2011 July

Healthy Vending Machines in Schools Hit the East Coast

July 19, 2011 By admin Leave a Comment

The same healthy legislation that I spoke about before that has been taking place in California is now taking place across the United States. News reports have surfaced about the same types of standards being made for healthy vending machines snacks in Washington, Massachusetts, and New York. In New York, unhealthy snacks are banned from the time school starts in the morning until the time the last meal is served as school and then can be served again. The law in Massachusetts models the laws that are being passed in California. These laws will not only change healthy vending machines in schools, but it will also affect snacks sold a la carte in cafeterias and those sold at fundraisers.

The Bay State

On Wednesday, July 13th, after five months of deliberation, the Public Health Council in Massachusetts approved their new guidelines for healthier options in schools. While many schools in the area have claimed that they have already taken action toward providing healthier options, this will insure that students are offered nutritional items that adhere to specific guidelines.

According to an article posted by local radio station, WAMC, it is requiring that fruits and vegetables be sold wherever food is sold around schools and “ensures that foods meet the standard for fat, sugar, (and) sodium content.”

The Standards

These are just a few of the standards that snacks will face starting in the 2012 school year.

A maximum of 200 calories per item.
Less than 35% of calories can come from fat.
Less than 20% of calories can come from saturated fat.
Less than 30% of calories can come from sugars.

It was a unanimous vote by the Public Health Council. Massachusetts is now one of 29 states that have passed similar laws restricting food sold on school grounds. Some criticism has come from groups that fundraise on school grounds. They will no longer be able to have bake sales and sell items that do not meet the regulations. Overcoming this challenge and finding great healthy items to sell will only help accomplish the main goal of this law, which is to help fight obesity and poor childhood nutrition.

Filed Under: Healthy Vending Machines, Schools

HUMAN Healthy Vending Reviews: Asheville North Carolina

July 12, 2011 By admin 1 Comment

Josh Marr is a 7th grade social studies teacher living in Asheville, North Carolina, but he lives a second life after school hours. No, he is not a secret agent or an undercover cop. He is a HUMAN Healthy Vending Asheville North Carolina machine operator. Marr owns and operates 10 HUMAN Healthy Vending Machines and has plans to increase that number in 4-5 years.

Marr’s 10 machines were placed into varied locations thanks to HUMAN’s location finding services. Two of his machines are a very large high school in North Carolina, which he says can get over 100 vends a day! His average amount of vends per day is about 40-45.

His favorite beverage is the organic chocolate milk and his favorite snack is the Back To Nature Cookies. Marr has been very happy with the support of HUMAN Healthy Vending throughout the process of purchasing and operating the machines. Check out his interview below to find out his favorite part about being a healthy vending machines operator.

Filed Under: Business, Healthy Vending Machines, Reviews

Hungry? Try 4 Satisfying Snacks from Healthy Vending Machines

July 4, 2011 By admin Leave a Comment

The vending machine business has been continually growing and vending machines can be found frequently. Even with the recent shift from traditional vending machines to healthy vending machines, it is still easy to sometimes be steered in a less healthy direction. These four tricks of the trade will help you pick healthier snacks while standing in front of the machine deciding what to get.

Healthy Fats

This may seem like an oxymoron to you, but the truth is that it isn’t. There are plenty of food items out there that are very high in fat, but are still consideredhealthy. Some examples of these items are avocados, peanuts, sunflower seeds, etc. Vending machines are stocked with quick fix snacks such as nuts and seeds that are great snacks and are healthy too. Nuts and seeds are full of monosaturated fats, which are the fats that keep you feeling full longer and fuel your body with energy.

Sodium Secrets

Craving something salty? Most of us turn to a bag of chips to fix this craving, but there are some nutritional secrets hidden in those bags that may be causing you more harm than good. Chips and crackers full of sodium have very little nutritional value and are considered simple carbs. Simple carbs give you a short boost of energy and then leave you with no added benefits. If you are craving something salty, look for chips that contain whole grains and/or fiber.

Sweet Tooth

Just like sodium filled snacks, sweet snacks are also usually full of simple carbohydrates. Candy bars and chewy candies have a ton of sugar and no nutritional value. Fruits or even some fruit snacks are a good way to satisfy your sweet tooth without giving you cavities.

Hydration Nation

These sweet and salty cravings can be caused by dehydration. Drinking a lot of water each day can help curb your hunger and cravings. Water is the best beverage choice for rehydration. Energy drinks and sodas are loaded with sugars and carbohydrates that will just make you crash later. Sweet teas (without the added sugars) or flavored waters are the next best thing.

So next time you find yourself standing in front of a vending machine trying to figure out which buttons to press, think of these four tips. I guarantee you will feel better if you opt for the healthier choices than the sugar/sodium loaded options.

Filed Under: Healthy Vending Machines, Products