Salad Bars Coming to Albuquerque Public Schools

Two high schools launch pilot program, with plans to expand to all APS high schools by April.

Jan. 29, 2026 at 7:55pm

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Albuquerque Public Schools, the largest school district in New Mexico, is rolling out a new initiative to offer daily salad bars at its high schools. The program is currently being piloted at Highland and Eldorado high schools, with plans to expand to all APS high schools by April 2026. The salad bars are free for students and will feature rotating seasonal options.

Why it matters

The new salad bar program is part of a broader effort by APS to provide healthier food options for students. This aligns with growing concerns about childhood obesity and the importance of access to nutritious foods, especially in school settings. The student-led advocacy that helped launch the program also highlights the power young people have to drive positive change in their communities.

The details

The salad bar initiative was sparked by a health class at Eldorado High School, where students crafted proposals and then presented them to the APS Food and Nutrition Services department. The district was receptive to the students' ideas and worked to quickly implement the pilot program at Highland and Eldorado. The salad bars are available daily and offer a variety of fresh, seasonal produce at no cost to students.

  • The salad bar pilot program launched at Highland and Eldorado high schools in January 2026.
  • APS plans to expand the salad bar program to all high schools by April 2026.
  • There are currently no set plans to bring the salad bars to APS middle schools, but that possibility is being considered for the start of the next school year.

The players

Kristin Tomany Walker

A health teacher at Eldorado High School who sparked the idea for the salad bar program and supported her students in advocating for it.

Josiah Thomas

A sophomore at Eldorado High School who was part of the student group that proposed the salad bar program to APS.

Gianna Rahmer

An Eldorado High School sophomore who encouraged other students to be assertive and speak up to drive positive change in their schools.

Graciela Varela

The cafeteria site supervisor at Eldorado High School, who has observed the popularity of the new salad bar among students.

Albuquerque Public Schools

The largest school district in New Mexico, which is implementing the new salad bar program across its high schools.

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What they’re saying

“I'm proud they even wanted to take this on. It felt a bit like slaying the dragon, you know? You want to take on school lunch?”

— Kristin Tomany Walker, Health Teacher, Eldorado High School

“It's just all about advocating. That's all we had to do. Our school district made it super easy for us. All we had to do was ask for it.”

— Josiah Thomas, Sophomore, Eldorado High School

“And I noticed that they love it. And the more we serve, I mean, the more kids are coming. And that's good for us.”

— Graciela Varela, Cafeteria Site Supervisor, Eldorado High School

“Be assertive and speak up for what you want, because you have more power than you think you do to change things.”

— Gianna Rahmer, Sophomore, Eldorado High School

What’s next

APS plans to expand the salad bar program to all high schools by April 2026, and is also considering bringing the salad bars to middle schools at the start of the next school year.

The takeaway

The new salad bar initiative at Albuquerque Public Schools demonstrates the power of student advocacy and the district's commitment to providing healthier food options for its students. This program could serve as a model for other school districts looking to improve the nutritional quality of their cafeteria offerings.