The Junk Food Dilemma

So kids go to school, right?

Duh. Well that's pretty obvious.

But what may not be so obvious is that while they are at school, they may tempted to snack on junk foods instead of eating a healthy meal. This temptation arises when kids see the ability to skip the lunch line and grab a bag of chips or candy from a vending machine. But this vending machine option shouldn't even exist for these kids, and I am going to tell you why.

First off, while kids are at school, they are forced to eat food that is available at school (granted some may pack their own lunches from home). This includes school lunches and the snacks in vending machines. It is the schools responsibility to look after the health of each student while they are at school, so why shouldn't this include what they eat? After all, school meals provide for quite a hefty chunk of a student caloric intake!

Beyond this, students need proper nutrition in order to ensure peak growth. If a student is eating unhealthy food before his or her afternoon classes, the food may not allow the student to fully follow what is going on in class by causing a sugar crash. If kids get in a habit of drinking sugary, caffeinated drinks, their growth can be affected as well.

If schools don't want to lose any money they are making from the vending machines, they can choose to replace unhealthy snacks with healthier alternatives and still bring in profits!

Now some skeptics may claim that removing vending machines may force student to eat full meals, and that some student cannot afford these full meals. This problem can be solve by two things. Healthy vending can offer small portions at an affordable price. Most schools also offer subsidized meals for families who cannot afford to pay for the full meals.

In conclusion, Junk food should not be allowed in schools. Schools should care for their students health, and junk food is not caring.