The rising cost of food hasn't caused any change in the menu at Hawai'i public schools, but officials may have to consider raising the price of lunches if costs continue to soar, said Glenna Owens, director of school food services for the Department of Education.

The DOE has changed its food service procurement process that now calls for contracts lasting six months instead of the previous one year, Owens said, adding that she is keeping an eye on the cost of food along with other costs that add to the price of school lunches.

"If there's a spike in cost across the board, we may look at increasing the price of the lunch," she said. "But I won't make that decision unless I've got some good history."

Hawai'i public schools serve 100,000 students a day who pay $1.25 for lunch.

So far Owens said she hasn't seen a need to change the price and explained there is little leeway to affect the cost of the food through menu changes because of federal guidelines.

"The (United States Department of Agriculture) has strict requirements on what would be a reimbursable meal, so we are locked into certain things," she said.

Recent changes on the menu have had more to do with a healthy diet than with cost, Owens said. For instance the mix of white and brown rice went from 25 percent brown to 50 percent brown, she said.