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.

What is the point of eating healthy?

Why should I spend so much more time trying to find healthy options in healthy vending machines, especially when they cost so much more?

The benefits of healthy eating and snacking are endless. Here are the most important reasons why you should go out of your way to eat healthy.

• Energy – When you fuel your body with the right things you have much more energy than you are used to.  Heavy foods slow you down and make you feel sluggish.  Try eating less dense foods with more natural ingredients in them and watch your energy level stay up throughout the day.
• Antioxidants – A lot of healthy teas and even dark chocolates contain antioxidants. Antioxidants are nutrients that stop or slow down the natural process of oxidation that occurs in our bodies. They also help your immune health and have been thought to help lower your chances of cancers, diabetes, and heart disease.
• Vitamins - If your mother is anything like mine she has been nagging you to take your vitamins since you could chew. As much as I hate to admit it, she was right about their importance. Vitamins help with your body’s daily functions and, just like antioxidants, they also help with oxidative damages. In addition to your daily vitamins, you can also get a lot of vitamins from foods and beverages.  Vitamin water, if you couldn’t tell by the name, is loaded with vitamins and minerals and oranges contain a lot of Vitamin C.

These are just three of many health benefits of eating healthy foods and snacking from healthy vending machines. Try paying attention to what you are eating for the next few weeks and let me know if you feel a difference.

Yesterday I took a look at the average nutritional values of traditional vending snacks. Today I want to show you how much of a difference it makes to opt for healthy vending machines snacks.

Healthy Vending Machines Snacks

We will still base it on the same 2,000 calorie per day diet and still keep in mind that this number obviously varies depending on your gender, age, weight, etc.

• There are a lot of different options for chips in healthy vending machines. Stacy’s Pita Chips have only 5grams of fat per ounce. That is at least 50% less fat than a greasy, unhealthy bag of chips.
• Chocolate bars in healthy vending machines are significantly better then traditional chocolate bars.  Health Anytime’s Triple Chocolate Snack Bar are only 7 grams of fat and only 2 grams of saturated fats.
• Craving something sweet? I know this might seem like a crazy idea, but instead of sugary candy, why don’t you try an apple or a banana. Fruit has natural sugar to cure your sweet tooth and it is good for you!

So, next time you make a trip to a vending machine, try the healthier option.  I bet you will thank me.

Snacking is not a bad thing if you snack right.  I typically have three meals a day with two snacks. It is not uncommon that I forget to bring snacks with me throughout the day so I often rely on healthy vending machines snacks to satisfy my hunger.

I am sure I am not alone in my necessity for snacks, but there are plenty of people who opt for unhealthy, junk food options in traditional vending machines, instead of considering the nutritional difference of healthier and equally tasty snacks. That is why over the next two posts I am going to compare the two and tell you what nutritional values you should be looking at.

Traditional Vending Snacks

Based on a daily diet of 2,000 calories you should consumer an average of 50-60 grams of fat a day. This obviously depends on your gender, age, and lifestyle, but for the sake of argument, these are the numbers we will use.

• Chips in a regular vending machine are considerably unhealthy.  Most of us don’t realize it because they are in such a small bag, but they contain around 10-15 grams of fat, almost 20% of your daily fat intake!
• Chocolate bars in a vending machine, such as snickers or twix, have about 300 calories in each and 15 grams of fat, 5 of which are saturated fats.
• Sweet candy, such as skittles, are low in fats, but extremely high in other areas. They have 47 grams of sugars and 56 grams of carbohydrates.

While these options don’t see horrible at first glance they are definitely not good for just a snack.  If you are trying to maintain a healthy lifestyle and eat better then stay tuned for part two of this post to read about the healthier choices you can find in healthy vending machines.

An addiction to soda is something that I have battled with for quite some time now.  Whenever I am thirsty, the first thing I crave is a cold beverage with some flavor. Diet Coke used to be my go-to option until I started reading about all the chemicals and artificial sweeteners they use in soda and how bad they are for you. So I began exploring other options and trying different drinks in healthy vending machines.

So, if you ever find yourself in the same predicament as I do all the time, here are some wonderful thirst quenching options that not only taste great, but are HEALTHY!

Gatorade

Gatorade for years has been seen as the go-to sports drink.  It helps fight dehydration and replenishes your body with sodium and potassium that you loose while working out. My only suggestion would be to be aware of the serving size. There are 4 servings in one bottle of Gatorade. So don’t let the label mislead you into thinking that there are only 14 grams of sugar in each bottle.  My secret is to dilute the Gatorade with a little bit of water.  That way it isn’t too sweet and you are still getting the nutritional benefits of the sports drink.

Vitamin Water

Vitamin Water is a relatively new flavored water on the market. They have a wide variety of flavors and each one comes with its own special attribute.  My favorite is Vitamin Water Revive.  This purple water has 100% of your daily dose of vitamin c, and 40% of vitamins b3, b5, b6, and b12. It also recharges your electrolytes the same way Gatorade does. There are so many different flavors with so many different benefits that you are always bound to find one you like.

Hansen’s

If you absolutely need a carbonated drink, then Hansen’s sodas are the way to go. Hansen’s Sodas are all-natural and contain no artificial colors or flavors. Their caloric and other nutritional values are not much better than regular soda, but the pure ingredients make a difference. Hansen also makes a product line of teas. These teas are full of antioxidants and contain no preservatives.

Well, there you have it! Three delicious and nutritious ways to satisfy your thirst!