Let’s Move Salad Bars to Schools announced that salad bars have been donated to more than 1,000 California schools. The salad bars benefit more than 700,000 students every day by increasing their access to fresh fruits and vegetables at school lunch. The Golden State leads the nation with the most salad bars in schools.  

The announcement was made at an education and agriculture forum in Salinas, CA, with Tom Torlakson, state superintendent of public instruction for the California Department of Education, a champion of school salad bars. Three years ago, Torlakson challenged LMSB2S to reach the goal of 1,000 California schools. That goal has now been surpassed — 1,018 schools from all over the state receiving salad bars.     

“On behalf of the Let’s Move Salad Bars to Schools campaign, I’m thrilled to announce today that salad bars have now been donated to more than 1,000 California schools," Margaret D’Arrigo-Martin, vice president community development for Taylor Farms Inc. and a co-chair of United Fresh Produce Association’s 2013 Let’s Move Salad Bars to California Schools campaign, said in a press release. "The salad bars benefit more than 700,000 California students every day by increasing their access to a wide variety of fresh fruits and vegetables, many grown right here in the Salinas Valley.

"Thank you for your leadership," she said. "And, thank you to my colleagues in the produce and grocery industry, and to California health and business foundations for their generous contributions to reach this important milestone for our kids.”    

Lorelei DiSogra, vice president of nutrition and health for the United Fresh Produce Association, added, “At a time when most children still eat less than half of the daily amount of fruits and vegetables recommended for good health, school salad bars are a powerful tool to increase student’s fruit and vegetable consumption. Salad bars are also one of the easiest ways for schools to meet the new school lunch standards, which require serving a greater variety and amount of fruits and vegetables every day. We very much appreciate our partnership with Superintendent Torlakson and his staff at the California Department of Education. Nationwide, more than 4,000 schools have received salad bars from Let’s Move Salad Bars to Schools.”

The goal of Let’s Move Salad Bars to Schools is to increase student’s fruit and vegetable consumption by donating salad bars to schools. The campaign supports First lady Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move! initiative to improve children’s health and end childhood obesity. LMSB2S was founded by the Chef Ann Foundation, United Fresh Start Foundation, Whole Kids Foundation and the National Fruit and Vegetable Alliance. For more information about how schools can apply for a salad bar, visit www.saladbars2schools.org.