This school year, Hawai‘i public schools are serving up new breakfast and lunch items that blend locally sourced ingredients with global flavors. The fresh dishes balance student favorites with innovative ideas inspired by food trends and student feedback.
One standout: scratch-made chicken adobo, which is already proving to be a hit at Holomua Elementary in ‘Ewa Beach.
“It was amazing. I wanted seconds,” said Holomua fourth grader Halle Moreen Valle.
“The chicken tenders and mac and cheese is hard to beat, but after I tried the chicken adobo, I think they’re tied,” said sixth grader Ashton Hupfer. “It’s so amazing they’re upgrading the menu.”
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.
Taking a new item from idea to students’ trays can take months to perfect and planning typically begins at least a year in advance.
“We’re always trying to evolve with what’s trending, what we think the kids are going to eat. We have to. If we stay stagnant and we serve the same things, they’re not going to eat it,” Holomua Elementary’s School Food Services Manager Lyle Hasegawa said. “We’re trying to entice them to come by trying to just create new things that they’ll see on the menu.”
School menus emphasize Hawai‘i-grown ingredients such as ʻulu (breadfruit), kalo (taro), ʻuala (sweet potato), beef, pork, and seasonal fruits and vegetables. These efforts align with the Department’s farm-to-school initiative and Act 175, which support student health while strengthening local agriculture.
In addition to daily meals, students can look forward to themed monthly events featuring global-inspired, scratch-made recipes that celebrate Hawai‘i’s diverse food culture. Students and families can check their school cafeteria menus for the new menu offerings listed below.
Menu Highlights
Breakfast:
- Local ʻuala (sweet potato) yogurt bowl made with dragonfruit
- Mini blueberry pancakes
- Local ‘ulu (breadfruit) banana bread
- Scratch-made pumpkin bread
- Scrambled eggs with baby baker potatoes
- Blueberry bagel
- Ham and cheese croissant
- Fiesta empanada with beans and vegetables
- Guava pastry with boiled egg
- New cereals options: Blueberry Chex, Cocoa Puffs and Honey Bunches of Oats
Lunch:
- Korean beef bowl made with local ground beef
- Hamburger curry or stew with local ‘ulu (breadfruit) and kalo (taro)
- Scratch-made chicken adobo
- Vegan “plant-powered” bites
- Grilled chicken pasta florentine
- Orange chicken
- Sweet and sour meatballs
- Spicy “kicken” patty sandwich (plant-based alternative to the chicken patty)
- New burrito options: Chile relleno, pollo verde or vegan veggie crisp-up taco
- Chicken noodle stir-fry
- Lasagna roll up
- Veggie pizza
- Scratch-made mac and cheese served with chicken tenders
- To-go entree salad options: Chinese chicken salad, protein snack box, chicken caesar salad, chef’s salad, and taco salad
Side dishes:
- Local ʻuala mash made from scratch or locally sliced sweet potatoes
- Scratch-made asian-style coleslaw with local cabbage
- Sour raisins (watermelon, blueberry and tropical flavors)
- Mandarin oranges
- Strawberries and cream sidekicks (non-dairy ice cake)
- Sunbelievable sidekicks (ice cake made with vegetable juice)
- Dried apple chips (blueberry or strawberry flavors)
Hawai‘i’s public schools serve over 100,000 meals a day, making the Department of Education one of the state’s largest food purchasers. The Department continues to expand partnerships with local farmers and vendors to bring more fresh ingredients into school cafeterias.
