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Should Vending Machines Be Allowed In Schools? |
By:
Robert Farnham |
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Should Vending Machines Be allowed in Schools?
Robert Farnham
When I was in school we had a couple of vending machines we could access throughout the day. It was nice to have a soda and some peanut M&M's while we sat in the commons area doing homework after school. No one really made a big deal about it then. Of course we went outside and played until dark most days so we got plenty of exercise. Too many children today sit in front of the TV, video games, or the computer instead. As a result, they are overweight and that is a concern.
There is plenty of statistics to look at regarding vending machine use in schools. More than of students from 7th through 12th grade acknowledge buying items from school vending machines on a regular basis. Their parents aren't aware that they do this with the money they give them for activities and school lunches.
As a result, many parents of overweight children are blaming the schools for the problems. They claim they feed their child nutritious meals at home and provide them with money to eat at school. These parents are advocating for schools to remove vending machines altogether to eliminate the temptation and the development of bad eating habits.
Since most schools don't want to tell vending machine companies that they have to remove them, they ask that the machines don't get used during lunch time. This is to encourage students to eat from the cafeteria. However, students are quite clever and they get around this. They either go to a store or fast food place for lunch or they even buy what they want to from the vending machines between classes earlier in the day.
Schools are really good locations for vending machines if you can get your foot in the door. Even with so many issues surrounding it today, the still seem to do a great deal of business. School age children enjoy the freedom of being able to select the food items they want from vending machines when their parents aren't around
To meet the requirements of the school though you may have to agree to stock the vending machine with approved items. They many want to steer clear of unhealthy choices so that students will be encouraged to make a better selection. This means you will want to offer water and juice instead of soda. Think of healthy snacks that offer kids energy instead of sugar.
In schools that have made this type of switch, the students are still buying items from the vending machines. This is because they may not have had time to eat breakfast or they want something after school before football practice. When it comes to hungry kids, they may not always make the best choices but if a healthy food or drink is all that is available they will likely take it over nothing at all.
Make a plan of attack so you are ready for this argument from administration. If they know you are on board with a plan of the healthy items you will offer in vending machines then you may have a chance of placing your machines there. This can end up being very profitable for you. Even though school is only in session for nine months, staff and summer schools students will be there in the summer months.
Robert Farnham has 2 interesting vending business sites- checkout his http://www.my-vending-uncle.com/startvendingbusiness.htm) How To Start A Vending Machine Business site and his http://www.locatingvendinglocations.com/findingvendinglocations.htm) Finding Vending Machine Locations website. Click here for other unique 'vending' articles.
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Article Source: http://www.statssheet.com/articles/article61599.html |
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