Hawaii’s Farm to School program has officially added chicken tinola, the classic Filipino ginger-based soup, to the menu for public school students. The move is part of an initiative to provide children with healthier meals while introducing them to more fruits and vegetables.
The hearty dish, often cooked with green papaya or chayote and leafy greens such as bok choy, is packed with essential nutrients including vitamins K, C, and A. Its broth-based preparation also makes it a lighter but filling option for growing students.
The Hawaii State Department of Education emphasized the program’s potential reach: “Hawai’i public schools are one of the state’s largest institutional consumers of food products, serving over 100,000 student meals a day. The Department continues to work closely with local vendors statewide to see how fresh local produce can be scaled across all schools in the future on a regular basis.”
Despite being a new taste for many, tinola quickly won over students. Sixth grader Jayden Fukuhara of Alvah Scott Elementary in O’ahu shared his impression: “I’ve had something similar [that] my grandma has made for me… I thought it tasted very good.”
The Philippine Consulate in Honolulu welcomed the dish’s inclusion, noting its cultural significance in Hawaii where nearly one-fourth of the population is of Filipino descent. “We welcome this move to include Filipino food in school meals in Hawaii. Recent estimate shows that almost 25% of all residents of Hawaii is of Filipino American descent, and the expanding popularity of our cuisine in the islands shows the depth of our cultural contribution,” Consul General Arman Talbo said in a message to GMA Integrated News.
Talbo also announced that Filipino cuisine will take the spotlight next month during Filipino Food Week, when more than 20 restaurants across Hawaii and American Samoa will showcase Filipino dishes from October 18 to 25 as part of Filipino American History Month.
