The Bigger Picture | Healthy Vending Blog

Improving Nutrition for America’s Children Act has PASSED in the House!

August 3, 2010 By Patrick Sanders 2 Comments

Fat kids are hard to kidnap. That’s about the only advantage there is for having your kid be huge. And since kidnapping can be deterred in other ways, we can all agree that childhood obesity is not a crime-fighting weapon, but rather a detriment to society as a whole. So what’s our weapon? Healthy eating in schools.

After holding my breath since June 10th, today I am proud to say that a MONUMENTAL bill has passed in the House of Representatives. H.R. 5504 “Improving Nutrition for America’s Children Act” was passed yesterday, and parents across the country are saying: “It’s about TIME.” This is a huge milestone in the promotion of healthy eating in the nation’s schools, as part of the war on childhood obesity (not-so-fun-fact: one out of five children are obese! Next step is getting it approved in the Senate…

If this is news to you, then let me give you an overview of how fantastically awesome the bill is:

Summary: Amends the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act and the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 to revise the school lunch and breakfast programs, the summer food service program, the child and adult care food program (CACFP), and the special supplemental nutrition program for women, infants, and children (WIC program). Reauthorizes appropriations for such programs through FY2015. Includes among such revisions:
(1) encouraging the direct certification of children who receive other public assistance as eligible for free meals under the school lunch and breakfast programs;
(2) establishing new mechanisms by which schools or local educational agencies (LEAs) with very high proportions of low-income children can receive federal reimbursement for free or reduced price meals under such programs without collecting individual paper applications from households;
(3) establishing a program awarding competitive grants to states and, through them, competitive subgrants to LEAs to establish or expand the school breakfast program at low-income schools;
(4) expanding the access of low-income rural areas to the summer food service program;
(5) requiring updates to meal patterns and nutrition standards for the school lunch and breakfast programs based on recommendations made by the Food and Nutrition Board of the National Research Council of the National Academy of Sciences (NAS);
(6) requiring the establishment of science-based nutrition standards for all foods sold in schools outside the school lunch and breakfast programs;
(7) requiring LEAs participating in the school lunch and breakfast programs to establish local school wellness policies for their schools that include goals for nutrition promotion and education, physical activity and education, and other school-based activities that promote student wellness;
(8) requiring reimbursable meals and snacks provided under the CACFP to meet the most recent Dietary Guidelines for Americans and certain authoritative scientific recommendations;
(9) encouraging WIC program participants to breastfeed; and
(10) requiring WIC electronic benefit transfer (EBT) systems to be implemented nationwide by October 1, 2020.

Right here we have a trifecta of health, affordability, and efficiency to combat the current trifecta: few healthy options, low-income families, and inefficient bureaucracy. Sponsored by Rep. George Miller (D-CA), this bill is accordance with Michelle Obama’s mission of ending childhood obesity.

So what comes next? Implementation! Schools now have their work cut out for them. It starts with baby steps: setting goals in regards to nutrition and physical activity programs, replacing junk food vending machines with healthier options, and competing for grants with other schools. Revamping their school lunch program will be no easy task, but the clock is ticking as waistlines steadily expand.

Filed Under: ADVICE & EDUCATION, Company Happenings, Health & Nutrition, HEALTHY VENDING, The Bigger Picture, Vending News Tagged With: Child Nutrition Act, childhood obesity, Healthy Eating, Improving Nutrition for America's Children Act, Junk Food Industry, National School Lunch Act, National School Lunch Program, nutrition, Obesity, Obesity Epidemic

Junk Food: It’s To Die For!

July 30, 2010 By Patrick Sanders Leave a Comment

If you asked the average person what the biggest threat is to their country, their family, or their community, what do you think they’d say? Pollution? Economic conditions? Crime? I say nay, good citizen. Your enemy is the insidious JUNK FOOD that lurks in your pantry, your convenience store, and your vending machines.

The junk food industry probably has some nice people in it. But they are definitely doing some not nice things. Let’s air their dirty laundry now!

The junk food industry deliberately targets kids as young as two years old in order to create brand preference and lifelong loyalty.
Fast food chains lure kids with free toys in their meals to get their parents to spend.
Flavorings and colorings can cause rashes, asthma, and hyperactivity.
Many children now prefer man-made flavors over real food!
The average kid in the U.S. sees 25 hours of TV, which equates to 20,000 junk food ads a year! That’s a lot of brainwashing…
20% of kids under the age of two are given soft drinks by their parents! When my nephew was two, he did not need Mountain Dew. He needed to be shot with a tranquilizer dart.
The average can of cola has 10 teaspoons of sugar. Picture that.
Over 90% of children eat McDonalds at least once per month.
American teenagers drink, on average, over 760 cans of soda per year!

Drum roll please……

And the TENTH junk food fact that is off-the-wall-ridiculous:

10. The average person day consumes more sugar in TWO WEEKS than a person a century ago would consume in a whole YEAR.

I know. I know. It blew my mind as well. Somehow people 100 years ago still survived their workday without draining over TWO cans (20 teaspoons, as we now know) of sugary crap drink.

Now that I’ve opened your eyes to the deadly advertising all around you and your children, I bet you’re going to retreat into the wilderness to hide. Fear not! We can counter this marketing movement of junk food advertising and consumption with responsible eating habits and educating kids to not believe the stupid commercials they see.

Filed Under: ADVICE & EDUCATION, Company Happenings, H.U.M.A.N., Health & Nutrition, Philosophies & Beliefs, The Bigger Picture Tagged With: childhood obesity, Eating Habits, Junk Food, Junk Food Industry, Obesity Epidemic, vending machine, vending machines

Vending Machines and Socially Responsible Business

July 29, 2010 By Patrick Sanders Leave a Comment

You might be asking “What the heck to vending machines have to do with socially responsible business?” My answer: everything. Vending machines play a key role in food distribution in our country, and food is obviously an essential part of life. That brown box down the hall from you in the break room holds more power than you think, for better or for worse….

Setting an example is not the main means of influencing others; it is the only means.
Albert Einstein

I don’t bust out Albert Einstein quotes lightly. I only use them when I really need to drive a point home, and that point is this: everything you do as a company, down to the smallest choices you make, has an impact. Its often the little things that get overlooked, too. For example, how many companies out there claim to be socially responsible and yet still only provide their employees with unhealthy snack and drink options from vending machines that also have a huge carbon footprint? While these companies may be socially responsible on a large scale, what about the health of its employees and the health of the planet?

I know what you’re thinking: “Is this guy serious? Vending machines? We have bigger fish to fry!” Well, what I’m saying is how are you going to expect your employees to perform at their peak when they are putting crap in their bodies throughout the workday? And how can you really say you’re a “green” company when you won’t replace your traditional, energy-sucking vending machines with modern eco-friendly vending machines stocked with health food?

Let me hit you with hard numbers if you’re still not convinced:

A study led by University of Cincinnati on obesity’s effects on productivity on 341 manufacturing workers indicated that health-related losses in productivity were 4.2% for moderate to obese workers, costing the company $1,800 per year in absenteeism related costs!

So let’s say your company is made up of the average distribution of people in the U.S. (30% obese). If you have 1,000 employees then 300 are obese. 300 x $1,800 = $540,000 per year.

That’s half a million greenbacks!

While you can’t be responsible for the lifestyle decisions your employees make, the least you could do is provide them with healthy snack options while they work.

Filed Under: ADVICE & EDUCATION, Health & Nutrition, Healthy Vending Machines, Philosophies & Beliefs, The Bigger Picture, VENDING INDUSTRY, Vending Trends Tagged With: entrepreneurship, healthier food, HEALTHY VENDING, healthy vending machine, healthy vending machines, Successful vending, Vending Business, Vending Industry, vending machine, vending machines

Why is Nutrition Important? You Are What You Eat!

July 28, 2010 By Patrick Sanders Leave a Comment

Why is nutrition important? This is like asking “Why do we breathe?”. If you don’t think nutrition is important, then you are basically saying that you don’t think life is important. Pro-tip: Healthy eating can extend your life by decades.

Obesity rates are swelling in 28 of our states. I’m no math major, but that tells me that more than half the country is getting fatter. And obesity isn’t something these millions of people purposefully set out to achieve. Obesity happens simply from lack of physical activity and poor nutrition.

Engaging in physical activity doesn’t take much education, its more of a habit. Habits are difficult to form but once you form them they are difficult to break. It comes down to choices: going for a walk instead of watching American Idol re-runs, taking the stairs instead of the elevator, playing sports instead of watching them, etc.

But nutrition does require a little education. Its the yin to exercise’s yang. Its the “better half” in the marriage between the two. Here’s the breakdown:

Energy: Would you put watered down gas in your car? I sure hope not. The same goes for your body: if you want maximum energy is your habit to grab a Snickers from the junk food machine or trail mix from a healthy vending machine? Replacing your unhealthy go-to energy fixes with food that actually does give you energy is the first step. Your body’s favorite fuel comes from carbohydrates: glucose. If you eat too many simple carbohydrates (sugar and starch), your body will store these as fat. And if you don’t have enough glucose it will create some from your fat and protein stores.

Building Blocks: Your body requires a few essential structural components in order to maintain healthy muscles, bones, your immune system, hormonal balance, nervous system, and organs: protein, calcium, and fats.

The protein in your body is naturally broken down into amino acids, which are used to repair various parts of your body. Your body naturally produces 11 non-essential amino acids that aren’t available from food. There are an additional 9 amino acids you must have in your diet in order to maintain a high level of protein production. Protein is the main structural component in your cells, comprising 17 percent of your total body weight!

Calcium mainly keeps your bones (and teeth) strong, but also helps the function of muscles and nerves. It even helps prevent your blood from clotting!

FAT. Ok, there’s a lot of confusion over fat. Because we describe obese people as “fat”, we automatically assume its because they ate too much fat. Not necessarily true. WE NEED FAT! Just not all fat. Basically: unsaturated = good, saturated = bad.

Vitamins & Minerals: Vitamins and minerals function as co-enzymes, helping the efficiency of different chemical reactions that happen in your body. Best if found in natural and organic foods rather than a supplement.

So that’s the run-down. Of course that was a very simple explanation of nutrition, which is as complex of a subject as the fields its related to: biology, chemistry, physiology, etc. Bottom line is to use your common sense!Your body instinctively knows what is better for you when faced with the choice between Coke and water, vegetables over donuts, or brown rice over Twinkies.

Filed Under: ADVICE & EDUCATION, Health & Nutrition, Lifestyle, The Bigger Picture Tagged With: Healthy Eating, HEALTHY VENDING, healthy vending machine, nutrition, Nutritional Education, Obesity, Obesity Epidemic, Poor Nutrition

Obesity Task Force: The Lowdown on the White House’s Plan for Healthy Schools

July 27, 2010 By Patrick Sanders Leave a Comment

When I picture an “Obesity Task Force”, I picture Richard Simmons barking orders drill-sergeant style to a platoon of spandex-clad fitness freaks. Apparently I’m way off, because the real Obesity Task Force is deadly serious about creating healthy schools and healthy kids.

The Obesity Task Force (where people wear suits, not spandex) was created by President Obama in 2009 and is closely related to the First Lady’s “Let’s Move” campaign. These initiatives represent the sense of urgency felt in all levels of government and society to implement concrete changes to the lifestyles of our nation’s youth. Obesity is on the rise, healthy eating is plummeting, and physical activity is grinding to a halt.

So what makes the OTF different from every other committee that simply talks but never delivers real meaningful change? It all comes down to action plans.

According to a White House statement, the Obesity Task Force plan aims to achieve the following:

“1. Getting children a healthy start on life, with good prenatal care for their parents; support for breastfeeding; and quality child care settings with nutritious food and ample opportunity for young children to be physically active.”

In my opinion this starts at home. If you let your kid eat McDonald’s all the time, grab soda from a traditional vending machine instead of fruit juice from a healthy vending machine, and let them sit in front of the tube all day then OF COURSE they’ll be fat.

“2. Empowering parents and caregivers with simpler, more actionable messages about nutritional choices based on the latest Dietary Guidelines for Americans; improved labels on food and menus that provide clear information to help make healthy choices for children; reduced marketing of unhealthy products to children; and improved health care services, including BMI measurement for all children.”

Kids are like lemmings. Or do I mean monkeys? Or do I mean a weird hybrid animal between the two? (Pause here to picture this and laugh. Now pull yourself together and keep reading). The point is they mimic and follow what we big people do. If they see mom and dad caring about what they eat then they will too.

“3. Providing healthy food in schools, through improvements in federally supported school lunches and breakfasts; upgrading the nutritional quality of other foods sold in schools; and improving nutrition education and the overall school environment.”

Here’s where the school board and administrators come in. Kids are at the mercy of your cafeteria. With the government SUBSIDIZING your food through the National School Lunch Program, you need to choose a healthy food service. Natural and organic foods are much better fuel for learning than the alternative. Also, replace those Coke and Pepsi machines with a healthy vending machine!

“4. Improving access to healthy, affordable food by eliminating “food deserts” in urban and rural America; lowering the relative prices of healthier foods; developing or reformulating food products to be healthier; and reducing the incidence of hunger, which has been linked to obesity.”

Low number of food options means low quality of food options. Healthy snacks don’t just grow on trees. Oh wait, they do, they’re called apples. But last I checked there aren’t too many apple trees in the city. That leaves vast stretches of concrete jungle where fast food and candy/soda machines dominate your eyesight. And until healthy vending machines and natural food stores become conveniently common, people will keep hitting those drive-thrus.

“5. Getting children more physically active through quality physical education, recess and other opportunities in and after school; addressing aspects of the “built environment” that make it difficult for children to walk or bike safely in their communities; and improving access to safe parks, playgrounds, and indoor and outdoor recreational facilities.”

I interpreted this as “make gym class fun again”. Kids have vast stores of energy, and this needs to be channeled into things other than video games and YouTube. And I doubt kids are going to argue with more recess time. Being able to ride their bikes without fear of getting hit by passing motorists would also be a plus.

Bottom line is I like where this Obesity Task Force is headed. The gray suits are a little boring, and maybe they could use some of Richard Simmons’ flare, but they are taking a bold step in battling one of our country’s greatest threats: unhealthy children.

Filed Under: ADVICE & EDUCATION, Health & Nutrition, Lifestyle, The Bigger Picture Tagged With: childhood obesity, First Lady, healthier food, healthy drinks, healthy food, Healthy Kids, healthy snacks, HEALTHY VENDING, healthy vending machine, healthy vending machines, Let's Move, Michelle Obama, National School Lunch Program, nutrition, Obesity Epidemic, Obesity Task Force, School Vending machines, vending machine, vending machines in school, vending machines in schools

The Future is Here: Healthy Vending Machines

July 26, 2010 By Patrick Sanders Leave a Comment

Am I the only one extremely disappointed that its 2010 and we are STILL not driving flying cars, watching hologram TV, and popping tasty meals in pill form? Its downright absurd! But I guess to be fair, there are some pretty cool things that have come out. For example: healthy vending machines. That’s right, I said it. There are actually vending machines that dispense health food and sports performance products!

These aren’t your typical big brown boxes with coils just outfitted with a different product mix, either. These healthy vending machines are high-tech! Here’s what I’m talking about:

An LCD Screen: If I could afford it, every wall in my house would be an LCD screen. A vending machine should be no different. Plus, how cool is it to have nutrition facts displayed on screen of the food products you’re about to buy? Its not like you can open the machine up and read the labels. If you have to put guesswork into your healthy snack options, then you’re probably not eating as healthy as you could be.

Cashless payment options: Like most of us, I am horrible at keeping cash around. And nothing is worse than walking by a vending machine hoping for a healthy snack and coming up with lint. Plastic money rules, plain and simple.

Sensors that guarantee that the machine vends correctly: This is as refreshing as the natural and organic options in these machines. You know the diagram on vending machines showing what NOT to do? (i.e. tipping the machines towards you?) Yep, I’ve been THAT guy. Because when I get ripped off by an ugly brown box, I feel stupid. And when I feel stupid, I get angry. Angry + Stupid = I am the guy in the diagram.

Eco-Friendly Design: We all love Mother Earth. (By “we” I am not including British Petroleum). These healthy vending machines use up to 50% less energy than standard vending machines. This means that when you use a traditional vending machine, you are actually harming your body and the environment. Whether you buy organic, natural, or simply healthier food from a healthy vending machine its a double-whammy of positive impact for your body and for the earth.

The bottom line is that while we still may not be able to swallow a complete steak dinner the size of an aspirin, the convenience of a high-tech healthy vending machine is a pretty cool substitute.

Filed Under: HEALTHY VENDING, Healthy Vending Machines, The Bigger Picture, VENDING INDUSTRY Tagged With: healthier food, healthy food, healthy snacks, HEALTHY VENDING, healthy vending machine, healthy vending machines, natural, organic, vending machine, vending machines

Top 7 Criticisms of Healthy Vending Machines in SF and Why They’re Wrong

July 21, 2010 By Jim Wolfe 1 Comment

San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom has come under fire for banning soda from vending machines on city property. I’m going to address the Top 7 Criticisms:

1. The government doesn’t have the right
2. There is no difference between soda and milk
3. People should be drinking water not milk
4. People are smart enough to decide for themselves
5. It’s dangerous for diabetics
6. It’s the wrong move
7. It won’t do anything

Filed Under: H.U.M.A.N., HEALTHY VENDING, Healthy Vending Machines, The Bigger Picture Tagged With: healthy vending machines

Is Your School Up to the Challenge?

July 20, 2010 By Patrick Sanders Leave a Comment

I walked by an elementary school the other day and I did a double take. I could have sworn that instead of a playground full of children I was looking at a casting call for a Charlie and the Chocolate Factory remake.

You know what I’m talking about—Oompa Loompas.

Round, orange skin and white hair. Ok, maybe the orange skin and white hair are a stretch. But MAN were these kids round.

School administrators take note: YOU have the power to change this. Kids aren’t much different than us adults. They are just as limited by convenience and accessibility for their meal options.

Stock your cafeteria with McDonalds-quality food? They’ll eat it. Stock your cafeteria with tasty health food? Yep, they’ll eat that too. Have only soda and candy vending machines in the hallway? Guess where that milk money is headed. Replace them with healthy vending machines and you can bet they’ll suck down juice boxes and munch on trail mix.

If making your kids healthier for their sake alone isn’t enough, the USDA has provided monetary incentives for implementing healthy food options and physical activities into your school.

The HealthierUS School Challenge (HUSSC) is a voluntary initiative established in 2004 to recognize those schools participating in the National School Lunch Program, which has created healthier school environments through promotion of nutrition and physical activity. Monetary awards between $500 and $2000 are given to schools who succeed at reaching the coveted HUSSC status, which is based on certain criteria.

I know what you’re thinking: “How can I grab a piece of that HUSSC glory?” Head over to the HUSSC Website for details and for Pete’s sake (you know, Pete, that little dumpling of a kid in room 405) get rid of your Coke machines.

Filed Under: ADVICE & EDUCATION, H.U.M.A.N., Health & Nutrition, Lifestyle, The Bigger Picture Tagged With: childhood obesity, healthier food, HealthierUS School Challenge, healthy drinks, healthy food, healthy snacks, HEALTHY VENDING, healthy vending machine, healthy vending machines, human healthy vending, HUSSC, National School Lunch Program, Obesity Epidemic, school nutrition, School Vending machines, vending machines in school, vending machines in schools

Obesity Rates Jump In 28 States

June 30, 2010 By John Pinto Leave a Comment

“More than two-thirds of states now have adult obesity rates above 25 percent,” Jeff Levi, executive director of the Trust for America’s Health, said during a Tuesday news conference. “Back in 1991, not that long ago, not a single state had an obesity rate above 20 percent. There’s been a dramatic change in a relatively short period.”

There is only one thing to say about this, wow.

This statistic is referring to adults, but do you know what makes this 10x worse? The same unhealthy junk food these adults are eating is the exact same junk they are feeding their children! How can we stop this cycle of our children developing poor eating habits at an early age? Here are a few major steps in the right direction:

- Education: Most kids these days don’t even know the names of the most common fruits and vegetables! We need to implement mandatory nutritional classes that teach kids the importance of eating right and actually SHOW them how to make simple, yet healthy snacks. Get the parents involved too!

- Affordability: Push local governments to implement school lunches and snacks that are healthy AND affordable. Better ingredients = high costs. Local and state governments need to find a way to increase school budgets for healthier food options. Americans are finally seeing the repercussions of eating processed junk. Let’s do something about it!

- Accessibility: Most kids are going to eat what they are given or what they are told to eat. Let’s give them tasty healthier options and see how they like it! Here at H.U.M.A.N., we give schools 100% healthy vending programs for absolutely free. Providing the tastiest healthy snacks and drinks to students allows them to TRY these amazing tasting products and starts a domino effect. Snacking daily on all-natural Izze pop and bag of Pirates Booty is far more healthy than a Coke and bag of Cheetos.

Let’s be real here. The statistics don’t lie. In Mississippi, the #1 obese state in the country, dang near 50% of the people are obese! American’s need to unite and find a way to make our country a more healthy environment for future generations.

Filed Under: ADVICE & EDUCATION, Health & Nutrition, The Bigger Picture Tagged With: Adult Obesity, childhood obesity, HEALTHY VENDING, healthy vending machine, healthy vending machines, human healthy vending, Nutritional Education, Obesity, Obesity Epidemic, vending machines

Tackling Childhood Obesity

March 16, 2010 By John Pinto Leave a Comment

H.U.M.A.N. Healthy Vending is tacking childhood obesity one healthy vending machine at a time. Educating kids through streaming video display and making it more convenient to eat healthy are two of our main objectives as a company.

H.U.M.A.N. also likes to recognize other “humanists” of the world, like Jamie Oliver. This guy is reaching people in a big way! His television show, Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution, premiers on ABC on Friday March 26th. This show will educate people around the world (especially American’s) about the importance of healthy eating/living, and the current epidemic that we have created through consuming to many processed and sugary foods. Get ready for the awakening, because it is coming to mainstream television in a couple of weeks!

Filed Under: Health & Nutrition, Lifestyle, Philosophies & Beliefs, The Bigger Picture Tagged With: childhood obesity, human healthy vending, Jamie Oliver, Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution, Obesity Epidemic