"Healthy Vending- just what the doctor ordered!"

The workplace action team had a focused discussion in March on vending, with Preston Felty of Canteen Vending as a special guest.  Listed below are some of the highlights:

·          Place raffle tickets on all healthy choices to encourage their selection with an opportunity to win a prize at the end of the month encouraging behavior change.  Suggested prizes:  work-out towels, water bottles, I-pods, etc.  One local company raffled off a bike that they displayed on top of the vending machine. 

·          Promote healthy items by offering samples from product manufacturers at a table next to vending machines to encourage employees to try healthier options. 

·          Another local company has employees put a sticker with their name on a healthy food wrapper.  The wrappers are gathered in a box and winners are chosen at random on a monthly basis.

·          Subsidize cost of healthy items if possible.

·          Increasing cost of unhealthy items usually is not beneficial and decreases overall vending sales.

·          Canteen Vending offers a free “stock-out” program where customers can receive a report that displays items more often sold-out vs. no sales. 

·          Post nutritional information of vending items on employee bulletin boards. 

For more information, please review Vending Machine Standards & Recommendations and the Sample Letter to Vending Machine Companies from our Workplace Toolkit: 

Vending Machine Recommendations

Sample letter to Vending Machine Company