Monday, March 21, 2005 11:27 AM CST
Healthy choices: Vending machines now offer low-fat alternatives
By Sue Smyser, Features Writer
Trends come and go, with some lasting longer than others. But fads involving food can change faster than the blink of an eye, it seems.
To meet the needs of diet-conscious consumers, the trend is now to put healthy foods in vending machines at workplaces and other public venues.
Bob Willenborg, director of operations at J&J Ventures in Effingham, compared the effort to get healthier foods in the workplace to a fad. J&J provides the food found in vending machines in many local businesses.
The idea is to replace salty, high-fat and sweet foods with those that are healthier, such as carrot sticks, sandwiches, soups, salads and fruit.
J&J makes and packages many of the foods in house.
"We are not a grocery store. We have a kitchen and make refrigerated foods here and healthier items," Willenborg said.
In addition, the company provides foods that are sugar free for diabetics.
There has been a mixed reaction from consumers, he said.
"People say they want to do the right thing," Willenborg said. "However, it typically turns into a short fad."
Still, the national trend is for people to eat healthier, and at least two local workplaces -- Sarah Bush Lincoln Health Center and Consolidated Communications -- are offering healthy alternatives in vending machines, with a good response from employees.
Cindy Foster, registered dietitian and certified diabetic educator at SBLHC, said people are eating healthier in general, and the move to offer healthy foods in vending machines follows that trend.
"Suppliers will put in vending machines what people are willing to buy," she said.
Apples, oranges and other fresh fruits, as well as salads and bottled water, are readily available in the machines at the health center.
"It is possible to eat healthy, low-fat foods from the machines," Foster said, but it does require vigilance on the part of the consumer.
"Certain manufacturers, but not all companies, are labeling foods," she said. "For example, ‘Smart Choices Made Easy' uses a green spot and some products sport green labels."
Those labels let consumers know at a glance if a particular food is lower in fat and healthier to eat.
"If one company does this maybe it will take off and others will follow," she said.
"Our staff is very conscientious of what is in the vending machines. They do choose healthy foods."
Sarah Greider, communications coordinator at Consolidated Communications, said her company began offering healthier foods in vending machines last fall, and people love it.
"Some foods in our vending machines are made by J&J -- sandwiches, chicken teriyaki stir fry, packaged meals," she said.
Consolidated's vending machine revolves around for a view of all selections, which also includes milk; juice; spaghetti; chicken cordon bleu; sandwiches; pasta salads; individual fruits like bananas, apples, oranges; and some fruit cups, she said.
"The price is a little more expensive because there is more preparation since it's homemade," Greider said.
The machines are filled every day with fresh foods.
Employees at Consolidated can also choose from a machine with traditional chips, candies and sleeves of doughnuts. But Greider said the healthier foods are popular with employees.
"They also say they like it for an alternative to fast food."
Look for the Smart Spot
Some companies make it easy for consumers to identify food and beverages that contribute to a healthy lifestyle.
For example, PepsiCo has introduced the Smart Spot symbol. Products with the Smart Spot label meet nutrition standards based on criteria from the Food and Drug Administration and the National Academy of Sciences.
You'll find Smart Spot on products that:
-- Are fortified and contain other wholesome ingredients, or
-- Meet limits for: fat, saturated fat, trans fat, cholesterol, sodium and added sugar, or
-- Are reformulated to reduce ingredients, such as fat, sodium or sugar, or
-- Are reformulated to have specific health or wellness benefits.
-- From www.smartspot.com
Contact Sue Smyser at ssmyser@jg-tc.com or 238-6864.
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