5 Reasons To Start A Vending Business

November 24, 2010 By Vending Woman Leave a Comment

Dreaming on the Job

This quirky video – Office Space meets The Office meets Joe Versus the Volcano all in 4 minutes – is a huge reason for starting a vending machine business. You might not think vending machines provide the escape you’re looking for, but keep this video in mind and read to discover more reasons that it is. (Aside: Joe Versus the Volcano is a 1990 Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks film that I watched after enjoying You’ve Got Mail and Sleepless in Seattle. Not on the same level. Very strange.)

1) Your Ideal Job is Out There

As a recent graduate with a degree in something I do not want to do, I have spent a lot of time lately looking for my ideal job. The elusive dream. I only have a few small requirements:

a) I want to do something meaningful. I want to work for the good of humanity and feel like my time is well spent. Forget flipping burgers or endless data entry — I want to make a difference. Life is too short to spend it on meaningless pursuits. I want to leave a legacy for future generations.

b) I want to do something profitable. I have a lot of skills. Sure, at the moment they seem to not be that marketable, but if Joe Techno down the road can get 35 dollars an hour, possessing the social prowess of an irritated donkey, I — a well-rounded, well-read, smart, social, motivated, working woman — should be able to find something that people will pay me well for.

c) I want to do something flexible. Let’s face it: there are a lot of jobs, even meaningful, profitable ones, that are soul-killing in their practice. Take being a surgeon, for example. Yes, you are saving people’s lives and making a ton of money. But that schedule! You never see your family — if, that is, you found time somewhere between medical school and interning to start one. Your social life revolves around the nurses’ station and patients’ paperwork. You are in surgery for hours and come out so brain-dead you might as well be the next one on the table, and you find you have 10 hours left of your shift.

No, thank you! I want to see my family. I want to spend time with friends. I want a vacation once in a while. I kind of want to travel to France. Maybe Turkey. Is that too much to ask? In America today, sometimes it seems like flexibility (or, what I call, “livability”) is no longer an option. And then when you ask for all three together –meaningful, profitable, flexible — you might as well ask for the moon.

So when I found something that combined the three, I had to talk about. For all you idealists out there, don’t give up hope! You’ll never believe what it is: vending machines. I couldn’t believe it either, but stay tuned in. You can get into the healthy vending machine business and make our own schedule, make money, and make a difference. Vending in general is great, but if you really want to make a difference, health-food vending is the way to go in this day and age.

Why Vending?

It is very easy to start a vending business on your own. You don’t need any special degree; you just have to be a self-motivated individual, willing to learn, with a good dose of common sense. But you’ll find out exactly what you need after you get started. I’m here to ensure that you do.

2) Passive income

After you buy and stock a machine and put it in a great location, your machine is making money for you around the clock. Vending machines require very little attention, which means you can do other things with your time. Whether you are putting in a 40-hour week, road-tripping with the girls, or getting stuff done around the house, you can be making extra money without even thinking about it. What could be better than that? Whereas with most employment there’s a 1-to-1 trade-off, (work for pay, or, no work for no pay), passive income generates itself. It’s like an investment: Work up front and reap the benefits for a long time.

2) Flexible schedule

Here’s that livability thing I was talking about. Life happens, whether or not you are around for it. But there are steps you can take to be around. One such step is finding a job where you set your own schedule. Vending machines generate passive income, so that already allows you lots of able-to-be-absent time, but they also don’t have office hours. Of course, you have to work with the location, but within reason you can make your “rounds” whenever you want. Technologically advanced machines help this process even more. With a computer and the Internet, you can remotely monitor stock levels, maintenance needs, and cash flow. You may get to such a level of comfort that you never have to visit a machine after initial installation.

3) You’re the boss

Making your own schedule is only one benefit of being your own boss. Think of the others. No performance reviews. No micromanaging or politicking. No conforming to someone else’s vision or demands. No making money for somebody else. You work the way you want to achieve the result you’re looking for. You take home the profit at the end of the day. Of course, you’ll want to work with a vending franchise, but you aren’t working for them. A good franchise can help you with location and item selection, machine technology and maintenance, and can offer continuing support. I mean, you’re new and they’re professionals, so make use of their expertise. With the Internet, learning from the pros is easy. This clip gives you an introduction to “vending school.”

5) Healthy Vending Helps People Live Better lives

Now, as a pragmatist, vending makes sense. But can you really feel good about it? Before I learned about the healthy trends in the vending market, I would have said no. Selling junk to people who don’t need it in places they can’t resist is not the way I want to make money. That scenario is clearly less than ideal on a human level.

It's Not Halloween Everyday

Instead you can make money by providing healthy alternatives to people who need them in places that lack them. Now doesn’t that sound better? Downright altruistic. And America needs some altruists working on their food. According to the Center for Disease Control, childhood obesity has tripled in the last 30 years. In 2009, only Colorado and D.C. had a prevalence of obesity less than 20% of the population! That’s outrageous! Clearly, people don’t know how to eat the right amount of food for their bodies. So what do food retailers do? Make addictive, chemical-filled, calorie-chocked, highly marketed food completely devoid of nutritional value and sell it to us to make ridiculous profits. That’s unconscionable.

You Don't Always Want or Have Time for This

You can be a part of changing that. In fact, if you’re getting into the vending industry, you should be a part of it if you’re savvy. Traditional vending is on its way out. People are starting to monitor what they’re putting into their bodies, and they’re starting to want it to be something that will benefit them long-term instead of just gratify them in the moment. Of course, if some little snack could do both, that would be even better.

Bright entrepreneurs are catching on. When bottled water sales started growing by leaps and bounds, thinkers put on their caps and thought: “Perhaps people are looking for something healthier among the sodas and Snickers bars in that machine. What if everything in that machine were healthy?” Others, like Sean Kelly, founder of one up-and-coming vending movement, saw devout exercisers on the treadmill with a Coke at the gym and thought: “If we don’t have healthy items accessible, how can we expect anyone to get healthier?”

Kelly’s company, H.U.M.A.N., is doing the product research and technological innovation you would not know how to do and ensuring that your healthy vending machines are glitch-free. They find what products sell – some even interview people at the location of the machine to find what kinds of snacks they prefer – and are making top-of-the-line machines with features like LCD displays, cashless payment options, and infrared vend sensors to ensure that you are making the most efficient profit you can.

So, if you missed the 5 reasons, here’s the quick recap:

1) You don’t want to be in a cubicle

2) Vending creates passive income

3) The schedule’s flexible

4) You’re your own boss

5) Healthy vending helps people live better lives

Now get started. Find a company with a conscience, and the technology to back it up, and start your dream job today.

Who knew that vending could be so interesting?

Recommended Resources

Ready to go? Become a partner operator with H.U.M.A.N.: http://www.healthyvending.com/contactus/operators

New School Vending Machines Give Lessons In The Lunchroom

November 11, 2010 By Austin Brawner 2 Comments

Nutrition is JUST as Important as Geography

Our Educational System Is Failing

Science, math, history, reading…some of the main subjects our kids are taught everyday at school. It’s important for them to learn the multiplication tables, the order of the planets and how to conjugate a verb. But there is one subject that takes a back seat in schools much to the detriment of our kids – health. Teaching kids how to get healthy and stay healthy is extremely important but today’s obesity statistics reveal the awful truth that this subject is grossly neglected both in school and at home. Nearly 30% of America’s kids are obese! Childhood obesity leads to diabetes, heart disease and a poor quality of life. So what can we do in our schools and in our homes to teach kids the valuable lessons they need to learn in order to have a happy, healthy life? New school vending machines are an important step forward in this battle against the bulge.

How Important is Nutritional Education?

Diet and physical inactivity is the leading cause of premature death in the US. It tops tobacco, alcohol and drug use and is responsible for over 300,000 deaths a year. Lack of nutritional education is literally killing Americans. And because unhealthy kids grow up to be unhealthy adults, we need to focus our efforts on school-aged children to get this crucial message across. The American diet is too high in saturated fat, sodium and sugar which leads to some major health issues such as heart disease, obesity, hypertension, diabetes, stroke and many cancers. Teaching prevention also saves a ton of money. The total yearly cost (direct and indirect) of diseases associated with diet and inactivity is a whopping $617 billion! The USDA estimates that if Americans ate healthier diets, it would save about $71 billion in medical costs, lost productivity and deaths. All we need to do is make our kids aware of the connection between what they put in their mouths and their long-term health. Sounds simple, right? It should be but unfortunately neglect of this important prevention message goes all the way to the top.

It’s Not Enough

The US government does have programs aimed at educating the American public about the importance of eating healthy and getting enough exercise. But when they have to compete with junk food giants, they fall short. For example,the largest nutritional education program the federal government has – the 5 A Day Program – has a budget of $3.6 million a year. $68 million is spent by Mars to advertise candy (that’s 68% more than the government’s budget) and McDonald’s spends $1 billion on advertising (1,000% more). Since people are greatly influenced by advertising and promotions, it’s no wonder they react more favorably to the higher-budgeted campaigns. The food industry as a whole (which is largely unhealthy food items) spends $25 billion on advertising. Compare this to the funding allocated to the CDC’s Division of Nutritional and Physical Activity which is a mere $45 million. And even within the government programs, the numbers are slanted. The CDC spends over twice as much on anti-tobacco campaigns than they do on their educational programs when in fact, tobacco kills about the same number of people as does poor diet and inactivity! These numbers prove that we cannot rely on government programs to educate our kids as to the importance of a healthy diet and active lifestyle.

PE Classes Are Being Cut

Even our schools are failing in the most basic nutritional education areas. More and more schools are cutting physical education (PE) classes and health classes. Most states don’t have a minimum requirement for daily physical education in schools. The American Heart Association is working with schools to promote guidelines of 150 minutes a week for elementary school kids and 225 minutes a week for middle schoolers. The reason schools are cutting these programs is simple.

They don’t have the funds to support them. When schools need to cut back on teacher salaries and classroom facilities, usually health teachers, health classes and gym activities are first to go. More emphasis is placed on math, science and English due to federal requirements for test scores (federal funds are linked to adequate test scores). Those subjects are important but we’re cheating our kids out of a full education. And it’s making them fat. Kids actually perform better in the classroom if they are physically fit and if they don’t get the opportunity for physical activity at school, they likely won’t make up for it after school. More than 60% of kids ages 9-13 do not participate an any organized physical activity during non-school hours. It’s vital that they get this exercise during the school day. Not only does it get their blood moving and help them burn off some fat, it will instill healthy habits that will last a lifetime.

Lessons From a Machine?

It’s not the school’s fault if their budget can’t support every program it once could. It is their responsibility, however, to find a way to educate students in all areas, even if classes can’t be scheduled. One way schools can revolutionize the teaching process is with a new vending machine. Yes, a machine can teach your students! Don’t worry, math and science teachers, your jobs are safe. What we’re talking about here is a vending machine that only sells healthy foods and drinks. Replacing old junk food machines with these healthy vending machines will expose kids to a variety of nutritious snacks that they likely didn’t know existed. Teaching kids that healthy food can also be tasty and satisfying could be the first step in changing their eating habits all day long. No longer will they have the sugar rush and crash that makes it hard for them to concentrate and learn. If they bring home a bag of trail mix, their parents will see it and it could start an entire conversation about healthy foods and the importance of nutrition. Parents might even sample some of these foods and then buy them in larger sizes next time they go to the supermarket. Aside from the tasty nutritious items the healthy vending machines offer, the high-tech LCD screens on each machine give schools a new way to educate students. Just about every kid loves watching TV and they will stop and watch if something entertaining is happening on the vending machine screen. This opens up a huge opportunity for schools to place information on these screens that will speak to a very captive audience. The possibilities are endless for what can be done on LCD screens but here are a few ideas.

Teach With Cartoons

Younger kids will respond to a cartoon-like explanation of where food comes from. If they select a bag of baby carrots, the screen could display the “story” of how the carrot started from a seed, rain made it grow, it was picked and packaged and now is being dispensed for them to enjoy. These vignettes can have sound effects like rain and wind), narration, music and text to cover all learning styles. Having a different “story” for each item in the machine prompts students to pick a different item each time to get a new story.

Tasty and Fresh

Eat Local and Encourage Involvement

If you allocate a certain percentage of your machine items to locally grown and produced snacks, not only will you save a ton of money on distribution and shipping, but you have a great chance to teach kids about the food they’re eating. The LCD screen can describe the farm where the produce was grown or if your school has a garden, you can stock your own produce and explain to the kids that the food is coming right from their very own school. Encourage them to get involved in community gardens or start one of their own. Explain the economics of using locally grown produce and snacks and how it benefits the community financially.

Educate On The Machine

Nutritional information about the food in the healthy vending machine can also be displayed. This type of information is good for older students who understand the concepts of calories, saturated fats and sugars. Compare the nutritional information of a granola bar to a candy bar and your students will quickly see the benefits of the healthy items. Include information about drinks too. Most kids don’t realize how many chemicals they’re consuming with a single can of soda. A short lesson on calories will answer questions about why fruit juices are not low-cal but they are still healthy alternatives to soft drinks.

Technology Gives Us Endless Opportunities

Providing Nutritional Facts Matters

There are plenty of opportunities for parents and schools to teach children about the importance of healthy eating apart from PE and health classes. With continued budget cuts and junk food advertisements bombarding our kids everyday, it’s crucial that we offer this type of education both in the classroom as well as out of the classroom. Kids’ eating habits start very young and without the proper lessons, they will continue to choose unhealthy foods that will eventually make them fat and give them horrible health problems. Putting healthy vending machines in schools is a great first step to getting kids on track with what they eat. Using the LCD technology to explain where food comes from, what’s in food and how it can help their bodies stay fit, as well as help them learn, will give them an excellent foundation when they start to make more of their own decisions later in life. Lessons are all around us; we just need to choose to teach them.

Filed Under: H.U.M.A.N., HEALTHY VENDING, Healthy Vending Machines, The Bigger Picture Tagged With: 5 a Day Program, American Heart Association, childhood obesity, Division of Nutritional and Physical Activity, healthy vending machines, new technologies, nutrition, Nutritional Education, nutritional information on vending machines, School Vending machines, technology, upgrade

USDA MyPyramid Partners: Working to Combat Obesity and Promote Nutrition!

September 24, 2010 By Bridget Davidson Leave a Comment

Whenever I hear “USDA,” I automatically think of steak. Does that happen to anyone else? Well, if you’re like me, you should remind yourself that the USDA is not just a grader of meat; it is an executive department of the U.S. government! This department is responsible for developing and regulating federal policy on farming, agriculture, and food. With healthcare concerns at the forefront of our minds and an obesity epidemic on the rise, they’ve got their work cut out for them. So what are they doing to keep these issues in check? I’m glad you asked.

The Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion was established, under of the Department of Agriculture, to focus solely on improving the nutrition and well-being of our nation’s people. The organization’s main objectives have been to:

Advance and promote dietary guidance to all Americans
Apply sound research and analysis toward assessing the nutritional needs of the public

Before the creation of this agency, consumers were subjected to conflicting, and many times inaccurate, nutritional messages. Fortunately, with the American public becoming increasingly educated about the importance of diet, the call for regulated information was answered.

One of the initiatives administered by the CNPP was updating the Food Guide Pyramid of the ’90s. This outdated model was replaced by the MyPyramid Food Guidance System, which personalizes nutritional recommendations into the appropriate combination of food groups, on an individual basis. The new system also acknowledges the importance of physical activity, variety, moderation, and proper proportions, incorporated into a healthy diet.

In the summer of 2008, MyPyramid Alliance was launched. Since it’s inception, the program has partnered with over 200 corporations and non-profits to make a positive difference in the health of America. Partners include Goliaths, General Mills and Kraft, national organizations such as Girl Scouts of America and YMCA, and lesser-knowns like H.U.M.A.N. Healthy Vending and ‘nPLAY who are committed to fighting childhood obesity and improving our nation’s standards of nutrition.

Partnering with MyPyramid Alliance provides opportunities to promote messages of health and nutrition, combat childhood obesity, and educate communities about the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Check out what it takes to become a partner, and support the companies and organizations who are already involved!

Filed Under: Company Happenings, Health & Nutrition, Philosophies & Beliefs, The Bigger Picture Tagged With: Center For Nutrition Policy and Promotion, childhood obesity, Department of Agriculture, General Mills, Girl Scouts of America, human healthy vending, Kraft, MyPyramid Alliance, Obesity Epidemic, USDA MyPyramid, YMCA, ‘nPLAY

Why Is Nutrition Important When Dining Out? Michelle Obama Has a Plan…

September 14, 2010 By Patrick Sanders Leave a Comment

When I think of health care reform my eyes automatically glaze over and my brain begins powering down for a brief boredom-induced coma. I picture thousands of pages of legal jargon being argued over by politicians and TV personalities. But when I think of health reform I snap out of the coma, thinking of the exciting possibility of a nation full of people reforming how they eat and live. I think of getting a salad instead of fries when I catch myself at the Wendy’s drive-thru. I picture taking the stairs instead of the elevator. I think THIS is what our nation needs to focus on. We can eliminate a TON of what ails us as a country if we prepare ourselves physically to meet the challenges of the 21st century. Michelle Obama had some ideas right up this alley recently, as she spoke with the National Restaurant Association:

The entire transcript of the speech she gave can be found here, however I must warn you it is lengthy, and that I am here to carve out the good stuff for you!

Her finer points:

1. One out of every two dollars spent on food in this country goes towards meals outside the home, double what it was 50 years ago.

2. One-Third of all meals today are eaten in restaurants!

3. One in three children are obese. “I SAID ONE IN THREE, YOU GLUTTONOUS PROFITEERS OF THE LARD INDUSTRY!”, Obama yelled at one point. (ok, not really, but that would have been awesome).

4. Research shows that kids consume more saturated fat and less calcium & fiber when they eat out. (big surprise)

So after outlining these facts and a general overview of the childhood obesity epidemic that is sweeping our nation, Michelle Obama made some great suggestions to these restaurant giants:

1. “Start offering healthier options designed specifically for kids.” You mean BESIDES the Happy Meal, Michelle? But she has a point. When I think of the children’s menu at your average restaurant there are like 3 things on there, usually: mac ‘n cheese, chicken fingers, and cheeseburgers.

2. Provide the healthy options UP FRONT, so that parents don’t have to search in vain for the 1 inch square box that mentions some never-bought healthy option.

3. Make basic substitutions that will benefit ALL customers without sacrificing taste. Such as replacing white pasta with wheat.

4. Regulate portion sizes. This is a great one. Portion sizes are ridiculous now. Ever eat at a Claim Jumper’s? Last time I was there I scoured the menu and the LOWEST calorie count for a lunch there was 950 calories!

5. Limit ads targeted to kids that contain unhealthy food. (Good luck with that one, Michelle…)

6. Publish calorie counts, and nutritional information on your menus. (this has already been done in many states, thankfully)

All in all, I thought it was a pretty good speech calling restaurant titans to action in joining the fight against childhood obesity. What’s more important, making that small profit margin on your existing kids menu or adding DECADES to kids lives while still making a good profit margin by creatively customizing your menu to feature healthy options for kids….C’mon, FAT CATS, join the 21st Century!

Filed Under: ADVICE & EDUCATION, Health & Nutrition, Lifestyle, The Bigger Picture Tagged With: childhood obesity, First Lady, Health Reform, Michelle Obama, National Restaurant Associaton, Nutritional Information, Obesity Epidemic

Let’s Move! How the First Lady Promotes Healthy Eating and Living.

August 11, 2010 By Patrick Sanders 2 Comments

The language used on the Let’s Move website is strong, and I like that: “First Lady Michelle Obama introduces the Let’s Move campaign to combat the epidemic of childhood obesity. It’s not just saying “Let’s take a decent stab at the problem, then retire for an afternoon of crumpets and tea.” It’s saying “LET’S KICK DOWN SOME DOORS AND SCREAM HEALTHY EATING TIPS IN PEOPLE’S FACES AS THEY TRY TO WATCH THE EVENING NEWS.”

Okay, maybe I’m going a bit overboard. But I’m still impressed because childhood obesity is an epidemic. And epidemics require a broad-based systematic approach in order to stop them. “Let’s Move” is right, we need to move!

So what does this “Let’s Move” Campaign entail? Let me break it down.

Let’s Move was given steam by President Obama when he signed a Presidential Memorandum designating an Obesity Task Force to review all programs and policies relating to child nutrition and physical activity. The Task Force was to then develop an action plan on how to best use government resources to achieve the First Lady’s goal.

There are four SOLID pillars in this campaign:

Empowering parents and caregivers
Providing healthy food in schools
Improving access to healthy, affordable foods
Increasing activity

With the Child Nutrition Act passing in the Senate this month, there has been significant progress on the legislative side in this monumental battle against childhood obesity. But it doesn’t get solved with just policy changes.

Here’s a good analogy: If I sit at my computer all day and type up an elaborate workout plan for the next 6 months, using spreadsheets and checklists to set goals, then it is all for nothing if I don’t physically get off of my butt and actually DO the workout. The same goes for a lot of policy in our country. It looks so pretty on paper, and has the signatures of these big important people on them, but they don’t get implemented because they don’t have buy-in. Well here’s where the average parent, teacher, school administrator, and concerned citizen comes in.

If you genuinely care, you need to TAKE ACTION. Demand that your school implement a physical fitness program. Gather other like-minded parents together and let your voices be heard: “Our kids need healthy food options now!” or “Little Billy can’t see his TOES anymore!” Whatever you want, just get creative.

And I’ll see you on the battlefield….

Filed Under: The Bigger Picture Tagged With: Child Nutrition Act, childhood obesity, First Lady, healthy food, Let's Move, Michelle Obama, Obesity Epidemic

Get Educated: “Organic Food” Part 2

August 10, 2010 By Patrick Sanders Leave a Comment

I’m sure you BARELY slept last night because of all the anticipation about waiting for Part 2 of my Organic Food post. What little sleep you did have was probably dominated by dreams about fields full of clean, ripe, and juicy organic vegetables. I know, I’m psychic.

Today, I am going to give you some TIPS for buying organic food. Its important to go to the store or healthy vending machine armed with information before any food purchase. After all, its affecting two things that dominate our lives: the wallet and the body.

1. Look for farmer’s markets. When I think of farmer’s markets I think of two words: cheap and fresh. I live in Southern California and went to one the other day where I bought a cucumber the size of a loaf of bread for $0.75! And remember: its a market. This means you can easily barter for bulk discounts. So don’t be scared and get yourself a killer deal on some killer tomatoes, dudes and dudettes!

2. Bulk up when they’re IN SEASON. One way to alleviate cost while at the same time getting the freshest possible fruits and vegetables is to become knowledgeable about when the seasons are for your favorite crops. Here is a handy tool for seeing what is in season in your area for any month!

3. Buy preserved when they’re NOT in season. There’s nothing wrong with buying canned, dried, or frozen organic fruits and vegetables when they’re not in season. In the winter, switch it up to canned organic tomatoes and eat frozen berries (side note: mix frozen berries with bananas and orange juice in a blender first thing when you wake up. It will ROCK YOUR WORLD.)

4. Shop online. That’s right, for organic food! The shipping costs won’t necessarily kill you when you do a little digging and get a good deal. Check out the Organic Consumer Association’s Green People Directory.

5. Grow your own. Whenever you grow or make something yourself, doesn’t it taste better just based on that knowledge? I brew my own beer and other people smile politely while secretly wishing they’d have chugged some straight-up vinegar instead, but to me it tastes golden because I remember how long it took to get that batch ready. Check out Seeds of Change to order seeds, and read this guide on how to start a basic garden.

6. Transition into buying organic slowly. Start by replacing one or two of the foods you buy regularly with its organic equivalent. Shop around and see if you can find prices that aren’t way higher than what you were paying for your non-organic foods. As you start to replace the foods in your pantry and refrigerator with organic versions, keep track of how it is affecting your monthly food budget. Don’t sell the farm converting everything to organic, but keep in mind the long term benefits of eating organic: both on your family’s health care costs and on your environmental impact.

So now you know more about organic food and how to be an expert at shopping for it. Don’t just buy organic willy-nilly. Educate yourself! Make smart food choices for you and your family, and you’ll reap the benefits in the long run. One last point I must make is that just because its organic, doesn’t necessarily mean its healthier than other food. Eating a pound of bread grown from organic wheat versus eating a pound of conventionally grown broccoli isn’t going to be healthier. Keep it all in perspective and arm yourself with knowledge. Remember, small changes today can equal HUGE changes in the future.

Filed Under: ADVICE & EDUCATION, Health & Nutrition, The Bigger Picture Tagged With: Healthy Advice, HEALTHY VENDING, healthy vending machine, organic, Organic Food, vending machine

Get Educated: “Organic Food” Part 1

August 9, 2010 By Patrick Sanders Leave a Comment

There are two movements changing the way we live right now: the “green” or eco-friendly movement and the healthy lifestyle movement. These are both great answers to the one thing we can’t seem to control: our population. It should be no revelation to you that as the world gets more and more populated the more polluted the planet is and for some reason the more unhealthy we get. Organic food is a key aspect of changing our impact on the environment and our health. It is now found in grocery stores, restaurants, and even vending machines nationwide! But there are some misconceptions about what organic food really means, and the word is thrown around willy-nilly a lot. Let me clear this up….

Difference between conventional farming & organic farming:

Organic farming: The growing and processing of agricultural products (meat, vegetables, fruits, grains, and dairy) while encouraging water and soil conservation and pollution reduction.

Natural fertilizer is used, such as manure or compost.
Beneficial insects and birds are used and instead of spraying insecticides, mating disruption techniques and traps are used.
To manage weeds: crops are rotated, weeds are pulled by hand, or mulch is used to manage weeds.
Animals are given organic feed and they have access to the outdoors. To reduce disease: rotational grazing, clean housing and a balanced diet are implemented.

Conventional Farming: The growing and processing of agricultural products (meat, vegetables, fruits, grains, and dairy) using methods that get the maximum output out of land and animals.

Chemical fertilizers are used to promote growth in plants.
Insecticides are sprayed to reduce pests.
Chemical herbicides are used to manage weeds.
Animals are given antibiotics, growth hormones, and medications to prevent disease and spur growth.

CONGRATULATIONS! You now know more than probably 80% of people who buy organic because it’s popular but don’t really know why it’s better.

Because organic is such a booming market, many companies throw around the word “organic” in order to attract customers like Hulk Hogan used to throw his enemies around in the ring: with complete disregard for their health!

Here’s what it takes to get that coveted USDA stamp o’ approval:

100 percent organic. Products that are completely organic or made of all organic ingredients.
Organic. Products that are at least 95 percent organic.
Made with organic ingredients. These are products that contain at least 70 percent organic ingredients. The organic seal can’t be used on these packages.

So the bottom line is: READ THE LABEL. Don’t you want to know what you are putting in your body? Making the choice to buy organic involves a little digging on your part.

Tomorrow I will reveal BUYING tips for when you are faced with the myriad of organic food choices at your grocery store or vending machine. So bookmark this page and check back in to become an organic buying SUPERSTAR!

Filed Under: ADVICE & EDUCATION, Health & Nutrition, HEALTHY VENDING, Lifestyle, The Bigger Picture Tagged With: Eco-Friendly, Healthy Advice, healthy vending machine, organic, Organic Food, vending machine

A Trip to the Vending Machine = Walking the Plank?

August 6, 2010 By Patrick Sanders Leave a Comment

“Bill rubbed his eyes from the glow of his monitor. It was 3:00 p.m. on a Monday and he was TIRED. Slammed with meetings, reports, and an endless barrage of emails, Bill had barely had time for lunch (a quick trip through the McDonald’s Drive-Thru). He stood up, stretched, and stepped into the hallway to walk down to the vending machines for some much-needed energy. As he entered the hallway he was surprised to see his co-workers jeering and yelling at him. His boss grabbed his hands roughly and pulled them behind his back, tying them together with mailing tape. He felt the sharp poke of scissors in his back. ‘Forward, wench! You did a poor job swabbing the poop deck, and now you must walk the plank! YARRRR!!!’”

While this may be a slight exaggeration of how the typical walk to the vending machine goes, in reality each step you make towards that can of soda might as well be a walk towards the edge. Bill learned his soda habit in school, and kept with it his whole life…and he is not alone.

Here’s some soda facts, me maties:

Americans drink more soda pop than ever before.
Soda accounts for more than a QUARTER of all drinks consumed in the U.S.
More than 15 BILLION GALLONS were sold in 2000, and its only increased since then.
15 BILLION GALLONS works out to at least one 12-ounce can per day for every man, woman, and child!
Soft drink consumption rates have doubled in the last decade.
Soft drinks are the leading source of added sugars in the average American teenager’s diet, equaling 15 to 20 teaspoons of added sugar per day!
Adolescents (ages 11-17) get 11% of their calories from soft drinks!
Drinking soda replaces nutritious drinks like milk, leading to decreased calcium consumption in girls. (One result: osteoporosis)
A Harvard School of Health study determined that in 9th and 10th graders, those who drank soda regularly were THREE times more likely to develop bone fractures.
For every soft drink consumed per day, the risk of obesity goes up by 50%

YARRRRRRRR! These kind of facts make really SHIVER ME TIMBERS. I honestly have no clue what that means. But, I think it has to do with the vibrations running down a pirate’s wooden peg leg from angry convulsions.

Anyway, its obvious that soda is horrible. But kids have few options at school, and when they’re thirsty, THEY’RE THIRSTY! And when they want to snack on junk food, who is going to stop them? The solution? First off, replacing junk food and soda vending machines with healthy snack and drink machines.

A possible objection: Won’t the school will lose money? Answer: FALSE. North Community High School in Minneapolis replaced most of its soda machines with machines stocked with fruit juices and water and their sales INCREASED. Other schools across the nation (Miami, Washington D.C., North Carolina, etc.) are already replacing their food AND drink machines with premium, high-tech 100% healthy vending machines.

Yar.

Filed Under: Health & Nutrition, Lifestyle, The Bigger Picture Tagged With: healthier food, Healthy Advice, healthy drinks, Healthy Eating, healthy food, healthy snacks, HEALTHY VENDING, healthy vending machine, healthy vending machines, nutrition, school nutrition, Vending Business, Vending Industry, vending machine, vending machines, vending machines in school, vending machines in schools

The Dark Truth About the Lack of Healthy Food in Schools

August 5, 2010 By Patrick Sanders Leave a Comment

Last night I watched Food, Inc. Ever seen it? It will BLOW YOUR MIND. It raises serious concerns about the environmental and health impacts of the fast food industry. It will inspire you to figure out how to get healthy food into schools.

Most people, especially in cities, have no clue about where their food is actually coming from. Do you ever stop and think: Why is this burger SO CHEAP? Seriously, when you think about it, burgers are cheaper than vegetables! And how much labor goes into harvesting & shipping a vegetables versus raising and slaughtering a cow? Common sense would tell us that veggies should be cheaper. But when you see how meat is obtained now via mega-slaughterhouses feeding our distribution channels, it all makes sense. No wonder its hard to eat healthy when you’re broke! But what happens when you force meat through a hyper-efficient system designed for one purpose: low price? You get contamination, son!

In December of 2009, USA Today did a study regarding the quality of food in our nation’s schools. Do you know what they found out? Hold on, this requires large, bold font:

Meat used in school cafeterias was REJECTED by fast food joints like KFC!

I know, I know. Ridiculous, huh? School’s only get 15-20% of their food from the government but that 15-20% is made up of key commodities like beef, chicken, fruits, and vegetables! (What else is there?)

The USDA stands by its position that schools get high quality food. But the bottom line is that you get what you pay for and the school’s can’t afford to pay for the good stuff. And I know what you’re thinking: so what, we’re going to pay out the #@$@! for organic food in school cafeterias now? Healthy eating in schools doesn’t have to be an extreme undertaking. It starts with simple decisions such as replacing junk food vending machines with healthy vending machines.

The Child Nutrition Act addresses some of these quality concerns, but until its passed our kids are out of luck. So for now, PACK THAT SACK LUNCH!

Filed Under: ADVICE & EDUCATION, Health & Nutrition, The Bigger Picture Tagged With: childhood obesity, healthy food, healthy vending machine, healthy vending machines, Junk Food Industry, Obesity Epidemic, school nutrition

Hurry Up, Senate! The Healthy Eating Community is Waiting for the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010!

August 4, 2010 By Patrick Sanders Leave a Comment

Yesterday the good news for parents and schools hoping for healthy eating for America’s youth was that H.R. 5504 (a.k.a. the “Improving Nutrition For America’s Children Act”) passed in the House of Representatives. Now it faces the Senate and the issue of whether funding can be approved ($10 billion over 8 years!).

There’s ANOTHER bill on the radar as well, in case you didn’t know: H.R. 3307 (a.k.a. “Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010). This bill is chock-full of improvements needed to be made to continue and improving the National School Lunch Program and for healthy eating in schools in general. This bill is on the Senate’s calendar, but may not get approved this week before the month-long recess.

Seriously, Congress? A month-long recess? That’s what the fat kids of America need, NOT YOU!

President Obama’s original request for funding ($10 billion) for improvements in Child Nutrition fell short for H.R. 3307 when it went through the Senate Agricultural Committee: passing with funding being approved so far for only $4.5 billion. I’d supply the rest but my private jet is in the shop and I just ordered a new platinum grill for my MOUTH.

The Senate needs to get its act together ASAP. Want to see how awesome this bill is? Check it out:

$20 million in grants provided for Summer Food Service Program expansion.
Increases the number of Summer Food Service Program sites.
Child and Adult Care Food Program expands suppers to all 50 states.
Foster children made automatically eligible for free school meals.
Elimination of paper applications which makes access easier
Mandatory funding for pilot projects that will provide nutritious food to hungry children.
Increases the federal reimbursement rate of school meals by 6 cents per meal.
Provides funding for farm-to-school programs.
Expands WIC certification to 12 months.

How is this different from H.R. 5504? Both bills take much-needed steps towards expanding outreach to more children and providing more accessibility to healthy food options. Both bills have measures to make efficiency improvements in current programs, reduce childhood obesity, and increase the federal meal reimbursement rate.

You’ve got one month until recess, Congress. Get crackin’! Class dismissed.

Filed Under: ADVICE & EDUCATION, Company Happenings, Health & Nutrition, The Bigger Picture Tagged With: Healthy Eating, Hunger-Free Kids Act, Improving Nutrition for America's Children Act, National School Lunch Program, Summer Food Service Program