Cafeteria Personnel Responses to Culinary Training and School Salad Bars

We examined cafeteria personnel's responses to culinary training and salad bars in schools serving >90% racial/ethnic minority students. Methods: We used a quasi-experimental design to survey perceptions of salad bars before and after their implementation. Cafeteria personnel participated in chef-led culinary training and completed post-assessments. Managers completed surveys before and after salad bars were installed. Results: We had a response rate of 80%. Managers (N = 16) were pleased with their role of increasing access to fruits and vegetables. Cafeteria personnel (N = 82) did not perceive increased job difficulty after salad bars were installed. More training and staffing might enhance sustainability. Conclusions: With the increasing popularity of school salad bars and reliance on cafeteria staff for their implementation, addressing these key stakeholders' concerns might enhance their feasibility.