The sugar content of many of the snacks and drinks sold in school vending machines is extremely high. One typical can of soda often contains as much as ten to twelve teaspoons of sugar. A product's sugar content is usually listed in grams, one gram equaling to four teaspoons. Popular chocolate candy bars, as well as other hard and soft candies, can have as much as 63 g of sugar per serving.
The sugary snacks in school vending machines can be detrimental to students for several reasons. The CDC's publication, Nutrition Standards for Foods in Schools, states that these foods do not have to meet any particular nutritional requirements. Excessive consumption of foods high in sugar can contribute to childhood obesity, tooth decay and hyperactivity. Students often replace needed meals with empty-calorie snack food which can eventually have a harmful effect on growth patterns, attention span and mood.
Concerned parents, teachers and students can help to encourage schools to make better choices about what to place in school vending machines. Voice your concerns to school personnel and principals. Ask them to use scientifically-based information to decide on nutritional standards for foods sold outside of the cafeteria. Gather information on the subject from websites like your state's department of health and human services and get permission to post nutritional bulletins for fellow students. Make your voice heard.
You can encourage your child's school to stock the vending machines with healthier snack options. Healthier alternatives can include things like baked and wholegrain chips, low-fat pretzels, reduced-fat popcorn, granola bars, sunflower nuts, dried fruit trail mixes, low-fat yogurt, 100 percent juices and plain water. These types of snacks and drinks are likely to have less refined sugar than the more common choices.