Vending Machines...hmm?

Who doesn't need a little vending machine relief once and a while? But with the ever increasing obesity academic, are schools really an appropriate place for them? I feel that this is an important topic because students over all health affects their ability to learn. Not to mention the foods we put into our bodies effect the way our brains work through out the day. A nice balanced lunch with help a student be able to sit and listen/comprehend material, where a Twinkie and a 20 oz soda will likely cause a student to have a hard time sitting still and focusing on a lesson.

As a child in a cafeteria where you have the option of a turkey wrap with carrot slices and a carton of milk for $2.50 or a bag of Cheetos and a Gatorade, what will most children go for? Or adults for that matter. Of course many will choose the unhealthy, non notorious meal. With out parents there guiding their children to the right food choices, its possible that your sons and daughters are taking their lunch money straight to the vending machines all week.

Apparently some schools depend on the revenue they make from selling these high calorie snacks to students. "Through contracts with soft drink companies and other vendors, some schools are raising as much as $100,000 a year, money that pays for such things as computer rewiring, teacher training and Black History Month activities." Then the same article goes on to say "Kids shouldn't be pawns. They eat a candy bar from a machine, get a brief sugar rush, and then their heads go down on their desks." (US Schools Hooked on Junk Food)

I assume this is a hard position for school officials to be in. I imagine, that they feel torn, these machines can really increase their budgets, but this is at the risk of the students. I think enough is enough. I can't think of one good reason to sell soda at school. Water, Milk and Fruit Juice are plenty. I remember in Elementary school we got chips with our lunch on Fridays, and to us, it was a treat! Now many students eat chips for lunch everyday.

I think its time we do away with junk food in vending machines. Or at the very least put some limits on them. Limit the times they are available for use, school officials need to take a good look at the foods they are stocking the machines with, add healthier choices, and take out some of the choices that are extraordinarily bad. Schools will still be making money while improving the overall health of its students.

PS...I found it awfully funny that the spell checker didn't try to correct my brand names like Cheetos and Twinkie. I wonder if they will be in the dictionary soon?