Vending machines run on hugs. They can give you beer when you tackle them. They can adjust drink prices based on how hot it is, and they can whip up a fresh bowl of mashed potatoes.
One thing they're still pretty lousy at though, is providing anything you can feel good about putting in your body.
People who like to eat well know it. People who want to start eating well know it. And parents, especially, know it.
Which is why Charlotte mom Patti Moore jumped on an opportunity to change it. Motivated by a lack of options for her daughter with food allergies, Moore decided to start placing vending machines with healthier food and drinks around town. She signed on to become a distributor for H.U.M.A.N. Healthy Vending and has installed eight machines around Charlotte.
"We had this revelation that wow, we really need to look closer into the things we're eating and we can do better for our family and then it was sort of a greater purpose, you know, we can do better in Charlotte," she told HLN affiliate WCNC.
Instead of the usual Cokes, Hershey's bars, Oreos and Cheetos, the machines stock items like organic milk, protein bars, baked corn puffs and cane soda.
Moore says once her daughter developed an allergy, she became more aware of and concerned about the ingredients the family was consuming. "I mean high fructose corn syrup, trans fats, just artificial coloring, flavoring. Just all kinds of preservatives," Moore explained to WCNC.
H.U.M.A.N. says it will only install machines in buildings that have removed their junk food options. A 2004 study found standard vending machines in 74% of middle schools and 98% of high schools.
For more, click to WCNC-TV
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