Check out this healthy vending machine that only sells fresh, organic salads and snacks

Wednesday, February 03, 2016 by: Sarah Landers
Tags: Farmer''s Fridge, vending machines, childhood obesity

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(NaturalNews) Vending machines are handy when you're living a busy life and just need that extra bit of energy to get you through to the end of the day. However, the availability of vending machines and the products sold within them, has been linked to the ongoing obesity problem in the U.S., and in particular to childhood obesity.

Enter Farmer's Fridge – a vending machine like no other, created by Luke Saunders from Chicago. This fantastic idea focuses around the concept of selling restaurant-quality salads and snacks that are healthy, organic, fresh and incredibly tasty.⁽¹⁾

Childhood obesity and vending machines

There's no denying that the childhood obesity trends in the U.S. are truly terrifying, with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) stating that today more than 20% of children are obese.⁽²⁾

Childhood obesity leads to serious health problems, and while there are numerous factors that affect the rising obesity rate in U.S. children, an area that needs to be addressed is the provision of vending machines in schools.

There is of course an argument for freedom of choice, but sometimes children do not make the right choices when it comes to their diet, and adults need to take measures to guide children in the right direction.

Currently, vending machines are dangerous for various reasons. In most schools, a lunch break may only be 40 minutes long, including time for children to go outside and socialize or play with friends. This makes vending machines extremely tempting; kids can get a quick, high calorie sugar fix, and then spend the rest of their break having fun.

Vending machines are easily accessible, and you're likely to find multiple machines located near the cafeteria, school entrances and gymnasiums. The nutrient-deficient foods stocked in these handy machines include candy bars, sodas, chips and other sugar-laden goods such as pastries. These products will have a long shelf-life, so they will also be filled with harmful chemicals to preserve them for longer.

Why Farmer's Fridge is different

Everything about Farmer's Fridge breaks the mold – from its construction of reclaimed wood, to its rustic and wholesome appearance. Every morning at 10 a.m., the machine is freshly stocked with an assortment of salads and snacks that have been prepared at a local kitchen, with the majority being organic.

The quality of the healthy, organic food provided by Farmer's Fridge can simply not be obtained at popular fast food chains or in standard vending machines. The product quality and integrity is totally protected by focusing on foods that stay fresh and are packed into recyclable plastic jars.

And perhaps the best part of all, is that any food left in the machine at the end of the day is donated to a local food pantry, helping those who are going hungry and cannot afford food.

Benefits of snacking on farm fresh and organic food

Farm fresh foods have fewer preservatives, chemicals and processed components, making them healthier and tastier. Organic foods take this one step further, as the ingredients are produced using fewer pesticides, herbicides and other chemicals that often remain on food and enter our bodies as we eat.⁽³⁾

Organic farming is also better for the environment, is GMO-free, and is generally a lot fresher, because preservatives are not used to improve shelf-life.

The launch of Farmer's Fridge in downtown Chicago last October was a huge success – showing that there is a calling for a healthy vending machine alternative that provides healthy food on the go.

Persuading children to embrace this style of vending machine may be difficult at first, but if we removed the unhealthy alternatives from schools, Farmer's Fridge could play a huge part in alleviating the childhood obesity problem.

Sources include:

1. TrueActivist.com

2. ActiveCA.org

3. HelpGuide.org

4. FarmersFridge.com