Fourteen world-class resorts hug the rugged coastline of Hawaii's Big Island. Scores of pricey, high-end restaurants cater to the well-heeled guests staying in them.

So what's a budget-conscious family supposed to do in the face of the $35-a-person breakfast buffet? Go broke?

Not if we can help it. Catch the aloha spirit with us, as we share secrets about great meal deals on the Big Island. We teamed up with local food experts to bring you 20 Big Island meals for less than about $20, just as we did in our earlier surveys of Oahu, Maui and Kauai. Once again, we concentrated on the restaurants where locals dine for inexpensive, traditional Hawaiian fare. And we included a couple of places to splurge where the ambiance is pure tropical paradise.

Providing us with invaluable guidance were chef Vernon Wong, former board chairman of the Kona-Kohala Chefs de Cuisine; Eric Lelinski, executive chef, Sheraton Keauhou Bay Resort & Spa; and James Lightner, hospitality division chairman for the University of Hawaii Center West Hawaii.

Note that some of the restaurants are hard to find. Always call for hours and directions.

-- Rosemary McClure