Two students writing for the school newspaper at Paint Branch High School in Burtonsville, Md. debate whether or not the school should have vending machines. The student opposing vending machines claims the machines profit a private company and offer food that is low in nutrition. The other student argues that the revenue the machine provides helps the school and nutrition disclosure is now required. To read the articles, click here.
Editor’s Insight: This has been an ongoing debate. What many people don’t know, however, is that school foodservice operations in recent years have been embracing vending machines as a way to provide nutritious food to students. By using state-of-the-art vending machines that interface with the point of sale food line tracking software, schools have been able to reduce students’ wait time and provide nutritious food to kids.
The debate referenced in this article addresses machines that are mainly used for snack purposes and are not operated by the foodservice departments. But the foodservice departments, once they learn the benefits of vending machines, are lobbying to assume control of machines that are not part of the foodservice operation. While the debate about school vending machines rages on, the school foodservice directors are becoming vending advocates and seeking to gain authority over school vending. 03-30-12 By Elliot Maras
