Have you ever gone to an on campus vending machine, desiring a good quality, filling, and tasty snack, and all you find are some off brand beverages and overpriced gummies? There are only a few options and they are not nearly as satisfying as they could be. Vending machines should have a quick snack that can fill you for a class or two.

Currently the vending machines hold a few options of chips, gummies, granola bars, sparkling and plain water, and miscellaneous other snacks. Most of the options provided are high in sugar and don’t really provide the energy that is needed to carry you throughout the day.

It is important to keep a balanced diet and eat healthy foods, but every once and a while you can treat yourself to sweets. The vending machines, though, have limited options and most of them fall within the junk food group. 

Some good options for a snack could be food like apples, fruit cups, trail mix, pretzels, peanuts, and so on. 

“Some of [the vending machines] could be better, and they are expensive,” COMPASS junior Rose Schafer says. “They are more [expensive] than what they charge at the snack store, they’re forty cents or a dollar more [for the same snacks].”

The vending machines are limited and pricey for a reason though. There are a lot of companies that are currently in a shortage of snacks and drinks. The reason for this can be explained by the Insider business article: The price of vending machines just jumped by a record amount, clarifying the shortage of items in vending machines. 

“The bottom line is shortage,” the student store supervisor Mrs. Knight says. “So that’s why you’re going to see a lot less choices in the vending  machines.”                                                                

Even though vending machines are useful every once in a while when you need a snack on the way to practice or on your way to your next class, another quick and easy option is to swing by the student store. 

“I have a lot more selections because I can carry a lot more [food and drinks],” Knight says. “I try to mix up the variety.”

The student store is on campus next to the quad and it offers a ton of food and drink options for on the go. Not only this, as an added bonus, all of the proceeds from the snacks sold at the student store go to ASB, meaning it goes directly back to your school through events and other activities. Although the vending machines are a good on-the-go option, since they don’t have as wide of a variety or very healthy options, a good option would be to swing by the student store and support our school.