Diet Options: Healthy Vending Snacks

Vending machines are fantastic for convenience, easy snacking when the nearest shop or café is some distance. But what they provide inefficiency, they often lack in variety. Overflowing with chocolate bars and crisps but no protein selections, a lack of healthy vending and no options for those with allergies or intolerances. The general consensus is; fill the machine with the top selling brands in the country and that will do. But whether through choice or for health reasons not everyone can enjoy the best-selling brands.

And yet…

Not only is there plenty of space in a standard vending machine to accommodate most people but more importantly, we have a huge variety of products at our fingertips. Companies are running out of excuses for NOT taking diet/lifestyle choices and needs into consideration with their vending products.

When we first introduced our Doozy vending machines our products were predominantly centred around healthy choices. However, it quickly became clear that there is a high demand for products which fit into various diet and lifestyle segments. When we investigated our then current products, it was a pleasant surprise that most of the healthy vending options already fit the bill. From gluten-free to protein filled, they all offer benefits above that of standard vending products. Now, offering a huge variety of healthy vending snacks which can be enjoyed by everyone is essential for us.

Let’s look a bit deeper…

Diet

There are a few different reasons why a person has to follow a certain diet. For the 1% of the UK population who suffer from coeliac disease, it is vital to follow a completely gluten-free diet. This can be difficult when many ‘on the go’ foods contain the damaging protein, forcing them to have to search for alternatives. There are also many people who have a gluten intolerance, they notice they feel better/less bloated when they avoid gluten. Although much of today’s standard vending array are not gluten-free, healthy vending products often are. Just glance to the photo of Eat Real for an example. In fact, those avoiding gluten can enjoy 51.2% of our Doozy healthy vending snacks!

Similarly, some people have to completely or mostly cut milk out of their diet. By thinking ahead, we can ensure that we have choices that do not include milk, and it’s not just snacks. Many hot drinks contain milk such as white tea or cappuccino. We are looking at a new machine which will allow for different kinds of milk to be used. So, if someone cannot slurp a latte with normal milk, they can choose soy milk instead. There are other allergies and intolerances to be aware of, such as sesame seeds and peanuts.

Lifestyle

Often avoiding certain food is a lifestyle choice as opposed to a health need. Some of those who opt for a gluten-free diet choose to. This is because some believe that avoiding bread and various other gluten-filled products is better for them or will help them lose weight. While science has not confirmed this theory, 8.5 million Brits choose to live a gluten-free life. And only a small percentage do so because they have to.

Other big lifestyle choices at the moment include the unstoppable veganism. Once a niche group, the numbers of vegan followers have increased massively over the last decade, picking up pace in recent years. There are now 600,000 followers of the plant-based diet in the UK. There are a number of reasons why someone would become vegan including animal welfare, personal health and environmental matters. Interestingly, around a third of the UK population are actively trying to eat less meat. Our product options are a reflection of this popularity with 32.5% of our Doozy snacks vegan-friendly.

The health and fitness world is known for following a protein-based diet. For people heavily into the gym and exercise, it is important to consume a large amount of protein. Not all snacks will provide this, but there is a variety which does, including Trek bar.

And others – Just want to be healthier!

This one is both a lifestyle and diet health choice – simply be healthier. When we wander over to a vending machine, we are usually met with high sugar/high-fat options. Our Doozy machines provide something very different. 80% of our snacks are marked as healthier! Many are 1 of your 5 a day and made with natural ingredients too!

On a related note… Some good news for allergy sufferers this week

Sometimes the lack of options for people who have to be careful about what they eat is more down to a misunderstanding. Either companies do not realise that the majority of their options don’t cater to everyone or they just want to stick to what they know. However, society in general has started to acknowledge that more needs to be done. It needs to be clear what products have in them and how accessible they are.

This month a new law was announced to protect allergy sufferers. The law ensures full ingredient listing on all pre-packaged food. Tragically this new law was brought into effect because a young girl died when she ate a baguette with sesame seeds on. There was no sign that this product contained the seeds and so she presumed it was safe to eat. Her severe reaction caused her death, with the new law labelled ‘Natasha’s law’. Labelling rules where allergies are concerned has become stricter over the years. Understanding allergies, intolerances and diseases seem to finally be taken seriously. The fact of the matter is, that some people, cannot consume certain products.

The healthy food and drink market is growing at a considerable rate, producing more and more products for absolutely everyone – whether intolerance, allergy, disease or through choice. There is now NO excuse for lazy vending. Fill those healthy vending snack machines with nutritionally rich, tasty options – A variety we can all sink our teeth into.