Salad Bars for School Lunch
Schools across the country are adding salad bars to their lunchrooms, and with good reason – few school-aged children consume the recommended amounts of fruits and vegetables, which is key to long-term good health and decreasing the risk of obesity and chronic diseases. Research shows that incorporating salad bars into school lunches not only increases the amount of fruits and vegetables that children consume, but also increases the variety of fruits and vegetables that they are consuming. In addition to the nutritional benefits, salad bars may lower plate waste in school feeding programs, because children are actively building their meals instead of being passively served them.
At the Clark County School District here in Southern Nevada, all middle and high schools now have permanent salad bars in their lunchrooms. This significant change to the school landscape is helping children in CCSD schools try new foods, incorporate greater variety into their diet, and increase their daily intake of fruits and vegetables.
For elementary schools, mobile salad bars are available on a rotating basis by request. Learn how to request a salad bar for your child’s elementary school here.
To learn more about school wellness and what you can do visit our Healthy School Environment webpage.
