Michigan school lunches go green with help of new salad bars

United Fresh Start Foundation

New salad bars will be added to the cafeterias of six Michigan school districts including Comstock Park and Ionia public schools thanks to the joint effort of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan and United Fresh Start Foundation. (Photo provided by United Fresh Start Foundation)

WEST MICHIGAN -- School lunches are about to get greener with the help of a partnership of two Michigan organizations.

New salad bars will be added to the cafeterias of six Michigan school districts, including in Comstock Park and Ionia public schools, thanks to the joint effort of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan and United Fresh Start Foundation, according to a joint press release.

The salad bars will be installed in 20 schools and are part of the national Salad Bars to Schools initiative, which provides equipment and resources to help students make healthier food choices.

Food service staff will receive a commercial grade “sectionizer-slicer” to easily and quickly prepare a variety of fresh-cut fruits and vegetables for stocking the salad bar, the release said.

In Comstock Park, Pine Island Elementary School and Comstock Park High School will receive salad bars and equipment. At Ionia schools, the program is outfitting salad bars at Douglas Welch High School, Ionia Middle and High schools and at Twin Rivers, AA Rather, RB Boyce, Jefferson and Emerson elementary schools.

Other Michigan districts chosen for the cafeteria additions include Beecher Community Schools near Flint, Roscommon Area Public Schools, South Lake Schools near St. Clair Shores and Fitzgerald Schools near Warren.

“Blue Cross is proud to support salad bars in Michigan schools to increase access to a variety of healthy options during school meals to thousands of students across Michigan,” said Ken Hayward, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan vice president and special assistant to the president for Community Relations.

“Healthy, nutrient-rich food choices are a critical component to helping children and adolescents lead healthier lifestyles and maintain well-being,” Hayward said.

The initiative has placed more than 100 salad bars in Michigan schools, benefitting more than 50,000 students, the release said.

“This partnership is so valuable, not just to the schools who are benefitting, but also for what this collaboration represents,” said Andrew Marshall, director of foodservice and foundation partnerships with the United Fresh Produce Association. “Both of our organizations understand how critically important it is that children have access to meals at school that include a variety of fresh fruit and vegetables.

“With childhood obesity and rates of diabetes continuing to rise, along with the reality that those with diet-related conditions are at a much greater health risk, there’s never been a more important time to prioritize healthy eating both for our children and families,” he said.

United Fresh Start Foundation is a not-for-profit organization focused on increasing children’s access to fresh fruits and vegetables. More information is available at unitedfreshstart.org.

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