Fresh Vending machine
Today I went to the YMCA for a business meeting and lo and behold, I saw the most amazing site — I just couldn’t believe my eyes. A vending machine filled with healthy snacks — and I mean REALLY healthy snacks, not “lesser of two evils” kinda snacks.
Wow, where was this concept when I still worked at an office?
Years ago when I was still at the Montclair Times, I’d catch the vendor loading up the machine and I’d say to him, “Can’t you at least get something in here like a Lara bar?”
I was told, “No.”
But, wow, this vending machine I saw today was a site for sore eyes! And these sore eyes couldn’t believe what they saw — Annie’s Naturals crackers and Panda licorice. YUM!
I remembered the name of the franchise: “Fresh Vending” and when I got home I looked it up on the internet. They also provide these healthy products: Hint Water, Honest Tea, R.W. Knudsen Spritzers, Tazo iced teas, Zola acai juice, Late July crackers and cookies, and all sorts of baked crackers and chips. AND LARA BARS!
In my opinion, these machines should be all over the place — in offices, hospitals, shopping centers, convenience stores, gas stations, rest areas … anywhere you’d stop, they should be. If people had more healthy choices available to them they wouldn’t have to resort to bad food in a pinch.
If you are a homebody and cook all your meals at home, work at home, stay at home all the time and can brag about eating nothing but organic, fresh whole foods — good, more power to you.
But some of us like to be out on the road, seeing the world. I’m definitely an “on the road” kinda girl and am always extra happy when I come across healthy treats along the way!
So may Fresh Vending prosper to the point where it’s a household name! I bless Fresh Vending with a ton of good vibes success now and 50 years from now!
Thank you, Fresh Vending! Thank you so much!
Maryanne Christiano-Mistretta 
Wow, that’s awesome. Kudos to that company for sure. Good to see.
Nice Mary Anne. Hope to see more of these. As is, to eat healthy foods on the road, you often need to bring your own.
(btw- ref the Montclair Times – my brother and his wife live in Montclair and have for years. Their home is near Wachung Ave. I may be there for Thanksgiving.)
Oh wow, what a small world! Very cool. How long are you staying in Montclair?
Probably just a day trip there or else an overnight.
Aww, too bad it wasn’t longer, I was going to send you on a mission to get me raw milk (of course I would pay you for your time!) 🙂
Definitely a move in the right direction!
What a fabulous idea!:)
It is about time. It used to drive me crazy when I worked in a hospital and the vending machine had nothing but high fat high calorie foods in it. But then again this hospital also had a MCDonalds. I’m not a die hard health food fanatic but I DO try to make healthy choices and think all vending machines should offer foods that are more nutritious.