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.