Selling out health? Vending machines force schools to make hard choices

The school district reimburses schools for profits lost under the policy.

And it's had to pony up.

Wasatch Mountain Junior High principal Dennis Bacon reports vending machine revenues decreased 7 percent when the policy premiered last school year. That's about $500 in the 600-student school.

But the reasons are not simple.

Bacon reports vending machine profits were declining in pre-policy years. The junior high in 2000 took in $12,000 in vending profits, Bacon said. That has steadily declined to $7,000 taken in last year.

The school changed from a three-year to a two-year school in the same time period, possibly affecting revenues.

Students districtwide also are buying healthier fare.

"We sold more milk last year than pop," said Darren Wilkins, Wasatch District food services director. "But there's less of a profit margin in it."

Increased costs also have somewhat drained soft-drink profits, too, Bacon notes.

Still, the bottom line might be worth the bigger perk: Health.

"The side effect of the whole thing: It really increased lunch participation," Wilkins said. "Kids are getting a more healthy meal. They're not buying candy and soda out of the drink machines. That's what we want to see."

Wasatch High School is serving four times as many students as it did in pre-nutrition policy years, Wilkins said. Its kitchen, once open part-time operation, now is a full-time shop offering fare like popcorn shrimp — baked, not fried.

Still, it's difficult to say if students are changing their sweet-toothed ways.

While drink machines only offer 30 percent soda pop, "we do have to restock (soda) quite a bit," Bacon said.

"But certainly, the perception schools are trying to address this is out there," Bacon said. "And that is very powerful."

Push from Congress

Several schools are offering nutritional snacks, water, and diary products in their vending machines.

Sirois just had vending machines put in the newly opened Fort Herriman. But they don't sell pop.

South Davis Junior High principal Bryon Nielsen says he just got rid of all six vending machines there. "The nutritional value is poor. We make plenty of money on our student store."

More changes could be on their way, under an act of Congress.

By June, the federal child nutrition reauthorization act requires all school districts to have a wellness policy addressing vending machines, nutrition education and related matters, said Jodi Vlam, Murray School District's food service director.

"Depending on how well districts take this wellness policy to heart . . . it could be the driving force to perhaps make some changes," particularly in giving high-school students more time and seating to eat so they don't turn to vending machine snacks instead, Vlam said.

Money matters also might change things in Davis County.

Davis School District this summer decided to charge schools for vending machines, which spokesman Chris Williams says drain district coffers by $100,000 a year in power costs.

Schools now must pay $15 a month for drink machines that turn off when not in use, and $25 a month for those that don't. Snack vending machines will be assessed a $5 a month fee.

"The district just couldn't afford to subsidize the profits the schools were making," Williams said.

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