The vending machine at school is one of the only reasons I am able to stay sane during the day. I love getting some Sun Chips at lunch, or grabbing a giant cookie after school while I study, but I never really stopped to evaluate the healthiness of all these snacks. Obviously, schools need to have some health standards when it comes to what they feed you, but the U.S. Department of Agriculture has decided to go further and put a health cap on treats traditionally found in vending machines. An article was featured on Huffington Post Education, challenging readers, “Do you know which of these snack are healthy enough for school vending machines?” The original article, and interactive game which I’ve embedded below, were originally posted on Education Week. Take the test to see if any of your favourite snacks are being cut.
Again, this new practice is only affecting schools in the U.S., although I would not mind if the high schools in Canada started closely monitoring which snacks are placed in vending machines too. I understand that not buying from the vending machine or not choosing the junk food are both options, but without all of the ‘un-smart snacks’, the road is paved for healthier snacks to be added.
How would you feel if “smart snacks” came to Canadian high schools?
