The movement to require healthy snack and beverage alternatives in vending machines at government locations has expanded far beyond its birthplace of San Jose, CA. Washington’s Top News recently reported about a new policy in Prince George’s County, MD that requires vending machines in county locations such as county offices and libraries to include healthy options. Council members and health advocates believe the changes will help combat diseases linked to poor nutrition. Prince George’s County is following in the steps of Montgomery County and Howard County by requiring that 50 percent of the options in vending machines meet the American Heart Association’s nutritional recommendations.   

A closer east coast neighbor began the process of developing nutritional standards for vending machine snacks and beverages shortly after they were enacted in San Jose, CA. Established in 2008, New York City’s current law, Executive Order 122, explains the nutritional guidelines for snacks and beverages that are sold in vending machines at government locations. As with Prince George’s County, New York City officials were focused on developing nutritional requirements for snacks and beverages that would help decrease the “risk of chronic diseases related to poor nutritional intake” (NYC Health, n.d.).

In the almost 10 years since the law was enacted, city officials have redesigned the snack, meal, and beverage nutritional standards to be more specific and easier to understand. For snacks sold in vending machines in government locations, the following standards must be met:

• Require snacks meet all of the following criteria, per package:
  • Calories: no more than 200 calories
  • Total fat: no more than 7 grams
    • Nuts, seeds, nut butters and cheese are exempt
    • Products containing nuts or nut butters are exempt
  • Saturated fat: no more than 2 grams
    • Trans fat: 0 grams trans fat
  • Sodium: no more than 200 mg
    • Cottage cheese: no more than 400 mg
  • Sugar: no more than 10 grams
    • Fruit and vegetable products with no added sugar are exempt
    • Yogurt: no more than 30 grams sugar per 8 ounces
  • Fiber: contain at least 2 grams of fiber, if product is grain/potato-based (e.g. granola bars, crackers, pretzels, cookies, chips)
• Require calorie information is posted for each food item, as packaged.
• For programs serving children age 18 and under: products cannot contain artificial flavors, artificial colors, artificial sweeteners, or other non-nutritive sweeteners (e.g. stevia, erythritol).
• Recommend or limit grain/potato-based snacks to no more than 50% of the food items in a machine.

Finding a vending provider that is able to meet those standards is not as challenging as one might think. Healthy Vending offers many types of snacks and beverages that meet New York City’s nutritional requirements including a selection of all-natural and organic snacks and beverages. Whether you are looking to add variety to your office break room or school lunchroom vending machines or are starting from scratch, we can help. For more information about providing healthy snacks and beverages for your employees or students, please call Healthy Vending at 917.572.3671.

NYC Health. (n.d.). NYC Food Standards. Retrieved from https://www1.nyc.gov/site/doh/health/health-topics/nyc-food-standards.page

It’s no surprise that New York City consumers are not eating enough fruits and vegetables during a day to get the optimum amount of health benefits. Scientists from Imperial College London found that to get the best health benefits, individuals need to consume 10 servings of fruit and vegetables per day. That is a lot more than the minimum number of five servings per day that the USDA recommends.

To understand which fruits and vegetables to add to your daily diet, it is important to learn more about your potential choices, whether conventional or organic. Information about nutritional values, the health benefits of specific produce, preparation methods, and the pros and cons of different growing practices is just a click away.

Recent research indicates that the demand for organic fruits and vegetables has increased as organic fruits and vegetables account for the largest organic food segment. In 2015, they led the global organic food market with 37% of the revenue. As Janice Kresin writes in The Packer, the draw to organic produce is in its connection to the consumer’s health. “When it comes to fresh fruits and vegetables, organic produce attracts consumers because it ties the concept of healthful options for consumers and the environment to the growing awareness of chemicals put on foods.”

During the first half of 2017, the top 10 fruits and vegetables purchased, in descending order, are bananas, apples, grapes, strawberries, oranges, potatoes, tomatoes, onions, carrots, and lettuce. Each one of these offers specific vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that can benefit a different part of the New York City consumer’s body.

Fruit

• bananas: source of potassium; help lower blood pressure
• apples: source of flavonoids, an antioxidant; lower risk of developing diabetes and asthma
• grapes:  source of resveratrol, an antioxidant; help prevent heart disease and may reduce the spread of breast, stomach and colon cancer cells
• strawberries: great source of antioxidants; help decrease inflammation and hardened arteries
• oranges: source of folate, a vitamin for pregnant women, and hesperidin, a phytochemical that can lower triglyceride and cholesterol levels
  

Vegetables

• potatoes: source of soluble and insoluble fiber, vitamin C, and B-complex; help lower plasma LDL cholesterol keep blood sugar stable
• tomatoes: source of antioxidants, dietary fiber, minerals, and vitamins; protect against cancers and ultra-violet (UV) rays; protects eyes from “age-related macular related macular disease” (ARMD)
• onions: source of chromium, quercetin (an antioxidant), vitamin C, and B-complex; help control diabetes, offer anti-inflammatory properties and help with brain health
• carrots: source of carotenes, vitamin A, vitamin C, B-complex, copper, calcium, potassium, and antioxidants; help protect against skin, lung, and oral cavity cancers, maintain eye health, and help maintain healthy connective tissue, teeth, and gums
• lettuce: source of vitamins and minerals; help prevent osteoporosis and iron-deficiency anemia, and protect against cardiovascular diseases, ARMD, Alzheimer’s disease, and cancers
  

To maintain a healthy diet, it is important for both New York City adults and students to eat a wide variety of fruits and vegetables. One way to add in an extra serving of fruits and vegetables is to choose healthy snacks and beverages at the office or at school that are made from fruits and vegetables. Whether you need to change your current healthy snack and beverage choices, or if you’ve never considered offering all-natural and organic products in your office break room vending machine or school lunchroom, Healthy Vending can help. Contact us at 917.572.3671 for more information.