Why Can Your Kids Buy Junk Food at School??



Pepsi Machine in the Girl's Locker Room

 Are there soda machines all through your kids' school?  If there are, they could be wreaking havoc on your child's nutritional choices when you aren't around to influence them.  In a recent study done by US health researchers, 83% of schools had chips, soda and sweets available in vending machines for your kids to buy. 

You may ask, "Why?". It's because many schools have bought a bill of goods sold to them by these food manufacturers.  Let's face it, most schools are strapped for money to educate your kids.  The big junk food and beverage companies come in and make a pitch to your school boards and administrators.  They say that they can help the school raise much needed funds for the education of your children.  What they don't mention is that it is at the expense of your child's health.

At the school where I teach there are several soda, water, juice and milk machines throughout the building.  Water machines are fine.  Soda and juice machines are selling beverages loaded with sugar and high fructose corn syrup.  Milk machines may sound ok, but the favorite items are flavored milk with lots of added....you guessed it-sugar.  Soda machines are set to not vend until the end of the school day.  That's when  the line runs five and six deep to get that sugar and caffeine fix.

It's hard enough for kids to make smart food choices in today's junk food infused world without bombarding them with the same fare at school.  If this makes your blood boil like it does mine, join Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution and help make changes in the way America feeds their children at school.

Quite frankly, I would like to see what it would be like to teach kids who were not constantly on a sugar and caffeine buzz!