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Instead of Healthy Vending Machines, How About Some Healthy Meals?
By Rosemary Boeglin —
A couple years ago, I walked into my high school cafeteria as the bell rang for C lunch and saw a group of kids huddled around a new vending machine in our long, brick-laden hallway. I didn’t really want a soda, but it seemed like the thing to do since the administration was nice enough to put in a vending machine. So I dug into my purse for $1.25 so I could get a Coke.
As I walked over to the machine, the crowd began to fade and I heard a few grumbles. I thought maybe they were out of Sprite, but much to the the chagrin of the student body, this was not the case.
It was much worse. The vending machine, with ”MAKE SURE TO GET YOUR 3-A-DAY OF DAIRY” plastered on the side in goofy, teen-friendly lettering, was certainly not what I had in mind. Instead of Coke and Sprite, I found a machine filled with various types of milk (chocolate, strawberry, vanilla and regular), as well as reduced-fat string cheese and packaged blocks of cheddar. That quickly turned this once-friendly gesture from the “man in charge” into a “gotcha!” of astronomical proportions.
But there was no point in getting upset. I put the quarters back in my pocket and proceeded to the lunch line to get my normal, unhealthy, grease soaked lunch that felt so comforting and familiar after the strain the vending machine fiasco had caused me. The fries were like being read a bedtime story. The pizza was like being tucked in. And the packaged chocolate chip cookies were a kiss on the forehead.
Now, as a slightly more mature and health-conscious high school student, I do understand that the transition to healthier foods in public schools must start somewhere. But these attempts to boost dairy intake are futile when nearly all students take advantage of lunch options that barely reach the nutritional standards of Taco Bell.
So here’s my suggestion from a student perspective. Stop spending money on vending machines with flashy graphics and cool fonts, and start spending money on displaying what choices will make a balanced, healthy meal that students can feel good about eating and parents can feel good about paying for.
But then again, what do I know? I was the kid ready to shell out a buck, twenty-five for liquid amphetamines only two short years ago.
March 6th, 2009 at 10:10 pm
Well written and actually relevant to the situation in my school cafeteria.
I completely agree and it’s nice to know that somebody else feels the same way.