Students across 32 states and Washington, DC will benefit from increased access to fresh fruits and vegetables.
BOULDER, COLORADO / ACCESS Newswire / February 11, 2026 / The Chef Ann Foundation announced that it awarded 166 salad bar equipment grants to 81 school districts in 2025 through its Salad Bars to Schools program. These salad bars will provide students across 32 states and Washington, DC with increased access to fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and healthy proteins through school meals. The program prioritizes schools with high free and reduced lunch participation rates to ensure the greatest impact on students who might otherwise have limited access to fresh foods.
The Salad Bars to Schools program is part of Chef Ann Foundation's ongoing efforts to help schools improve the quality of school meals. Grantees in K-12 schools receive equipment, marketing materials, and training to implement self-serve salad bars in their cafeterias. Each grant includes a salad bar and all needed accessories, as well as technical assistance and resources to help schools successfully implement a salad bar.
"Salad bars give schools a practical way to move beyond processed options and allow fresh fruits and vegetables to be a part of daily school meal options," said Mara Fleishman, CEO of the Chef Ann Foundation. "When students can choose and customize their meals, they're more likely to try new foods and develop healthy habits that last beyond the lunchroom."
Since 2010, the Chef Ann Foundation has granted over 6,400 salad bars to schools nationwide. Data shows that salad bars, when paired with operational and marketing best practices, have the power to increase students' consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables.
These 2025 Salad Bar to Schools grants are made possible through generous funding from our mission-aligned partners. Thank you to the Whole Foods Market Foundation, dedicated to improving children's health and wellness through nutrition. Thank you to the Denver Broncos Foundation, an organization committed to making a positive impact on future generations by creating a "game plan" for life through youth health and wellness initiatives, dynamic in and out of school programming, and access to career pathways.
Applications for the 2026 Salad Bars to Schools grants will be open from February to March 31, 2026.
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
View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:
https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/education/chef-ann-foundation-awards-166-salad-bar-grants-to-schools-nationwide-1135406
