Students have complained about the school lunches being unhealthy and there needing to be more healthier options, but they were in luck this year with the latest addition, the salad bar.

Located next to the Asian food line, the salad bar is a new line in the cafeteria and was made during the summer.

The salad bar offers mixed greens and fix-ins such as chicken, ham, cheese, tomatoes, zucchini and apples.

“I think the salad bar is a good addition to Annandale because it is a nutritive alternative to people who don’t like regular school lunch,” sophomore Adam Khaliqi said. 

 “I don’t visit the salad bar often, but I think that it could add more to lunch,” senior Jason White said.

 Despite the salad bar being a new addition to the school, the new nutritious option for lunches seems to lack in popularity.

 Although being new, the number of students that take advantage of the salad bar is surprisingly low, especially compared to the other lines, which sometimes stretch out the entire length of the cafeteria.

“I visit the salad bar at least twice a week but I think that the salad bar should only be here if the students want it here and if they’re actually gonna use it,” Freshman Alhassan Mattia said.

Students seemingly often forget it or grab food from the other line’s before they can go check out the salad bar.

“I feel like the salad bars good include the fact that you get variety but the bads are that no one really goes to the salad bar and they forget about it,” said freshman Jimmy Makeragna. 

 How does DeRose feel about the salad bar?

“I’m pleased with the number of students who’ve taken advantage of the salad bar and I’m hopeful that more students will use the salad bar,” he said. “I think that the salad bar offers a variety of options for students.” 

The salad bar is still in its early stages, and there will most likely be changes done to it for the years to come. “It is possible that there will be more options and Fairfax County is pushing for,” said DeRerose.