The cafeteria at Riverside Elementary was buzzing Monday -- and it wasn't just because of the new salad bar.
Standing beside the lettuce, cucumbers and couscous was First lady Michelle Obama.
Obama visited the Little Havana school to announce a new national initiative to put salad bars in 6,000 schools.
``You guys here at Riverside are the first school in the entire country to get one,'' Obama told scores of fifth-grade students, who had assembled in the cafeteria.
The kids cheered.
``See! Kids excited about vegetables and salad bars!'' Obama said. ``I want the world to know that.''
The children were awestruck as the first lady, dressed in an orange pantsuit, went lunch table to lunch table, asking them about their favorite fruits and veggies.
``She was over here and she was telling us that fruits and vegetables are healthy for your body,'' said Ronny Montoya, 11, while munching on sliced cucumbers. ``And she touched my shoulder. I will never wash this shirt again.''
Obama was joined by some of Miami's top chefs, all of whom echoed her rally cry.
``We need to come together as a community to address the problem,'' said Kris Wessel, owner of the restaurant Red Light. ``The kids are used to eating pizza. But if we give them salad and couscous, they'll eat it.''
The salad bar initiative is part of Obama's Let's Move! campaign to reduce childhood obesity.
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