Thanks to the Eat 'em Like Junk Food campaign, students at Mason High in Ohio have an all carrot vending machine. Perhaps surprisingly, the carrot vending machine has enjoyed success amongst the students even against its sweet and salty snack competition. Branding, peer incentive and simply the availability of the carrots contribute to the machine's popularity.
"The point is, reforming school food isn't rocket science. If creative efforts are made to put healthy foods in schools and to get junk food out, kids' diets will improve," Tom Laskawy reports.
With the National School Lunch Program set to expire this month, the success of the carrot vending machine is just one example of ways schools can use inventive strategies to boost non-government subsidized sales and increase the amount of healthy food options for students. However, without a move to support national funding for school food, school food programs may disappear altogether.