Vetting Vending Machines

by Diane Lofshult

Food for Thought:

How would you rate the vending machines in your child’s school? Did you know that schools throughout America are now required to adhere to strict national nutrition standards when stocking items in their vending machines?

The National Academies’ Institute of Medicine released new nutrition standards for school vending machines last spring in an effort to get soda and junk foods out of our nation’s schools. You can find these new standards at www.iom.edu/CMS/3788/30181/42502.aspx.

In a related action, a company in San Diego is now giving away free “healthy” vending machines to schools. YoNaturals Inc., with national headquarters in Solana Beach, California, offers schools free installation and use of its YoZone vending machines at no expense. Each food or beverage selected for the company’s machines must meet the state’s current nutrition standards; must be reasonable in cost; and must pass student “taste tests,” according to a company press release.

To have a healthy vending machine installed in your school, contact the company’s website at www.healthystudentvendings.com and click on “Become a Location Today.” For more information, call YoNaturals at (858) 794-9955.