Healthy Breakfast, Healthy Lunch – BAR NONE
Work with school nutrition staff and administrators to create salad-bar-style breakfast and lunch meals, and recruit students to help select delicious, healthy options for the bar.
How Does It Work?
Studies show that when presented with easily accessible healthy options, like in a salad bar, students choose more fruits and vegetables and other healthy foods, and consumption goes up.
- Salad bar nation. 2011. Whole Kids Foundation.
- Harris DM, Seymour J, Grummer-Strawn L, et. al. Let's move salad bars to schools: a public-private partnership to increase student fruit and vegetable consumption. (Research abstract). 2012. Childhood Obesity.
- Slusser WM, Cumberland WG, Browdy BL, et.al. A school salad bar increases frequency of fruit and vegetable consumption among children living in low-income households. (Research abstract). 2007. Public Health Nutrition.
Huddle Up
Take Action
With your team, brainstorm a list of possible foods to offer from each group (low-fat and fat-free dairy, fruits, vegetables, whole grains and lean protein).
- For instance, on the breakfast bar you might offer low-fat yogurt, fruit and vegetable smoothies, an oatmeal bar with low-fat yogurt and toppings, lean meat patties and scrambled eggs on whole grain buns and nonfat or low-fat milk.
- For a lunch salad bar, you might offer raw vegetables such as broccoli and cauliflower, low-fat cubed cheeses, dried fruit such as apricots and raisins, whole grain croutons and crackers, and diced eggs or chickpeas.
- Whenever possible, choose fresh fruits and vegetables, as they can be more appealing to students.
- Remember, reimbursable meals include more than just fruits and veggies!
Then plan a breakfast/salad bar "tryout" so students can sample different food options and rate them. You may be able to get the community and local stores involved by requesting donations of food samples.
Use the Tools and Resources below to help with planning and securing donations to help with setting up your "bar none" options, and make this a sustainable option for both breakfast and lunch.
Spread the Word
Get Others Involved
- Provide input on various breakfast or lunch/salad bar options
- Create posters and flyers highlighting the importance of a healthy breakfast or lunch
- Take turns helping out at taste test events
- Volunteer to help keep the breakfast bar, or the lunch-time salad bar, stocked once a week
- Work with local farms to provide regular offerings of local fruits, vegetables and dairy options
Involve the community. Schedule a meeting with your school's parent organization and let them know what they can do to help. See our Homefield Advantage tips to help involve parents and caregivers at school and at home.
Tools That Can Help with this Play
Did You Know?
There are many ways to introduce more options at breakfast and lunch. Use your salad bar to test out a variety of breakfast and lunch options. Kids can make a yogurt, granola, fresh fruit "salad" for example. See how creative you can get and encourage students to try new combinations and then name them! Do naming contests and put the winners on menu board notes to get others to try them.
Healthy Breakfast, Healthy Lunch – BAR NONE
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