House Democrats have introduced legislation to create federal government grants and other aid to help build salad bars in schools across the country.
The Salad Bar in Schools Expansion Act is based on the idea that kids will eat healthier food if given the choice. The bill, from Ohio Democrat Tim Ryan, would allow the government to “provide training, technical assistance and placement of salad bars in elementary, middle and high schools across the country,” according to a description of the bill provided by Ryan’s office.
“Salad bars have proven to be an effective and affordable way to make school lunch more nutritious,” Ryan said.
“As a lifelong educator and longtime school principal, I know that salad bars are an innovative way for children to get the healthy, nutrient-rich foods they need to learn and grow,” said Rep. Frederica Wilson, D-Fla., one of the bill’s sponsors. “In all my time as a school principal, I have never seen my students more excited about lunch than when we brought in a salad bar.”
The bill would require the secretary of Agriculture to create a plan for promoting salad bars in schools. That would involve training programs, including webinars and workshops, as well as a plan to provide grants to schools.
The bill wouldn’t appropriate any new money for these purposes, and instead said USDA must use the funding it already has to carry out the program. The size of the grants will be roughly enough to build a salad bar.
“Each eligible entity receiving a grant under this subsection shall use the grant funds to award schools a one-time payment equal to the anticipated cost of installing a salad bar, including the purchase of any durable equipment required for a salad bar,” the bill said.
Ryan’s proposal would also allow USDA to prioritize schools with low-income students for these grants.
Other Democratic sponsors of the bill are Reps. Rosa DeLauro, Conn., and Sam Farr, Calif. DeLauro introduced another nutrition-related bill on the same day that would expand eligibility for the Women, Infants and Children nutrition program, also known as WIC.
Under current law, children up to 5 years old are eligible for this program, and her bill would allow 6-year-olds to participate.
