Commack Library Gets Healthy Vending Machine

A healthy snack can be hard to find in a vending machine, but the Commack Public Library is stepping up to give patrons a nutritious boost.

The library is one of nine venues on Long Island that has recently installed a Fresh Healthy Vending machine. Instead of greasy potato chips or sugary sports drinks, the machines offer all organic, healthier options.

Items include smoothies, soymilk, fruit, vegetables, yogurt, granola bars, baked chips and natural sodas.

“The lack of healthy products available to kids in schools and after-school activity locations is disappointing. I wanted to offer a solution that would make healthy options more available, without losing the convenience that vending machines bring to schools and businesses,” Fresh Healthy Vending franchisee Ron Leder said.

The move toward healthier food options, especially for children, is quickly gaining momentum, which is good news considering that obesity has more than doubled in children and tripled among adolescents in the past 30 years, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Commack residents will soon see healthier options in their schools as well, as the U.S. Department of Agriculture will require all schools to offer only snacks with 100 percent whole grains under 200 calories, starting in 2014.