Shout It Loud

Think about the last time you used a snack vending machine. What did you purchase? Chances are it was not good for you, but at the time, you were hungry and did not have the time to get something healthy. You would not think twice in a situation like this because it is a common occurrence for most of us, and it is now becoming common within the school systems. While school vending machines may make lunch for busy students fast and easy, there are issues surrounding them and this article is going to explain why and how the problems can be erased.

Initially, the idea of having vending machines in schools did not seem too bad. Junior high and high school kids seemed like great candidates for snack vending consumers. This is exactly why schools choose to place the machines in their schools. It is widely known that schools are usually low on money, so what better way to generate some extra income than through their own students! Kids will pump hundreds of dollars into drink and food vending machines rather than purchase what the school is serving for lunch in the cafeteria. Still, this does not seem like such a bad thing, as the children enjoy the snacks and the school makes a little money. It seems as though everyone wins.

Children will eat what is given to them. Teenagers are always hungry and will be just as excited to eat a healthy snack as an unhealthy one. Schools should be aware of this due to the amount of time they spend teaching about the importance of healthy food choices. School vending machines make it too easy for children to eat poorly, which makes the schools seem hypocritical. This could all be fixed with a few changes. By changing what is available in the food vending machines the schools can change the children’s habits.

This notorious issue could be changed quickly. Chances are the children will probably be surprised but not too upset if they are presented with healthier options. This is not to say that candy and soda need to be taken out completely, just less of it. If the schools intended for their students to eat unhealthy all of the time, then they would not have put forth the effort to teach them about nutrition and healthy food choices in the first place. School vending machines do not have to be a bad thing. With a few changes, they can be useful in many ways.