitchens aimed at modernizing school meal preparation, incorporating more locally sourced ingredients and boosting efficiency across public school cafeterias.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The regional kitchen is a centralized facility where meals will be prepared in bulk and then distributed to schools for final serving, allowing for more quality control and efficiency.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Department, which already serves over approximately 103,000 meals per day to students statewide, plans to operate up to two regional kitchens on O\u02bbahu, two on Hawai\u02bbi Island, and one each on Kaua\u02bbi, Maui and Molokai. Standalone production kitchens will continue at H\u0101na High &amp; Elementary, Ka\u02bb\u016b High &amp; P\u0101hala Elementary, L\u0101na\u02bbi High &amp; Elementary and Na\u02bbalehu Elementary Schools.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The first regional kitchen will open in Central O\u2018ahu at Whitmore Village and is expected to begin serving meals to students in the Leilehua-Mililani-Waialua Complex Area in Fall 2027, and will have a phased opening, based on availability of legislative funding.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Phase I will include building an 18,000-square-foot facility that will have the capacity to produce 12,000 meals per shift \u2014 or up to 24,000 meals a day with two shifts.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Phase II will expand the facility to 30,000 square feet and increase the capacity to 20,000 meals per shift, or 40,000 meals per day with two shifts<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Phase III will reach its full size of 45,000 square feet, capable of producing 30,000 meals per shift, or a total of 60,000 meals per day with two shifts<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Upon full completion, the facility aims to serve all students in the Leilehua-Mililani-Waialua; \u02bbAiea-Moanalua-Radford; Campbell-Kapolei; Pearl City-Waipahu; and N\u0101n\u0101kuli-Wai\u02bbanae complex areas.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Department is finalizing the lease for the Central O\u2018ahu site and is currently assessing sites for a second regional kitchen on O\u2018ahu.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1640\" height=\"923\" src=\"https:\/\/hawaiipublicschools.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/20250619-BOE-GBM-Regional-Kitchen-Slide-14-edited.jpg\" alt=\"Oahu Regional Kitchen phases I, II and III\" class=\"wp-image-14098\" srcset=\"https:\/\/hawaiipublicschools.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/20250619-BOE-GBM-Regional-Kitchen-Slide-14-edited.jpg 1640w, https:\/\/hawaiipublicschools.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/20250619-BOE-GBM-Regional-Kitchen-Slide-14-edited-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/hawaiipublicschools.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/20250619-BOE-GBM-Regional-Kitchen-Slide-14-edited-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/hawaiipublicschools.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/20250619-BOE-GBM-Regional-Kitchen-Slide-14-edited-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/hawaiipublicschools.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/20250619-BOE-GBM-Regional-Kitchen-Slide-14-edited-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/hawaiipublicschools.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/20250619-BOE-GBM-Regional-Kitchen-Slide-14-edited-18x10.jpg 18w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1640px) 100vw, 1640px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Beyond increasing efficiency, the regional kitchens are central to HIDOE\u2019s farm-to-school efforts. By consolidating food preparation, the facilities will allow for greater use of locally sourced ingredients, streamline coordination with Hawai\u2018i farmers, and reduce the need for costly upgrades to individual school kitchens.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cOur vision is to build a food system that supports local farmers, reaches our 30% local sourcing goal by 2030 and gives students access to better, fresher meals,\u201d Superintendent Keith Hayashi said. \u201cThe regional kitchen in Central O\u02bbahu is our first step to making that vision a reality. It will be a place to test, learn, and eventually scale this model across the state.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In 2021, the state enacted Act 175 establishing the Hawai\u2018i Farm to School program and setting a goal of 30% of food served in public schools to be locally sourced by 2030, along with promoting garden and farm-based education.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Superintendent Hayashi and HIDOE Public Works Administrator Jadine Urasaki presented an update on the Department\u2019s regional kitchens initiative to the Board of Education on June 19. <a href=\"https:\/\/boe.hawaii.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/20250619_GBM_Regionalkitchens.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Xem<\/a> presentation materials.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-1 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"683\" height=\"1024\" data-id=\"13769\" src=\"https:\/\/hawaiipublicschools.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/NHIS-DSC06784-683x1024.jpg\" alt=\"school kitchen\" class=\"wp-image-13769\" srcset=\"https:\/\/hawaiipublicschools.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/NHIS-DSC06784-683x1024.jpg 683w, https:\/\/hawaiipublicschools.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/NHIS-DSC06784-200x300.jpg 200w, https:\/\/hawaiipublicschools.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/NHIS-DSC06784-768x1152.jpg 768w, https:\/\/hawaiipublicschools.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/NHIS-DSC06784-1024x1536.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/hawaiipublicschools.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/NHIS-DSC06784-8x12.jpg 8w, https:\/\/hawaiipublicschools.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/NHIS-DSC06784.jpg 1067w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 683px) 100vw, 683px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" data-id=\"13768\" src=\"https:\/\/hawaiipublicschools.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/Keolu-Elementary-0P1013073-2-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"school kitchen\" class=\"wp-image-13768\" srcset=\"https:\/\/hawaiipublicschools.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/Keolu-Elementary-0P1013073-2-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/hawaiipublicschools.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/Keolu-Elementary-0P1013073-2-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/hawaiipublicschools.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/Keolu-Elementary-0P1013073-2-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/hawaiipublicschools.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/Keolu-Elementary-0P1013073-2-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/hawaiipublicschools.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/Keolu-Elementary-0P1013073-2-18x12.jpg 18w, https:\/\/hawaiipublicschools.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/Keolu-Elementary-0P1013073-2.jpg 1800w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"683\" height=\"1024\" data-id=\"13767\" src=\"https:\/\/hawaiipublicschools.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/Kapolei-High-P1005516-683x1024.jpg\" alt=\"school kitchen\" class=\"wp-image-13767\" srcset=\"https:\/\/hawaiipublicschools.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/Kapolei-High-P1005516-683x1024.jpg 683w, https:\/\/hawaiipublicschools.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/Kapolei-High-P1005516-200x300.jpg 200w, https:\/\/hawaiipublicschools.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/Kapolei-High-P1005516-768x1152.jpg 768w, https:\/\/hawaiipublicschools.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/Kapolei-High-P1005516-1024x1536.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/hawaiipublicschools.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/Kapolei-High-P1005516-8x12.jpg 8w, https:\/\/hawaiipublicschools.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/Kapolei-High-P1005516.jpg 1067w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 683px) 100vw, 683px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/figure>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Hawai\u02bbi State Department of Education (HIDOE) has unveiled plans for a network of new regional centralized kitchens aimed at modernizing school meal preparation, incorporating more locally sourced ingredients and boosting efficiency across public school cafeterias. The regional kitchen is a centralized facility where meals will be prepared in bulk and then distributed to schools [&hellip;]<\/p>","protected":false},"author":13,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_relevanssi_hide_post":"","_relevanssi_hide_content":"","_relevanssi_pin_for_all":"","_relevanssi_pin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_unpin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_include_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_exclude_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_no_append":"","_relevanssi_related_not_related":"","_relevanssi_related_posts":"14121,9731,16234,14229,9784,16644","_relevanssi_noindex_reason":"","_sitemap_exclude":false,"_sitemap_priority":"","_sitemap_frequency":"","_kad_blocks_custom_css":"","_kad_blocks_head_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_body_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_footer_custom_js":"","wp_popup_display_lightbox":0,"wp_popup_suppress":"","wp_popup_trigger":"","wp_popup_trigger_amount":0,"wp_popup_disable_on_mobile":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[21],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-13765","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-news"],"pp_statuses_selecting_workflow":false,"pp_workflow_action":"current","pp_status_selection":"publish","taxonomy_info":{"category":[{"value":21,"label":"News"}]},"featured_image_src_large":false,"author_info":{"display_name":"Sara Miyazono","author_link":"https:\/\/hawaiipublicschools.org\/vi\/author\/sara-miyazonok12-hi-us\/"},"comment_info":0,"category_info":[{"term_id":21,"name":"News","slug":"news","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":21,"taxonomy":"category","description":"","parent":0,"count":305,"filter":"raw","cat_ID":21,"category_count":305,"category_description":"","cat_name":"News","category_nicename":"news","category_parent":0}],"tag_info":false,"publishpress_future_action":{"enabled":false,"date":"2026-04-11 12:50:36","action":"change-status","newStatus":"draft","terms":[],"taxonomy":"post_status","extraData":[]},"publishpress_future_workflow_manual_trigger":{"enabledWorkflows":[]},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/hawaiipublicschools.org\/vi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13765","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/hawaiipublicschools.org\/vi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/hawaiipublicschools.org\/vi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hawaiipublicschools.org\/vi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/13"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hawaiipublicschools.org\/vi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=13765"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/hawaiipublicschools.org\/vi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13765\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/hawaiipublicschools.org\/vi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=13765"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hawaiipublicschools.org\/vi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=13765"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hawaiipublicschools.org\/vi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=13765"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}