Salad Bars to Schools

Salad Bars to Schools is sponsored by Chef Ann Foundation. The Salad Bars to Schools grant program provides K-12 schools and districts with the equipment and resources needed to implement salad bars effectively as part of a reimbursable meal, supporting a journey to more scratch cooking and values-aligned procurement.

Chef Ann Foundation | Salad Bars to Schools The Chef Ann Foundation gets schools cooking. We help schools replace ultraprocessed foods with fresh, healthy, and delicious scratch-cooked meals that nourish kids and protect the planet. Why Cooking in Schools Matters Co-Founder Chef Ann Cooper Co-Founder Mara Fleishman Financials & Annual Reports From the cafeteria to the Capitol, we're on a mission to transform the school food system.

Learn about our programs, research, and policy initiatives. Healthy School Food Pathway California Pre-Apprenticeship Colorado Pre-Apprenticeship New York Pre-Apprenticeship Virginia Pre-Apprenticeship What does it take to get better school food on kids' trays? Explore our blog stories, news, statements, webinars, and research.

You can help schools serve fresher, tastier meals to kids that are good for them and the planet. The Chef Ann Foundation gets schools cooking. We help schools replace ultraprocessed foods with fresh, healthy, and delicious scratch-cooked meals that nourish kids and protect the planet.

Why Cooking in Schools Matters Co-Founder Chef Ann Cooper Co-Founder Mara Fleishman Financials & Annual Reports From the cafeteria to the Capitol, we're on a mission to transform the school food system. Learn about our programs, research, and policy initiatives.

Healthy School Food Pathway California Pre-Apprenticeship Colorado Pre-Apprenticeship New York Pre-Apprenticeship Virginia Pre-Apprenticeship What does it take to get better school food on kids' trays? Explore our blog stories, news, statements, webinars, and research. You can help schools serve fresher, tastier meals to kids that are good for them and the planet.

// this is used to replace '{slug}' placeholder in content We want every school in the United States to have a salad bar so that all kids — from elementary school through high school — have daily access to fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and healthy proteins. We donate salad bars to schools nationwide to make this reality possible.

We want every school in the United States to have a salad bar so that all kids — from elementary school through high school — have daily access to fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and healthy proteins. We donate salad bars to schools nationwide to make this reality possible. Go to our Salad Bars to Schools grant page to learn more about our salad bar grants.

Installing salad bars in schools can have a powerful impact on student health and environmental sustainability. Salad bars help students eat more fruits and vegetables, reduce food and packaging waste, and create more opportunities for schools to source fresh produce from local farms. Our Salad Bars to Schools Program provides K–12 schools with the equipment and training they need to successfully install salad bars.

Installing salad bars in schools can have a powerful impact on student health and environmental sustainability. Salad bars help students eat more fruits and vegetables, reduce food and packaging waste, and create more opportunities for schools to source fresh produce from local farms. Our Salad Bars to Schools Program provides K–12 schools with the equipment and training they need to successfully install salad bars.

salad bars granted to schools across the U.S. million children have more access to fresh fruits and vegetables salad bars granted to schools across the U.S. million children have more access to fresh fruits and vegetables Salad Bars to Schools was created in response to the Healthy Hunger Free Kids Act of 2010 , championed by former First Lady Michelle Obama, which modernized federal school meal standards by requiring schools to serve students at least a half cup of fruit or vegetables with breakfast and lunch.

While salad bars offer an effective way for schools to meet these federal standards, chronic underfunding of school food programs and historic divestment in kitchen infrastructure left many schools unable to afford salad bar equipment.

To bridge this gap, the Chef Ann Foundation, National Fruit and Vegetable Alliance, United Fresh Start Foundation, and Whole Foods Market launched the Salad Bars to Schools program to donate salad bar equipment, recipes, and training resources to schools across the country. Since 2010, the program has donated over 6,000 salad bars, providing more than 3 million children with more access to fresh fruits and vegetables.

Today, Salad Bars to Schools is operated by the Chef Ann Foundation with support from the Whole Foods Market Foundation. Get salad bars in all schools. Donate today.

We’ve seen great success with our salad bar program through increased student participation, enthusiasm for fresh fruits and vegetables, and reduced food waste. The program has also supported our farm-to-school efforts and has become a sustainable, well-loved part of our meal program. Iowa 2022 Salad Bar Grantee Salad bars can encourage kids to eat more fruit, vegetables, whole grains, and healthy proteins.

They present fresh, whole foods in an appealing way, and give students more control over what they choose to eat. Salad bars create more opportunities for schools to purchase fresh, seasonal produce from nearby farms — boosting student health while investing in local economies. Schools can also source more organic and sustainably grown ingredients from farms when they have salad bars.

Reduce food and packaging waste Salad bars can help schools cut back on plastics — like single-use plastic containers. They can also help cut food waste because they give students more control over what they eat and portion sizes, so that students are more likely to eat what they take. Get Salad Bars in All Schools You can help us get salad bars in more schools across the U.S. by donating .

If you represent a foundation or corporate giving program: Contact us at dev@chefannfoundation. org to learn how you can sponsor this program. If you represent a school or district: The 2026 Salad Bars to Schools grant applications are open!

Learn more and apply . Get Salad Bars in All Schools You can help us get salad bars in more schools across the U.S. by donating . If you represent a foundation or corporate giving program: Contact us at dev@chefannfoundation.

org to learn how you can sponsor this program. If you represent a school or district: The 2026 Salad Bars to Schools grant applications are open! Learn more and apply .

How Corporate Giving Put Fresh Vegetables on Students' Lunch Trays Mixing It Up: 10 Ways to Spice Up Your School Salad Bar Plant Power for The Planet We build programs that work. How do we know? Because we continuously and rigorously evaluate them to maximize their impact.

Find our program evaluation insights here . The School Food Institute gives school food service professionals and childhood nutrition advocates the in-depth training, operational skills, and strategic vision necessary to make school food fresh, healthy, and sustainable.

The Lunch Box is an online resource that is dedicated to supporting school districts and food service teams in transitioning their food programs from relying on processed foods to incorporating scratch cooking and fresh ingredients. School Food News Updates and opportunities for school food changemakers. The Lunch Box Recipes, resources, and opportunities for school food professionals.

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