Students would be able to choose from a variety of main course and side items for breakfast, like bagels and cream cheese, fresh fruits, cereals and cartons of milk.
Although available on many college campuses for years, these machines would be the first of their kind in the Burbank district and would be convenient for students, officials said.
Lauren Wygle, Burbank High School Parent Center co-founder and former PTA president, said his recently graduated sons often missed out on full meals during their time at Burbank High because they didn't want to wait in the cafeteria lines.
"I know that both my boys tried to eat healthy, but at school my youngest one, generally his lunch consisted of chips and soda because he didn't want to fight with the lines, and he was too cool to take a sack lunch," Wygle said.
The boys said a good breakfast tended to get them through the day.
The addition of an alternative to the cafeteria wait during morning nutrition break at the schools would be a welcome change, Wygle said.
"Anything to avoid the line," she said.
Aimed at students who get to campus well before the first bell, the vending machines would be an option for teens who miss breakfast on weekdays.
The use of the Starfood vending machines, manufactured by N & W Global Vending Co., could also reduce lines during the school's morning nutrition breaks, Peschek said.
"It would add more points of service so we could feed more students in a timely manner," he said.
Students would be able to input their student meal numbers and use their prepaid or free and reduced meal plans to purchase the food as well as use cash and coins to pay for their food.
The machines would be placed on campuses in the coming semester pending approval of the grant from the California Department of Education, Peschek said.
"Nothing will happen unless we get that grant money," he said.
The Food Services Department will know whether they have been approved for the grant within the next month or so, he said.
