When you’re eating on the go, it’s too easy to just grab what’s available regardless of whether it’s good for you or not. And all too often, what’s available from most vending machines tends not to be good for you, being mostly made up of crisps, chocolate and cans of fizzy drinks.
It’s understandable why that’s the case – after all, many vending machines are in locations where fresh food may not keep for very long. Meanwhile, healthier foods tend to cost more than their salt and sugar-loaded alternatives, so a lot of people will often go for the cheaper option, especially as those cheaper options usually tend to be more familiar to consumers as well.
In this article, we’re going to explore whether it’s possible to make our vending machines healthy – or, at the very least, healthier – places to get the snacks that keep us going through the day.
Are vending machines becoming healthier?
There is undoubtedly a trend towards healthier snacks in vending machines, as there is towards eating more healthily in all aspects of our lives. Food manufacturers are also being encouraged to reduce the levels of those ingredients that are negatively impacting people’s health when consumed in large quantities.
And with increasing numbers of people taking more care about what they put into their bodies, that means there’s a greater demand for healthier options than have traditionally been on offer.
So those who operate vending machines have rightly been trying to mix up the crisps, chocolate and fizzy drinks with healthy vending machine snacks and drinks like granola bars, nuts, seeds, protein drinks and water. All of these can be easily made available in a traditional machine without having to worry about them going off quickly.
However, not all the above are completely healthy – for example, nuts may contain lots of protein, but they also tend to be very high in calories. Meanwhile, although healthier than crisps, some granola bars can still be high in sugars and junk food, it’s just that the unhealthy bits have been well disguised!
So is there more that we can be doing to make healthy or healthier food even more accessible through vending machines?
How can healthy snacks be made more accessible?
Thankfully, exciting developments in modern vending machine technology are making it easier for fresh food to be stored in a refrigerated and controlled environment. So foodstuffs that used to be impractical to sell from a vending machine can now be kept for longer without those who manage them having to worry about excessive wastage and needing to restock more often than necessary.
Our healthy vending machines use advanced temperature and hygiene control systems to make sandwiches, fruit, yoghurt and other fresh meals and snacks available to customers. There’s still space for those who prefer more traditional – and less healthy – snacks, but it makes sure you’re meeting the needs and preferences of all your users.
Meanwhile, the growing trend for micro markets is another great way of making a wider selection of fresh food choices available for consumers in search of something more substantial and better for them. Acting as a convenient alternative to traditional vending machines at one end of the scale and a staffed canteen at the other, they’re becoming increasingly commonplace in workplaces, especially those with lots of staff working multiple or even 24-hour rotas.
Customisable to your staff’s preferences and dietary needs, with the option to incorporate hot food, breakfasts and soups also there, micro markets are one of the most exciting recent trends in the world of electronic vending solutions.
If you’d like to offer healthier meals, snacks and drinks in the vending machines you manage, why not get in touch with the team at Nu Vending to discuss your options?
We’re one of the South East’s leading vending machine suppliers, offering our customers in and around London the very latest models and solutions with state-of-the-art technology that gives their staff and other users more choice, healthier options and a fast and convenient vending experience every time.
Contact us now to find out more.
