Let’s Move Salad Bars to Schools announced that the partnership has granted its 4,000th school salad bar, serving more than 2 million children a day. This milestone represents an investment of over $10 million by the LMSB2S partners, foundations and corporate and non-profit donors.

A sub-initiative in support of first lady Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move! program, Let’s Move Salad Bars to Schools provides salad bar equipment and training to schools and districts across the United States who are enrolled in the National School Lunch Program.Students who have access to salad bars at school are eating three times as many fruits and vegetables as children without access at school. The organization was founded in 2010 by Whole Foods Market, the United Fresh Start Foundation, the Chef Ann Foundation and the National Fruit & Vegetable Alliance. The Whole Kids Foundation, LMSB2S’ largest sustaining partner, helped make this milestone happen with a $750,000 donation last month.

“Today’s announcement is an exciting milestone,” the first lady said in a statement. “I’m thrilled that the Let’s Move Salad Bars to Schools initiative has helped bring 4,000 school salad bars to more than 2 million children nationwide. As we celebrate the fifth anniversary of Let’s Move!, we are well on our way to a future when all students have access to a variety of vegetables and fruit from their school salad bars each day. This is what change looks like.”

Overall, findings demonstrate that availability of salad bars is an effective strategy to increase students’ fruit and vegetable intake and furthermore help schools comply with new and improved federal school lunch nutrition standards.

From a 2014 survey of foodservice directors from schools receiving LMSB2S salad bars, most schools (57 percent) saw an increase in student participation in the school lunch program as a result of implementing salad bars. More than half of the students in recipient schools are eligible for free and reduced price school meals through the National School Lunch Program, demonstrating LMSB2S is providing low-income students with increased access to a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables.

“This achievement was made possible through teamwork, with organizations from both the public and private sectors joining forces to make it as easy as possible for schools to apply for salad bars,” Sam Kass, former executive director of Let’s Move!, said in a statement. “We’ve learned that kids who have access to salad bars at school are eating three times as many fruits and vegetables. For that alone, we need to embrace and grow this cause.”

Let’s Move Salad Bars to Schools celebrated this 4,000th salad bar milestone by hosting an event at the Calvin M. Rodwell Elementary School in Baltimore Feb. 24. Baltimore City Public Schools serve nearly 85,000 students, with 84 percent of students eligible for free or reduced meals, and over half the students eating a school lunch daily. The Salad Bar Program began back in 2012 in BCPS with just 10 pilot schools.

Today, 70 salad bars are operating throughout the district, with other sites offering salad bars from retrofitted cold service lines, or serving a house-made side salad. BCPS partners with the district’s Great Kids Farm to offer students cultivated and processed seasonal produce that, when available, is included in schools’ salad service.

According to Lorelei DiSogra, vice president of nutrition and health at the United Fresh Produce Association, “Showcasing successes like Baltimore is critical as Congress gets ready to reauthorize child nutrition programs later this year. With salad bars and a host of other programs designed to increase children’s access to fresh fruits and vegetables, Baltimore city students are learning to make healthy choices for a lifetime.”