This December, Salad Day has made a comeback into the gardens at Rosa Parks Elementary and for the first time ever at Leonard Flynn Elementary in San Francisco. Vegetables that were planted by students in the beginning of the school year were used in combination with other organic seasonal fruits and vegetables to create a delicious colorful salad.
With this also being my first time participating in Salad Day, I would be lying if I said I wasn’t nervous that kids wouldn’t love our salad. Growing up, I was that kid that didn’t necessarily have salad as my top favorite foods. To my surprise, the kids really did love the salad and some even came back for seconds! Anna, the garden educator at Rosa Parks, mentioned that kids are more likely to eat a vegetable or fruit when they personally planted it and harvested it themselves, and that definitely seemed true while I was there.
A few parents came out and participated in Salad Day by bringing more delicious fruits and vegetables, helping cut them into small pieces, and serving them to the students. After speaking with a couple of kids, many confirmed that they liked the salad. They shared that their favorite fruits are strawberries and apples, and that their favorite vegetables are broccoli and carrots. Incorporating their favorite fruits and veggies in the salad made it more enjoyable for them to eat. The parent volunteers also mentioned they had a great time and would love to see more Salad Days at Leonard Flynn because it encourages their kids to eat healthier and try new nutritious vegetables.
Thank you to all the volunteers and educators who supported this round of Salad Days! Check out our Instagram for more photos of Salad Day or subscribe to our newsletter for updates.