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Posted: Tuesday, July 3rd, 2012 8:54 AM HST

School menus to become healthier

By Ken Hupp - 67AM KPUA News

Hawai`i students will be seeing some changes to their school lunches this fall under new federal rules aimed at tackling the nation’s obesity problem. The changes will largely be limited to larger portions of fruits and vegetables and fewer servings of bread. Those changes are expected to boost the cost of preparing lunches during the 2012-2013 school year by at least $1 million, which will likely be covered with federal funds and not by a hike in the current price of $2.35. More noticeable changes may come in the 2013-14 school year, when the DOE is set to debut innovative recipes that incorporate a variety of fruits, vegetables and whole grains. The state serves some 100,000 school lunches daily.