New Program Brings Salad Bars to Schools

HOCKESSIN, Del.Produce for Better Health Foundation (PBH) announced the launch of a public health initiative, Let's Move Salad Bars to Schools. The programs goal is to  give every child the choice of healthy fruits and vegetables at school every day. The initiative will work in concert with Michelle Obama's Let's Move! Campaign.

PPBH is pleased to participate in the Let's Move Salad Bars to Schools campaign and feels that this is an exciting way to get both the public and private sectors involved in bettering the health of America's children," said Elizabeth Pivonka, Ph.D., R.D., president and CEO of PBH. "Kids build their lifelong eating habits early and it simply makes sense to provide children with access to delicious, nutritious fruits and vegetables in schools to help them make healthy food choices and develop good eating habits."

All schools and/or school districts that meet the bronze level of the USDA Healthier US School Challenge are eligible for a salad bar donation, with the stipulation that the school/district desires and can support a salad bar. All other schools and districts that participate in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) may apply for a salad bar donation. 

The National Fruit & Vegetable Alliance (NFVA), co-chaired by Produce for Better Health Foundation (PBH) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), along with Food Family Farming Foundation, and United Fresh Produce Association, are founding partners in the Let's Move Salad Bars to Schools initiative. Their goal is to provide at least 6,000 salad bars to schools in the next three years. Throughout 2010, the partners have already raised funding for more than 600 new school salad bars.