I 
119TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. R. 739 
To amend the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act to expand 
the use of salad bars in schools. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JANUARY 24, 2025 
Ms. WILSON of Florida introduced the following bill; which was referred to 
the Committee on Education and Workforce 
A BILL 
To amend the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch 
Act to expand the use of salad bars in schools. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Salad Bars in Schools 
Expansion Act’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds the following: 
(1) In the United States, one-third of all school- 
aged children are overweight or obese and very few 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
03:06 Feb 20, 2025
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H739.IH
H739
kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB
eat the daily amount of fruits and vegetables rec-
ommended by national health authorities. 
(2) On average, more than 30 million children 
participate in the National School Lunch Program 
daily, with more than 70 percent qualifying for free 
or reduced-price meals based on family household in-
come. 
(3) Improving the healthfulness of school meals, 
including serving more fruits and vegetables, will im-
prove children’s eating habits and their health. The 
Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends that 
children ‘‘make half their plate fruits and vegeta-
bles’’ at each meal. 
(4) Research indicates that school salad bars 
are an effective strategy to increase children’s con-
sumption of a wide variety of fruits and vegetables. 
(5) Salad bars are one of the easiest ways for 
school food authorities to meet the new school lunch 
nutrition standards that require serving a fruit and 
a vegetable every day, a colorful variety of vegetables 
every week, and that students select at least one-half 
cup of a fruit or a vegetable at lunch. 
(6) Salad bars are effective in elementary, mid-
dle, and high school, they empower students to try 
new fruits and vegetables and are a tangible example 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
03:06 Feb 20, 2025
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H739.IH
H739
kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB
of a school’s commitment to wellness and healthier 
school meals. 
SEC. 3. EXPANSION OF SALAD BARS. 
Section 18 of the Richard B. Russell National School 
Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1769) is amended by adding at the 
end the following: 
‘‘(l) EXPANSION OF SALAD BARS.— 
‘‘(1) 
MARKETING
AND
COMMUNICATIONS 
PLAN.—Not later than 90 days after the date of the 
enactment of the Salad Bars in Schools Expansion 
Act, the Secretary shall establish and implement a 
plan to promote the use of salad bars in schools par-
ticipating in the school lunch program established 
under this Act. 
‘‘(2) TRAINING AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.— 
In carrying out the plan described in paragraph (1), 
the Secretary shall provide training and technical as-
sistance to eligible entities to assist the entities in 
establishing salad bars in schools. Such training and 
technical assistance may include— 
‘‘(A) webinars; 
‘‘(B) training workshops; 
‘‘(C) implementation resources; 
‘‘(D) nutrition education; and 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
03:06 Feb 20, 2025
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H739.IH
H739
kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB
‘‘(E) strategies for parent engagement and 
to encourage collaboration with allied organiza-
tions and partners. 
‘‘(3) GRANT PROGRAM.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—In carrying out the 
plan described in paragraph (1), the Secretary 
shall establish a grant program under which the 
Secretary shall provide grants, on a competitive 
basis, to eligible entities selected under sub-
paragraph (C). 
‘‘(B) USE OF FUNDS.—Each eligible entity 
receiving a grant under this subsection shall use 
the grant funds to award schools a one-time 
payment equal to the anticipated cost of install-
ing a salad bar, including the purchase of any 
durable equipment required for a salad bar. 
‘‘(C) APPLICATION.— 
‘‘(i) IN GENERAL.—To receive a grant 
under this subsection, an eligible entity 
shall submit to the Secretary an applica-
tion at such time, in such manner, and 
containing such information as the Sec-
retary may require. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
03:06 Feb 20, 2025
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H739.IH
H739
kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB
‘‘(ii) PRIORITY.—In selecting grant 
recipients, the Secretary may give priority 
to eligible entities that— 
‘‘(I) serve schools in which not 
less than 50 percent of the students 
are eligible for free or reduced price 
lunches; 
‘‘(II) 
serve 
schools 
in 
food 
deserts; or 
‘‘(III) provide nutrition education 
to students. 
‘‘(D) TERMINATION.—The grant program 
shall terminate 5 years after the date of the en-
actment of the Salad Bars in Schools Expan-
sion Act. 
‘‘(E) EVALUATION.—Each grantee shall 
submit to the Secretary an evaluation of the 
grant program at such time, in such manner, 
and containing such information as the Sec-
retary may require. 
‘‘(4) REPORT.—Not later than 1 year after the 
date of the enactment of the Salad Bars in Schools 
Expansion Act, the Secretary shall submit a report 
to the Committee on Education and the Workforce 
and the Committee on Agriculture of the House of 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
03:06 Feb 20, 2025
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00005
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H739.IH
H739
kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB
Representatives, and the Committee on Agriculture, 
Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate, which in-
cludes— 
‘‘(A) recommendations, if any, for pro-
moting and establishing more salad bars in 
schools; 
‘‘(B) the number of schools nationwide 
that have a salad bar program in their school; 
‘‘(C) the number of schools that have new 
salad bars as a result of the plan described in 
paragraph (1); and 
‘‘(D) the evaluations submitted by grantees 
under paragraph (3)(E). 
‘‘(5) REVISION OF GUIDANCE ON SALAD BARS 
IN THE NATIONAL SCHOOL LUNCH PROGRAM.—Not 
later than 90 days after submitting the report under 
paragraph (4), the Secretary shall revise the March 
27, 2013, policy memorandum SP 31–2013, ‘Salad 
Bars in the National School Lunch Program’, in 
light of any recommendations contained in the re-
port. 
‘‘(6) DEFINITIONS.—In this subsection: 
‘‘(A) DURABLE
EQUIPMENT.—The term 
‘durable equipment’ means durable food prepa-
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
03:06 Feb 20, 2025
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00006
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H739.IH
H739
kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB
ration, handling, cooking, serving, and storage 
equipment greater than $500 in value. 
‘‘(B) ELIGIBLE ENTITY.—The term ‘eligi-
ble entity’ means— 
‘‘(i) a school; or 
‘‘(ii) a school food authority. 
‘‘(C) FOOD
DESERT.—The term ‘food 
desert’ means a census tract with a substantial 
share of residents who live in low-income areas 
that have low levels of access to a grocery store 
or a healthy, affordable food retail outlet.’’. 
SEC. 4. PROHIBITION ON NEW APPROPRIATIONS. 
No additional funds are authorized to be appro-
priated to carry out this Act and the amendments made 
by this Act, and this Act and such amendments shall be 
carried out using amounts otherwise made available for 
such purposes. 
Æ 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
03:06 Feb 20, 2025
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00007
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6301
E:\BILLS\H739.IH
H739
kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB