Tomatoes & Romaine & Carrots - Oh My!

School foodie extraordinaire Nestwife has posted a fabulous 11-minute video about the SFUSD salad bar pilot program on YouTube. The veggies are fresh, crisp and mouthwatering, and it's pretty great to watch the kids scarf them up. Check it out!

Alas, this year might be it for the salad bars, unless we can figure out a way to keep funding the ones we have, let alone an expansion to other schools. On sfschools today, Nestwife writes:

It pains me to have to let people know that [due to the district/state budget crisis], instead of looking at better food,
right now Student Nutrition Services is being asked to put on the
table every possible program cut which could be implemented while
still meeting compliance regulations for a USDA child nutrition
program. Possible cuts could include:
- A return to the old carnival style menu of corn dogs,
quesadilla, bean burrito, cheeseburger, etc. – the 10 cheapest
entrees – served in an endless two week rotation
- No more whole wheat bread or fresh fruit; brown rice and
whole grain pasta scheduled to be introduced next month would be
discontinued
- Closure of all a la carte lines at middle and high schools
- Closure of all salad bars
- Elimination of SNS-provided after school snack program
- Application for exemption for summer meal service (ie – no
meals at summer school)
- And, in case you are not already wailing, an end to the district's longstanding policy of feeding every child who comes through the lunch line, regardless of whether they qualify for free meals; those students who haven't qualified and bring no money to pay for their food would be turned away to go hungry.

The salad bar project represents a big step forward in our student nutrition programs, and it's quite dispiriting to worry if financial pressures will force us to take two steps back to the bad old days of taco pockets.