Today, Falk Elementary School in Madison, WI, opened a new salad bar in its school cafeteria with the assistance of Let’s Move Salad Bars to Schools, an initiative of the Food Family Farming Foundation, National Fruit and Vegetable Alliance, United Fresh Produce Association Foundation, and Whole Foods Market.  We are so excited to hear about one more school taking the step of offering a salad bar as part of its school lunch program.

Salad bars at schools mean that kids will have the choice of fresh vegetables and fruit every day and learn great, healthy eating habits for life. Eating a salad a day is one simple, effective, easy step toward a healthier nation. This small step can lead to a big change. 

First Lady Michelle Obama hands out fruit to students in the cafeteria at Hollin Meadows Elementary School in Alexandria, Va., Nov. 18, 2009. The visit highlighted the USDA's Healthier U.S. Schools Challenge. (Official White House Photo by Chuck Kennedy)

The First Lady has challenged America to put 6,000 salad bars into schools, and we’re cheering you on every step of the way, one salad bar at a time. In response to Mrs. Obama’s challenge, leaders across sectors have stepped up to help support salad bars in schools.  Today’s opening included a major announcement from the Whole Kids Foundation about a new effort, Salad Bar Nation, to make it possible for one million children to have salads every day at school. We’re so proud of the Whole Kids Foundation for stepping up to help put salad bars in America’s schools. 

As a nation, we need to continue to support salad bars in schools. Salad bars have been shown to increase intake and acceptance of fruits and vegetables for kids, and they’re an effective method of implementing the new school meal requirements of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act.  Today, Mrs. Obama celebrated healthier school meals across the country during her Let's Move! third anniversary tour event in Mississippi, where she applauded all schools for doing their part to bring nutritious meals to kids.