Vending Machine Recommendations
An Employer's Guide to Promoting Weight Management in the Workplace
Nutrition Standards
To increase employee access to healthy food and beverage options at work, Lighten Up Lancaster County Coalition encourages employers to require at least 50% of food and beverages served in vending machines fall in the Healthiest and Healthier nutrition categories.
Pricing Standards
Food and beverage items meeting the recommended nutrition standards should be sold at a price that is equal to or lower than the price of the remaining items within the vending machine that do not meet these nutrition standards.
Placement Standards
Food and beverage items meeting the recommended nutrition standards must be placed within the top third of the vending machine so that they are visible at eye level.
Identification Standards
Work with your vendor to decide how to best code the nutrition standards of your selections. One suggestion is to give the Healthiest selections a green price tag, the Healthier selections a yellow price tag, and the Excluded selections a red price tag. A small "window-cling" sign on the vending machine can explain the colors.
Food and Snacks
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Healthiest |
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Healthier |
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Excluded |
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Animal crackers, graham crackers, soy crisps, Fig Newtons |
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Granola bars, whole-grain fruit bars |
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Cookies (including low fat), candy bars, chocolate bars, toaster pastries, marshmallow cereal treats |
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Baked chips, corn nuts, rice cakes, cereal/nut mix |
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Regular chips, cheese-flavored crackers, cracker sandwiches |
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Nuts and seeds – plain or with spices |
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Nuts with light sugar covering; honey roasted |
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Candy or yogurt-coated nuts |
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Trail mix – cereals and dried fruit (no fat added) |
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Popcorn/nut mix |
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Trail mix with chocolate, yogurt or candy |
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Fresh, canned or individually packed fruit – natural juices only |
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Canned or individually packaged fruit in light syrup |
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Canned or individually-packed fruit in heavy syrup |
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Dried fruit – raisins, dried cranberries; fruit leather |
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Fruit-flavored snacks |
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Candy or sugar-coated dried fruit |
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Pretzels – any flavor |
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Candy or yogurt-coated pretzels |
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Fat-free popcorn |
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Light popcorn |
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Popcorn – butter, butter lovers, movie style |
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Beef jerky – 95% fat free |
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Sausages, pork rinds |
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Yogurt, preferably non-fat, low-fat or light |
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Sugar-free gelatin |
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Fat-free pudding |
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Pudding made with whole milk |
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Beverages
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Healthiest |
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Healthier |
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Excluded |
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Milk, any flavor –
preferably non-fat or low-fat (1%) |
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Juice – fruit or vegetable that contains at least 100% juice |
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Juice – fruit or vegetable that contains at least 50% juice |
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Fruit flavored soft drinks |
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Water, pure |
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Flavored or vitamin-enhanced fitness water, sparkling |
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Low-calorie, diet sodas; low-cal iced tea, low-cal coffee |
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Regular soft drinks, sports drinks |
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Nutrition Criteria
Food and Snacks
Healthiest – must meet both criteria
- 3 grams of Total Fat or fewer per serving (Nuts and seeds exempt from restrictions.)
- 30 grams of Carbohydrates or few per serving (All candies are considered unhealthy. Fruit in any form is permitted, regardless of carbohydrate count.)
Healthier – must meet both criteria
- 5 grams of Total Fat or few per serving (Nuts and sees exempt from restrictions.)
- 30 grams of Carbohydrates or few per serving (All candies are considered unhealthy. Fruit in any form is permitted, regardless of carbohydrate count.)
Portion Size – Portion size is not defined for any item, but smaller portion sizes are preferred.
Beverages
Healthiest
- Milk – Low fat (1%) or Nonfat preferred, any flavor
- Water – pure
- Juice – at least 50% fruit or vegetable juice
Healthier
- Water – Flavored or vitamin enhanced
- Low-calorie beverage of 50 calories or less per 12 oz. serving
Source: The Health Collaborative – Bexar County’s Community Health Leadership
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