After she finished going through Warrenton High School’s new cafeteria salad bar, student Kelsie Barnes said she wanted to see for herself what all the buzz was about, referring to the school’s new line of healthy choices to promote lifelong good nutrition habits. As Barnes settled up with the cashier, a group of students behind her pressed their way through the salad bar’s line of fresh veggies, fruit and condiments in a space that used to be a storage closet adjacent to main part of the cafeteria. The new salad bar joins a sub sandwich bar that went in last school year, along with a nook for fresh soups and another area called the “mini bar,” that features light fare such as tacos and baked potatoes that students can embellish with fixings. The appeal of the new offerings is evident in the school’s increase in lunch sales, district officials say. In October, the high school served 8,537 lunches, up significantly from last October’s total of 7,429. Beyond the high school, lunch totals for the district are up by 2,285 even in a year when enrollment is down. Numbers for breakfasts also are up this year. “We’re very excited about how enthusiastic the kids are about these changes,” said Lori Crawford, director of food services for the school district. Crawford said she and her team have been focused on providing students with lighter, healthier fare while continuing to offer a la carte items like hamburgers in the more traditional tray menu that some students prefer. On Tuesday as the final rush of students came through the cafeteria, the line for a la carte traditional lunch was a trickle while girls and boys — in equal numbers — hurried into the sub and salad lines. Crawford said she and her staff are pleased to be able to offer kids five items including their choice of a main item plus bread, fruit, cookie and milk for $2.50. She has operated the district’s food program in the financial “black” for years. The salad bar also is offered at the middle school, and students can help themselves at a once-a-week sub bar. While more fresh fruits and vegetables are being incorporated into the menu at the elementary schools, Crawford said instituting a salad bar for younger kids presents more logistics and health challenges, requiring that an adult helper be there to supervise. She said she hopes to introduce salad bars in the lower grades next year. “We all love these kids, and it’s wonderful to be able to help them all get a good, balanced meal during their day,” said Crawford. Crawford said she is hoping to do some decorating in the high school cafeteria space to reflect the food program’s new focus. She said she is planning new signage, fresh paint, floor covering along with some minor construction to make the space more open and help with traffic flow.