Schools nationwide can apply to receive salad bar equipment and training to increase access to fresh fruits and vegetables in school meals.

BOULDER, COLORADO / ACCESS Newswire / February 11, 2026 / The Chef Ann Foundation has opened applications for the 2026 Salad Bars to Schools equipment grants. Schools that participate in the National School Lunch Program and serve students from kindergarten through twelfth grade are eligible to apply. Grantees will receive salad bar equipment, online training through the Chef Ann Foundation's School Food Institute, technical assistance, and marketing resources to install and successfully manage a salad bar as part of their school meal service.

School food has a significant impact on student health: nearly 30 million students eat school meals each day. Salad bars can increase students' consumption of fruits and vegetables, as well as whole grains and healthy proteins, providing students with increased access to fresh, whole foods and more menu choices.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture requires schools participating in the National School Lunch Program to offer students fruits and vegetables daily. Salad bars make it easier for schools to meet - and even exceed - these federal nutrition standards for school meals.

"Implementing a salad bar is a great way for schools to start to transition away from serving ultra processed foods in favor of fresher, healthier whole foods," explained Laura Smith, Chef Ann Foundation's chief program officer. "With less than 25% of the food served in schools being cooked from scratch, salad bars can be an important first step in a school district's scratch-cooked meals transition."

In addition to supporting student health, salad bars can advance schools' environmental sustainability goals. By allowing students to choose only what they plan to eat, salad bars can reduce food waste. Serving ingredients in bulk rather than single-use packaging can also decrease waste. Schools may further enhance sustainability by sourcing local and seasonal food for the salad bar from nearby farms.

Since 2010, Chef Ann Foundation's Salad Bars to Schools program has awarded more than 6,400 salad bars nationwide, increasing access to fresh fruit and vegetables for over 3 million students. The 2026 grants are made possible through generous support from the Whole Foods Market Foundation, dedicated to improving children's health and wellness through nutrition.

Schools must apply by March 31 to be considered for a 2026 grant.

About Chef Ann Foundation

Chef Ann Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit working to ensure that school food professionals have the resources, funding, and support they need to provide fresh, delicious, scratch-cooked meals that support the health of children and our planet. To date, the organization has reached more than 19,000 schools and 5.9 million kids in all 50 states with healthy school food programming.

CONTACT:

Jessica Christopher
Public Relations Supervisor
jessica.christopher@curatorpr.com
610-945-8615 (PT)

SOURCE: Chef Ann Foundation