What we found out
LEAN BUDGETS: Money is often an obstacle to making school food better. While they get small federal and state reimbursements for every meal they serve, cafeteria programs get virtually no financial support from the local taxes residents pay.
FATTY FOODS. Long Island's public schools serve more pizza, processed chicken nuggets and burgers than any other hot meal.
LOADS OF SNACKS. Sales of snacks such as chips and cookies produced between 8 percent and 58 percent of total revenue in the 42 districts that provided complete financial information.
VENDING WELCOME: Vending machine contracts usually bring school districts commissions that are spent on sports and scholarship programs.
DEALS/MEALS: Deals for exclusive rights to serve Coca-Cola or Pepsi products can undermine efforts to serve healthier cafeteria meals, experts and food service directors say.
CASHING IN: The South Huntington cafeteria program is one of the few on Long Island that owns and operates its own vending machines, which brought in more than $140,000 in revenue last year -- nearly 7 percent of the program's total revenue.
