Many of you may be recipients of the Cambro Versa Bar through the Salad Bars to Schools program. We know your meal programs are having to adapt quickly with the times – and we want you to know that the equipment we granted, and the equipment you may already have can, adapt with you. Regardless of the brand of salad bar you currently use, it is a valuable piece of cafeteria equipment that can help you to continue to serve fresh, healthy food to your students. 

Throughout the pandemic, we have continued to advocate for fresh fruit and vegetable service and consumption as much as possible. We understand that this is an extremely challenging time and have worked with partner districts and past grantees to best understand how the salad bar can continue to support that mission. We want to ensure that this equipment is not taking unnecessary space in your kitchens, but rather is being used as a support tool in your current food program.

Check out the following breakdown by feature. In each, we try to demonstrate how your salad bars, and specifically your Cambro Versa Bars, can serve your district’s food service operation in more ways than one.

Castors: 

Some bars are mobile and can be used to deliver meals both in the classroom and curbside. They can be arranged in the cafeteria to increase space between staff and students and can also be used as a visual marker to create physical space between students in lines.

Sneeze guards: 

The Cambro Versa salad bars are designed with sneeze guards on a hinge. As needed, you can utilize your bars to serve students as they move through the cafeteria. 

If your bar has stationary sneeze guards, you can still use it as a serving station. Here, the staff at Napa Valley Unified School District in CA demonstrates this with its breakfast offering.

 

Retractable Tray Rails: 

Tray rails on all Cambro Versa bars retract and are designed to fit through standard door sizes.

Whether you are serving curbside, in the classroom, or at multiple locations, utilizing your bar’s mobility may increase the versatility of your meal program. 

Grab and Go: 

The Versa Salad bar is a non-electrical unit. The camchillers that come with your unit are designed to keep your food to temp for up to 4 hours. The ability to keep your food cold retains its freshness and minimizes the risk of unwanted bacterial growth.

If you have an electrical unit or one with ice wells – you can still use these bars to keep pre-packaged to-go meals at temp, or as grab and go stations.

Diana Hill, Food Service Coordinator at Fairview Park City Schools in Cleveland Ohio, is utilizing her bars as a “Grab and Go” station.