Installing a vending machine with healthy snack and drink options is a superb way to improve office morale and promote wellness in the workplace. If you’re ready to set up a healthy vending machine, you need to know what to fill it with. Below is a helpful list of healthy vending machine snacks and drinks every health-conscious office should have!
Healthy Drinks for Your Office Vending Machine
Drinks like soda are high in calories and low in nutrition, which can lead to unhealthy and low-energy employees. Instead of soda and other unhealthy drinks, consider adding these healthy drinks to your vending machine.
- Water: This one may seem obvious, but you’d be surprised how many office vending machines don’t have plain water! Good hydration leads to higher energy, fewer sick days, and improved mood, so offering water to employees is essential.
- Flavored Water: Not everyone loves plain water, but you can still help them stay hydrated. Flavored water can be just as hydrating but offers a yummy taste that appeals to many.
- Carbonated Water: Soda water, club soda, and similar beverages are supremely popular. They’re a sensational alternative to high-calorie, high-sugar, low-hydration sodas that make people bloat and feel sluggish.
- Black Coffee: Instead of filling the machine with high-calorie lattes and frozen coffee drinks, opt for black coffee or lightly sweetened coffee so people can get their caffeine fix without all the sugar.
- Real Juice: Real fruit juice, not the carbonated or high-sugar varieties, can supply your workers with vital nutrients along with a delicious taste!
- Protein Shakes: Protein shakes are a fantastic way for employees to fill their bellies with something beneficial and substantial at the beginning or the end of the day when they feel tired. They can even be a decent meal replacement!
- Smoothies: Another wonderful meal replacement option is a fruit smoothie! Smoothies can be filling and deliver essential vitamins in nutrients, and they’re easy for employees to sip on at their desks while they work.
Healthy Snacks for Your Office Vending Machine
Instead of greasy potato chips, sugary cookies, and high-calorie candy, fill your vending machine with these healthy options below!
- Granola Bars: Granola bars are one of the best healthy snacks to put in a vending machine because they’re easy for people to grab and eat on the go. These bars are often loaded with filling ingredients that will sate hunger without making people feel sluggish or too full.
- Protein Bars: Like granola bars, protein bars are perfect as a snack or meal replacement for busy workers. They deliver substantial protein and other nutrients that can contribute to a balanced diet and keep workers energized and healthy.
- Veggie Chips: Veggie chips are the perfect alternative to fatty, greasy potato chips, cheesy puffs, and other chip-like snacks that are low in nutrition but high in calories. Almost any variety of vegetable-based snacks is better than what you find in typical vending machines.
- Nuts: Nuts are high in fat, but it’s a healthy kind of fat, so they can boost people’s energy and help them feel fuller for longer. Small packets of salted nuts or bags of trail mix are the perfect addition to a healthy vending machine.
- Seeds: Along with nuts, seeds are also a brilliant option because they’re fun to snack on and deliver healthy fats and fiber that keep people healthy.
- Popcorn: Instead of filling your vending machine with chips, consider adding low-calorie popcorn bags that are filling but more nutritional. You can also add microwaveable popcorn if your office has a microwave in the breakroom!
- Dried Fruit: Dried fruit is often mixed into trail mixes, but you can also buy bags of dried apple chips, apricot bites, banana chips, or dried cherries. These snacks are a wonderful way for people to get their sweet fixes without consuming something with lots of processed sugar.
- Fruit Strips: Fruit strips are an even sweeter option that will satisfy people with a sweet tooth. They basically taste like candy but contain no added sugar and are made with real fruit, so workers get all the vitamins and none of the processed sugar.
- Crackers: Crackers are a great option for a healthy vending machine because they’re more nutritious than chips but are still salty and delicious. A bag of healthy crackers can also fill someone up quickly and help them focus.
- Pretzels: Pretzels are in the same category as crackers. They’re salty and crunchy, making them the perfect snack for people who want to munch on something tasty.
- Beef Jerky: Believe it or not, beef jerky has decent nutritional value and is low in calories. It offers protein, healthy fats, fiber, and essential vitamins, and the bold flavor is very satisfying for meat lovers.
- Mushroom Jerky: If you have vegetarians or vegans in your office, consider adding veggie-based jerky to your vending machine. Mushroom jerky is a yummy option with a delightfully chewy texture that satisfies people.
- Dark Chocolate: Candy is not the best option for a healthy vending machine. However, dark chocolate is lower in calories and delivers nutrients and antioxidants that can make people healthy while fixing their sweet tooth.
- Gum: Gum is not nutritional, but sometimes, workers want a snack because they’re antsy or bored. Studies have shown that chewing gum can even help people concentrate and be more productive. And it’s good for your teeth!
Choosing the Best Healthy Drinks and Snacks for Your Office
Some vending machines can fit all the drinks and snacks discussed above. But if you only have one vending machine with limited space, try to offer variety, so everyone can have something they like! If you’re not sure what people want, ask your workers or provide a list of options they can choose from.
Learn more about healthy vending machines and request more information from our team today!