Dear Salad Bars to Schools Grantees, 

Thank you for all the hard work you do every day to bring healthy meals to children in your community, and especially this week as so many of you are going above and beyond.

With the current situation, we know many of you are working through school closings and alternative feeding programs, and that during this chaotic time things are rapidly changing. We also know that the districts and schools that remain open have struggled with deciding whether to keep their salad bar(s) in operation. We are all trying to do what is best for our communities and do not want to take any risks with the health of our children and their families.

We strongly believe that salad bars are the best option for increasing fresh fruit and vegetable options in school lunch. We also believe that salad bars, if supported by the proper Standard Operating Procedures (SOP), as outlined by the CDC, are safe in school meal programs. For support in creating your own SOP’s you can access a template via The Lunch Box here. 

All this being said, we understand that these are not normal circumstances and that the decision to keep a salad bar in operation during this challenging time is a district’s choice and we respect any decision you choose to make.  And for the schools and districts that have closed or will soon be closing their doors, we encourage you to try and incorporate as many fresh fruits and vegetables as possible into your remote feeding programs. As key sources of important nutrients, fruits and vegetables help us all stay healthy and we don’t want children to miss out on getting the nutrients they need.

As a partnership focused on health, we hope that, above all, you and your family stay healthy. Thank you for all you do.

 

All the best, 

Salad Bars to Schools Partners