Hawaiʻi public school cafeterias serve 5,400 pounds of locally grown rainbow salad

Hawaiʻi public school cafeterias distributed roughly 5,400 pounds of locally grown produce to about 100 participating schools this January as part of a special "rainbow" salad served in lunch lines statewide. The Department of Education reported the haul included 3,300 pounds of lettuce, 2,000 pounds of tomatoes and 100 pounds of cucumbers, with additional items such as watercress, carrots, purple cabbage, won bok and green cabbage included as available.

The salad was presented as a monthly special, and the Department of Education said schools now have the option, beginning this school year, to offer fresh salad entrées year-round as an alternative to standard main courses. Examples listed by the department and local outlets include Chinese chicken salad, chicken Caesar salad, chef salad, taco salad and protein snack boxes. Each salad is prepared fresh at the school level and uses local produce when available, the department said.

On Hawaiʻi Island, Kohala High School and Kohala Elementary were named among participating schools. Coverage of those cafetorium services noted students at Kohala were served the rainbow salad alongside pepperoni pizza, and department photos showed Kohala students smiling with trays at a cafeteria table. Kohala High School Food Services Manager Indigo Mathewson described the local sourcing effort as both an economic and nutritional benefit, saying, "I think we should be sourcing locally as much as possible because it supports our local farmers and the local economy." Mathewson added, "The food is fresher and more nutritious, and not everyone has access to meals like this every day," and noted, "Exposing students to healthy foods early on is important, and I think we’re on the right track."

The distribution is part of the Department of Education’s continuing farm-to-school and student wellness initiatives. The DOE serves more than 100,000 student meals each day, making it one of the state’s largest institutional food purchasers and a potential engine for local agricultural demand. Reporting in local outlets traces the policy background to Act 175, signed in 2021 by then-Governor David Ige, which moved the Hawaiʻi Farm-to-School Program and its coordinator into the Department of Education and set a target of 30 percent locally grown school food by 2030.

For Big Island residents, the expanded salad options signal tangible changes in school menus and a clearer market for local growers. Parents, school staff and farmers seeking specifics on participating schools, vendor names and procurement details can expect the Department of Education to be the next stop for progress metrics as the state works toward the 30 percent local sourcing goal by 2030.