IN THE NEWS: SCHOOL VENDING MACHINES

Recently, the topic of vending machines in schools has been in the news. Now, I don't remember vending machines at school from when I was a kid, and I'm not exactly sure why schools need vending machines at all (isn't that what the school cafeteria is for?), but anyway, apparently there are a lot of unhealthy processed foods being offered in these school vending machines: potato chips, candy bars, soda, etc. However, according to a recent New York Times article, new vending machine contracts approved by the Education Department are going to start promoting "healthier choices."

What does this mean?

Drinks must have fewer than 25 calories per 8 ounces, no artificially sweetened drinks, and drinks would have to be caffeine-free or non-carbonated. Examples of drinks fitting the bill are water, seltzer and unsweetened tea. Food items would be limited to 200 calories per item, and 200 milligrams of sodium per item. Sugar and fat would make up no more than 35 percent of the total calories, and saturated fat would not be more than 10 percent of total calories. Examples of food products allowed include Baked Lays, Baked Tostitos, Reduced Fat Doritos and low-sugar Quaker Chewy Granola Bars.

So, is this a better alternative to the previous junk food and soda? Well, I'm actually not so sure. The food choices are all still packaged processed foods (and still what I would consider junk food), not fresh whole foods.

But here's an interesting idea...

Leave it up to the Germans to invent the local food vending machine. A German farm, Peter-und-Paul-Hof, has collaborated with a vending manufacturer on specially designed vending machines selling fresh milk, eggs, butter, cheese, potatoes and sausage to thirteen local German towns and communities.

Of course, something tells me that none of these foods (Sausage? Butter?) would fit the calorie and fat requirements of the Education Department's new contracts. And I somehow can't see a highschooler buying a package of sausage from a school vending machine (although it's interesting to try and imagine it...).

But wait, here's another idea. There is also a line of Spanish vending machines that emphasize "solid nutritional value," and sell "nuts, prepared fruit, ready meals and Spanish speciality, gazpacho soup."

Yum!

Of course, the real advantage to using processed instead of fresh food in school vending machines is that it's cheaper and the vending machines wouldn't have to be stocked daily. These are, of course, the same reasons why the majority of people buy packaged food instead of fresh food at the grocery store.

But couldn't we try to encourage real change in our nation's eating habits by starting in our public schools? What if we taught our children that the right choice is not "healthier" (i.e. "less-bad-for-you") junk food but truly-healthy nutritious un-processed fresh whole food?

Now there's an interesting idea.