Allowing Snack Machines in Schools

Rising obesity rates among children has made teaching health education more important than ever. In turn, a great debate has sparked about the nutritional value and necessity of vending machines in schools. Vending machines provide students with snacks and other food products with ease. Many argue that in order to continue to allow these snack machines, schools must fill them with nutritious foods such as yogurt, soy nuts, string cheese and dried fruits.

Appropriate Snacks

• The vending machines themselves are not the issue but the contents inside that are causing such a great debate. Children are often irresponsible when it comes to choosing snack food; soda, cookies and candy bars seem like a much better alternative than fruits, water and vegetables. If vending machines were filled with nutritious options, developing children could learn that healthy food doesn't have to taste bad.

Health Education

• Modern children are a technology generation, making the vending machine a tool for teaching the importance of health education. Vending machines can be used to communicate with children technologically in ways they understand. LCD screens can be included with vending machines detailing the nutritional value of contained snacks in addition to educational health tips. Currently, bold graphics and advanced technology are used to attract children to vending machines. These advances and attractions could be used to help children snack more healthily.

Profit for Extra-Curricular Activities

• LCD screens also could be used for advertisements to generate extra-curricular revenue. One of the main reasons these snack machines remain in public schools is because they are so lucrative, especially in a time of educational budget cuts. There is money to be made in advertising healthy alternatives. Promote vitamin water instead of Coke products. Promote granola or nut bars instead of a Snickers bar. These advertisements will not only generate revenue, they will also promote a healthy lifestyle.

Current Laws

• Many states in the U.S. have enacted laws concerning what a vending machine can and cannot legally sell. Many of these machines are also time-operated, powering off during certain hours of the day. In 2003, Arkansas banned elementary school students' access to vending machines offering food and soda. In 2004, Tennessee created rules to establish minimum nutritional standards for food items offered for sale to pupils in grades K-8. Some states have banned soda, while others haven't banned anything but require healthy alternatives.