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Healthier snacks to be stocked in Stafford’s school vending machines Date published: 5/25/2005
By KELLY HANNON Wholesome snacks and low-calorie drinks are replacing junk food in Stafford County’s high school vending machines. The Stafford School Board voted 7–0 last night to toss out high-fat foods and sugary drinks from some vending machines. Members voted without discussion. Starting next fall, high schools must adhere to a new set of county nutritional guidelines when they fills vending machines to be used before and during school hours, and one half-hour after dismissal. After a half-hour—when most students have left for the day—machines with a wider variety of items can be activated. Under the new standards, drinks will be 16 ounces or smaller, and have no more than 300 calories. Fruit juices will have at least 25 percent juice. Low-fat and nonfat flavored milk will be offered, along with plenty of water. Candy bars and regular chips will probably vanish, replaced by snacks of 300 calories or less. No more than 30 percent of an item’s calories can come from fat, except for nuts and seeds, and no more than 10 percent of the calories can come from saturated fat. Sugar would be capped at 35 percent of a product’s weight. Vending machines are big business for schools, which can earn thousands of dollars from contracts with food and beverage suppliers. The money usually supports athletics and extracurricular activities. Chapman Slye, Stafford’s director of school nutrition, told the School Board during its May 10 meeting that vending-machine sales might dip at first, but will rebound as students get used to healthier products. Stafford is not the first school district to overhaul its vending policy. Several major U.S. school districts, including New York City Public Schools and the Los Angeles Unified School District, have already cracked down on junk food. Their decisions, and purchasing power, have spurred the food and beverage vending industry to create healthier, tasty options. A healthy vending food show held in Stafford last year demonstrated a number of local vendors offering lower-calorie, baked snacks and low-sugar drinks. High school critics gave many products positive reviews.
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