The vending machines have finally made their return at MHS. Image courtesy of Estera (esteranicoi) on Unsplash.

We’ve all seen it: the vending machines have reappeared in the commons. Here’s the inside scoop of what’s happening behind the scenes.

It was all kinda abrupt on the student side; one day, there was a hole where the old vending machines had been, and the next day, there they were. The microwaves were moved, and these fancy new vending machines were there. As Mr. Cady said, “I didn’t actually reach out to anybody. They were just provided by the district Nutrition Services Department.”

After more research, it was found that specifically Mr. Rowan, the district executive chef, is responsible for running the vending machines. He has answered many questions that students might be wondering about.

To start, “What is going to be in the vending machines?” This question is quite a big one. The process of adding food to the vending machines is more than just putting food in them; the food has to be regulated by the government. So it does limit what can be put in the vending machine.

Here are some things to expect: for the drink items, you can expect some prebiotic sodas similar to the known brand Poppi. You might also see Sparkling Ice drinks that also include the new caffeinated version in multiple flavors. In addition there will be Izzies.

For more snacking items, expect to see chips and popcorn. The brands for these items have not been specified yet. This vending machine has plans to have more than just snacks here. The nutrition services are planning to have meals here, such as subs, salads, microwave-able items, sushi, and more.

But, “how will you be able to buy this stuff?” There will be a lot of ways to purchase items from the vending machines. For the lunch items, you can use your daily free lunch on your student ID account. To buy the snacks and drinks, you can use the money on your account, Apple Pay, Google Pay, and debit cards.

The Nutrition Department has done a good job with the suspense—but kids are excited—so the real question is, “When will the food be here?” Surprisingly, the vending machines and the behind the scenes are far from simple. There are “four companies and three departments in SVVSD to make this happen,” but they hope to see snacks the week of the 10th and reimbursable meals after Thanksgiving Break.

So get excited, because these vending machines have plans to be more than typical, and are coming very soon!