Many students are beginning to see the benefits of having vending machines in schools, which is why there are more machines every year.
However, some parents still may not be aware of what kind of advantages vending machines can have. They’re afraid that their children will eat more junk food from vending machines in school, such as potato chips, cookies, and more.
Here are 9 reasons why schools should have vending machines – students, parents, and schools will all benefit from them.
Table of Contents
1. Schools Can Decide What to Put into the Machine and What Not
One of the main reasons why schools should have vending machines is that they can control what goes inside. This means that there will be less junk food in the machines, which is better for children’s health. Schools can limit or completely take out junk food from the machines, which can help students learn to eat healthier.
Vending machines can be customized to offer healthy snacks, such as fruit snacks, granola bars, trail mix, wheat crackers, etc. Vending machines can also provide healthy drinks, such as 100% fruit juices and water to replace soda.
The FDA requires that calorie declarations should be clearly seen by vending machine operators, either in the food packaging or be disclosed on a sign.
2. Encourage Healthy Food Habits
Vending machines at school will encourage healthy food habits among students, which can carry on throughout their lives. Having these healthy snacks available to replace unhealthy foods helps children stay away from junk food throughout the day.
3. Easy Access to Food
Students can choose what they want in vending machines without the need to go to a cafeteria or other location for their food. Having this access makes it easy to eat whenever students are hungry, especially if they eat less breakfast at home as they need to go to school in a rush.
This also is an option for children who do not like the choices at lunchtime, and therefore make them feel like they have more options available.
4. Ensure Students Don’t Go Hungry Between Meals
Having vending machines at school helps students who might not have gotten a chance to eat lunch or breakfast. This helps ensure that they do not go hungry during the day and focus on their studies rather than being distracted by thoughts of food. Having vending machines can ensure that children stay healthy, focused, and energetic throughout the school day so they can learn the best that they can.
5. An Option for Employees
For people who work at the school, vending machines can be quite beneficial. If employees are sick or cannot eat certain things for health reasons in the school cafeteria, then this allows them to have an option.
6. Increase Revenue for Schools
Having a vending machine can increase revenue for the school’s budget. Many schools are struggling with budget cuts and looking for ways to stay afloat as well as prepare students for the next level. One way to do this is by having a vending machine in place, which could make money for the school.
7. Provide Study Tools
Another benefit of vending machines in schools is that they can provide study tools like notebooks, pens, pencils, calculators, and so on. Since schools don’t provide students with these items, bringing it from home can be a hassle. Having these items readily available at school is advantageous for students because they will not forget any of the necessary study materials and save time by not having to go out and buy them.
8. Save Money for Students
The food sold in the vending machines in schools is always cheap than it is outside in convenience stores. This saves students hundreds of dollars in all their years of schooling, which can later be used to buy something else, such as books or clothes.
9. Peace of Mind for Parents
Parents are always worried about what their child eats while at school. They will always ask their children what food they eat at school when their child comes back home.
If the school only has healthy snacks and drinks, parents will not have to worry about their child eating unhealthy food anymore, because the vending machines would only sell healthy food in it. Meanwhile, parents don’t need to worry again as their children will most probably not stop at the convenient stores before or after school to buy food.
