Carson High School students retrieve food at lunch using the High Tech Center’s new vending machines.
Nutrition Services with the Carson City School District has added vending machines as part of its food distribution process. The effort is designed to help meet student needs and provide alternatives to waiting in lines.
Vending machines are only offered at the High Tech Center at Carson High, but if usage is high and there is positive feedback, the district plans implement the machines throughout the Carson High School campus.
Currently, the machines are only available to students for first meals at lunch. They are not accepting money at the moment, so the machines will not work if a student tries to order a second lunch.
Students can either scan their identification badges or they can enter their student ID number by pressing #student ID#. Instructions are displayed on the vending machines and additional signs and directions are also posted on or near the vending machines to help. Like other vending machines, they take a second to work, so students will need to be patient and read the screen that will show instructions and prompts.
The machines are being stocked with complete meals (entree, fruit, vegetable and milk). The district and Nutrition Services is also considering a la carte items, but those options will be forthcoming.
For the time being, staff members are not able to use the vending machines. Nutrition services is looking in on how to best offer vending machine meals to school employees.
The mission of Nutrition Services is to ensure that students have access to nutritious meals that support their academic success through the National School Lunch Program. It also seeks to provide nutritionally well-prepared meals, maintain clean sanitized kitchens and to treat all students, parents and staff with respect and courteous service.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture national school meal programs long have been a vital source of nutritious meals for students. Families normally need to meet income requirements to qualify for free or reduced breakfasts and lunches. But as schools closed during the pandemic, the USDA eased restrictions so schools could focus on providing meals while keeping families and staff safe.