One company that provides vending machines to schools in Maryland and Virginia manages to keep the students eating and the administrators collecting the money.
Baddour says that the healthy snacks and beverages supplied by his company meet the nutritional standards set by the State while being attractive and tasty for students. "We've found that, once they get used to the idea, kids actually love the healthy popcorn, low-salt pretzels, flavored waters and sugar-free juices we provide," he said. "The children adapt pretty quickly and the schools can continue to count on vending machine snack sales to boost their bottom line."
While the guidelines are not mandatory, many schools across Maryland have embraced them as a way to curb the rise in weight-related health issues in school children...These standards, while good for children, originally caused concern among some school administrators who often rely on proceeds from vending machine sales to balance their budgets and provide ancillary student services. By adhering to the State guidelines, schools are able to sell vending machine products throughout the entire school day, which helps provide a greater revenue stream.
A great example of the co-dependence between students and administrators. Kids want the opportunities to snack when and where they want and the schools want the alternate revenue stream.
Wonder what would happen if they increased the prices for foods in the vending machines? More money for the schools - or less weight on the kids? Maybe there are people thinking about using the profits from school vending machines to fund health education programs and improve and expand opportunities for physical activity for students and the residents around the schools.
If school districts insist on keeping the vending machines in place, regardless of what's in them, then maybe the proceeds could be used to begin funding the environmental changes that would make schools the centers of safe and supervised physical activity opportunities for students and their surrounding neighborhoods.
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