1. PANELISTS:
A M Y M E I N E N , W I S C O N S I N O B E S I T Y P R E V E N T I O N
N E T W O R K
L I Z Z I E S E V E R S O N , W I S C O N S I N D E P A R T M E N T O F
P U B L I C I N S T R U C T I O N
K R I S T I N E V E N S O N , C A M B R I D G E S C H O O L D I S T R I C T
K E L L I S T A D E R , W I S C O N S I N D E P A R T M E N T O F
H E A L T H S E R V I C E S
Serving Up Local Food on
Salad Bars

2. Panel Outline
 Understanding Current Salad Bar Use In WI
 Let’s Move Salad Bars to Schools—WI Grant
 Using Salad Bars in Schools—The Basics of What You
Need to Know
 Local Salad Bar Example
 National Resources—Let’s Move Salad Bars to Schools
 Panel Discussion

3. Understanding Current
Salad Bar Use

4. Let’s Move Salad Bars to Schools—WI Grant
 Wisconsin received grant from Association of State
and Territorial Public Health Nutritionists
(ASTPHND) in April 2011
 Funded to assess current usage of salad bars,
including a focus on local procurement
 Identify challenges and barriers
 Identify success stories
 Future recommendations

5. Let’s Move! Salad Bars Grant-WI Grant
 DHS-NPAO and Knupp, Watson, and Wallman
Creative Communications Company
 Formative assessment (late 2011)
 Interviews with three school districts
 Chilton
 Slinger
 Cambridge

6. Key Findings
 Education needed on how to implement
 Common obstacles:
 Cost to implement and manage
 Food safety and hygiene
 Portion control and waste
 Pricing
 Salad bars increase F&V consumption
 Successful schools can share advice; peer mentoring
 Locally-grown F&V can be incorporated

7. Interview Quotes
 ―It is silly not to have salad bars. It’s a learning
environment even at lunch. Kids go for it.‖
 ―Finger food on the salad bar is easier for younger
kids—like bite-sized pieces of cauliflower.‖
 ―I like the variety of offering it, but have concerns
about cleanliness.‖
 ―It seems difficult to control the portions.‖

8. Meeting Meal Pattern
Requirements

9. Using Salad Bars to meet
the NSLP Meal Pattern
Great way to meet the vegetable subgroups!
Vegetable
Subgroups
Weekly Requirements
Dark Green
Red/Orange
Beans/Peas
(Legumes)
Starchy
Other
Additional
Vegetables to Reach
Total
Grades K-5 Grades 6-8 Grades K-8 Grades 9-12
½ cup
¾ cup
½ cup
½ cup
½ cup
1 cup
½ cup
¾ cup
½ cup
½ cup
½ cup
1 cup
½ cup
¾ cup
½ cup
½ cup
½ cup
1 cup
½ cup
1 ¼ cups
½ cup
½ cup
¾ cup
1 ½ cup
Weekly Totals 3 ¾ cups 3 ¾ cups 3 ¾ cups 5 cups

11. Using Salad Bars to meet
the NSLP Meal Pattern
How does the menu planner determine the
portion sizes of items offered on the salad
bar?
The planned portion size should be an amount that is
reasonable for that menu item. For example, a cup of lettuce
would be reasonable, but a cup of radish would be more than
a child would normally consume
 Reminder: Production records must be kept for
salad bars! Examples on the DPI website:
http://fns.dpi.wi.gov/fns_menupln#salad

12. Using Salad Bars to meet
the NSLP Meal Pattern
How can I ensure that students take
minimum required portion size from the
salad bar?
 Pre-portion food items
 Use of signage
 Ensure point of service personnel is familiar with what one
portion should look like

13. Produce Safety

14. Receiving Produce
14
 Inspect based on specifications
 Check temperatures for refrigerated produce
 Check produce ―best if use by‖ dates
 Reject produce that does not meet specifications

15. Receiving Produce
15
 Reject if specifications are not met
Accepting poor quality affects
eye appeal of fresh fruits and
vegetables!

16. Food Preparation Practices
Washing Produce
16
• Wash your hands before washing fruits and
vegetables
• Avoid using soap and detergent to wash fruits and
vegetables
• Wash produce thoroughly under continuous
running water
• Use designated produce sink
• Scrub firm produce, such as melons with a clean
produce brush
• Wash produce even if you plan to peel the produce
before eating
• Do not soak produce

17. Washing Produce, Cont.
17
 Pre-washed bagged produce can be used without
further washing
 Rewashing may result in cross-contamination
 Pre-Cut or prewashed produce in open bags should
be washed before using

18. Drying Produce
18
 Drain produce in colander
 May dry produce with paper towels to further reduce
bacteria that may be present
 Use salad spinner to remove water
 Air dry in clean, perforated pans

19. Prevent Cross-Contamination
19
 Equipment, knives, cutting boards
 Storage containers
 Raw meat, poultry, and eggs
 Hands, gloves, aprons

20. Salad Bar Preparation and Setup
20
 Sneeze guards/food shields
 Pre-portioned foods
 Cleaned and sanitized utensils
 Labeled containers
 Single use packaging
 Serving utensils
 Eating utensils

21. Salad Bar Temperature Control
21
 Manage food temperatures (41°F or below )
 Take and record temperatures
 Use ice properly
 Set up as close to serving time as possible
 Restock salad bar correctly

22. Salad Bar Monitoring
22
• Students touching foods
• Coughing/sneezing on food
• Foreign objects placed in food
– Jewelry, clothing, etc.
• Contaminated plates used when returning for
seconds
• Dropped foods placed back on bar

23. Salad Bar Cleanup
23
• Use clean and sanitized cloths
• Use chemicals only after food is removed from
service
• Cover, label and date, and store leftovers
immediately
• Discard contaminated food

24. Resources
Produce Safety Resources – NFSMI
http://nfsmi.org/ResourceOverview.aspx?ID=394
Best Practices for Handling Fresh Produce in Schools
http://www.nfsmi.org/ResourceOverview.aspx?ID=351
Salad Bar Resources
http://fns.dpi.wi.gov/fns_menupln#salad
USDA Salad Bar Guidance Memo
http://fns.dpi.wi.gov/files/fns/pdf/gm_sp_31_2013.pdf

25. Cambridge School District

26. National Resources for
Salad Bar Implementation

27. Let’s Move! Salad Bars to Schools
 Goal: launch salad bar programs in at least 6,000
schools nationwide over 3 years
 http://saladbars2schools.org/
 Evidence: students significantly ↑ F&V consumption
when given a variety of choices in a school F&V salad
bar
 How: grassroots support and donations

28. Let’s Move! Salad Bars to Schools
 Application process:
 Any K-12 school district participating in National School
Lunch Program is eligible
 Submit application with signatures from Foodservice Director
and Superintendent
 When approved, district appears on LMSB website to receive
community donations
 Funds received are delivered to school
 School completes 2 evaluations over 2 years

29. National Resources
 The Lunch Box Guide – Salad Bars
 http://saladbars2schools.org/pdf/lbguide_v1.pdf
 A Field Guide to Salad Bars in Schools (MN)
 http://saladbars2schools.org/pdf/MNFieldGuide.p
df
 Fresh Fruit & Vegetable Bar Guide (IA)
 http://saladbars2schools.org/pdf/FFVG.pdf
 Seed to Salad Toolkit (OH)
 http://www.astphnd.org/frontpage_files/263/263_frontpage_file
5.pdf

30. Fruit & Vegetable Promotion Resources
 Produce for Better Health Foundation (PBH):
Online Resources for School Food Service
 http://www.pbhfoundation.org/pdfs/pub_sec/PBH_Online_
Resource_Guide_for_Schools.pdf
 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC):
 http://www.cdc.gov/nutrition/everyone/fruitsvegetables/inde
x.html

31. Panel Discussion Questions
 How can we increase the number of schools
implementing salad bars?
 How can we overcome some of the barriers to using local
foods on salad bars?
 Educational opportunities for school food service professionals?
 Food Safety?
 How do you ensure that a student takes the minimum
required portion size for a reimbursable lunch?

32. Panel Discussion Questions
 How does nutrient analysis work with a salad bar?
 What are some ideas or suggestions for how more
local product can be used in salad bars?
 Successes of using local products in salad bars?