The Army is doubling down on its so-called food kiosks on bases, a small setup in which soldiers can take snacks on the go, but the increased reliance has sparked concerns.
The kiosks are generally designed to serve 1,000 soldiers a day and offer an alternative or a supplemental food source apart from traditional dining facilities. In recent years, the Army has opened 14 of them, and plans to open an additional 13 within the next year, according to the service.
The minimalist food stations are akin to a snack shop at a gas station and are stocked with a basic assortment of chips, small desserts, soda, sushi, fresh fruit and sandwiches. All of that food is sourced from the respective installation's commissary, including its deli. But many options are heavily processed, and soldiers have raised complaints of small portion sizes — the salad entree, for example, is under 300 calories.
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The shift to more food kiosks comes as the Army is struggling with what to do with its dining facilities, which were recently rebranded as “warrior restaurants.”
In many cases, soldiers are not using those dining halls in large enough numbers for Army planners to justify investing in the facilities, which require up to four dozen staff to operate.
Soldiers have also long complained about the food variety and quality and lack of nutrition, as…
