Fresh Food Initiatives

Salad Bars

We believe that every school should (and can!) operate a salad bar as part of their healthy meal program. Research shows that incorporating salad bars into school lunches increases children’s consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables. Salad bars profoundly shift the typical school lunch by offering students not only variety but also choice.

Key benefits of Salad Bars:

• Increased fresh fruit and vegetable consumption
• Increased student autonomy at mealtime
• Ability to begin or expand procurement of local produce
• Easy way to meet the USDA vegetable subgroup requirements
• Opportunity for nutrition education and student engagement (e.g. Rainbow Days, Harvest of the Month, etc.)
• Greater variety in student diet

School Breakfast

With 17+ million food-insecure households, guaranteed breakfast at school is a real and proven solution to combating hunger and providing our most vulnerable population a pathway to academic success and a healthy future. Ensuring that kids start the day with breakfast is a great first step, but not all breakfasts are equal. We encourage schools to provide a less-processed breakfast that incorporates fresh, whole ingredients with a protein component.

Key benefits of Breakfast:

• Proven and effective method at reducing hunger and risk of food insecurity
• Improved academic performance and learning environments
• Improves student attendance
• Additional revenue source for school meal programs
• Children who eat breakfast are more likely to maintain a healthy body weight

Sustainable Lunchrooms

With an ever-increasing focus on environmental impacts and sustainable methods, school food presents a major opportunity for positive change. Any school or district can start to implement sustainable practices, although more extensive improvements will require a dedicated effort.

Key benefits of Sustainable Lunchrooms:

• Reduced long-term expenditures in serviceware supplies (e.g. reusable lunch trays)
• Reduced food and packaging waste
• Educational opportunities for students to learn about the connections between the food they eat and the larger environment
• Lower food cost with plant-forward recipes, extra funds can reallocate to higher-quality ingredients
• Limited use of harsh cleaning chemicals

Apply for a Grant

The Chef Ann Foundation offers two grant opportunities—Get Schools Cooking and Salad Bars to Schools—to support schools in the transition to scratch cooking and healthier school meals. Learn more about these opportunities here.