2026 Salad Bars to Schools grant
Posted by The Lunch Box
Type: Funding
Application Deadline: March 31, 2026
About
Our Salad Bars to Schools program provides schools with equipment grants that include a salad bar and related accessories, as well as staff training and marketing resources to support the successful implementation of a salad bar.
Program Goals
- Expand student access to a wide variety of fresh fruits and vegetables.
- Support schools with planning, implementation, and educational resources to ensure the success of their salad bar programs.
- Reduce packaging waste and promote more sustainable school meal practices.
Salad bar equipment
Salad bar kits come with all the necessary parts to implement a salad bar during meal times. Kits include: Salad bar, including tray rails and sneeze guards, Tongs, Food pans, Camchillers (to keep food cold)
These 6-foot-long, five-well salad bars are suitable for locations that serve at least 100 reimbursable meals per day.
Marketing Materials
Research shows that marketing your salad bar(s) is important for increasing students’ fruit and vegetable consumption.
All schools can download and print our eye-catching marketing materials to boost participation at your salad bar. Grantees receive professionally printed materials as part of their grant package.
- Salad Bar Sign
- How to Use Your Salad Bar Poster
- Salad Bar Sustainability Hints and Tips Poster (Elementary School Level)
- Salad Bar Sustainability Hints and Tips Poster (Middle and High School Level)
- Local Procurement Labeling Cards to identify food items as School Garden Grown, Locally Grown, or Harvest of the Month
- I Ate a Rainbow Sticker to encourage students to select diverse colors of fruits and vegetables
Staff Training
Grantees receive two free enrollments for our School Food Institute’s Salad Bars in Schools self-paced online course.
Eligibility
To be eligible for a Salad Bars to Schools grant, schools must:
-Participate in the National School Lunch Program
-Offer the salad bar as part of the reimbursable meal
-Run a self-operated food service department, not managed by a food service management company
-Serve K–12 students with an enrollment of at least 100
-Have the food services director be involved in applying, with verification form support from the superintendent
The 2026 Salad Bars to Schools grant applications are open! Submit an application today. Applications close on March 31, 2026.
If you have any questions, please contact saladbargrant@chefannfoundation.org.
More information