Public schools on the Big Island are now serving locally raised beef in student lunches, a win for local ranchers and a healthier switch for kids.

• Parker Ranch is supplying beef to schools across Kohala, Waikoloa, Waimea, the Hamakua Coast, and Hilo.
• The beef shows up in dishes like spaghetti, sloppy joes, chili, hamburger stew, and chili cheese nachos.
• It's raised without antibiotics or growth hormones and processed locally, so it never leaves the island, which means a smaller carbon footprint.
• Students and staff say it tastes noticeably better than processed meat, and officials see it as a way to teach kids about local food production.

Outlook: The Department of Education wants to build similar local-beef partnerships with schools on Maui and Kauai.