There must be some reason as to why vending machines are stocked with foodstuff that you would rarely eat. Corn chips flavoured with various seasonings (many of them with names so chemical-sounding that you wouldn’t ever associate with food), potato chips that leave greasy marks on the most absorbent of paper napkins, chocolates that are 99% sugar and 1% chocolate, peanut buttered bars of various kinds, chewing gums, strong mints, chocolate chip cookies, gummy candies. Really, if one is starving and on the verge of death, what is one to select? I opted for a granola bar one hungry afternoon and regretted it instantly. The granola tasted old and it was sickly-sweet, as usual. One of the sensible options is Lay’s potato chips (Baked). They are non-greasy and wonderfully light. But they rarely make an appearance in our vending machine. I assume the rest of the items are cheap/popular and so they’re stocked. It’s a sad state of affairs that that which is popular is not good for you, in the least, in this case.
surendra says:
I totally agree with you on the vending machines!
I hardly buy anything, spare a Gatorade or two when I need to go and play outside in the summers.
I try to carry my food from home in the form of fruits etc… and also try to stock my desk with some food in case of hunger striking at a odd time.
March 26, 2007 — 5:05 pm
Lakshmi says:
Yes, that’s the next question – what do I stock up on? Over the past year or so, I have seen that a warm glass of milk with Milo/Horlicks is the best way to combat that 3 pm hunger pangs.
March 27, 2007 — 1:04 am
surendra says:
Yes thats the best way to combat hunger, warm milk. I generally have fruits at my desk, at times cereal bars, chocolates, chips etc… but most of the times I pop in a couple of fruits into my back before I leave to work.
March 27, 2007 — 11:03 pm
ezee123 says:
Thank the Lord that I do not ever have to eat anything out of a vendingmachine.
First,, I do not see any. Am I lucky ;-))?
March 26, 2007 — 5:06 pm
Lakshmi says:
🙂
March 27, 2007 — 1:05 am
trycatchdenz says:
And some of us do not even have any vending machines 🙁
March 26, 2007 — 6:24 pm
Lakshmi says:
🙂 Don’t think you’re missing much, Denz.
March 27, 2007 — 1:07 am
shashwati says:
American chocolates are SO sweet, its all sugar!
March 26, 2007 — 10:31 pm
Lakshmi says:
Right, they don’t deserve to be called ‘chocolate’. But you do find some amazing ones – the organic ones are low on sugar and high on good chocolate. Have you tried Dagoba?
March 27, 2007 — 1:06 am
Anonymous says:
Famous Amos cookies are awesome! The lays chips are nice too! (both baked and non baked). When you’re hungry, food tastes good.
Bharat
March 26, 2007 — 11:10 pm
Lakshmi says:
Aah, that’s the catch as I have experienced. When you’re hungry, ANYTHING tastes good but what tastes good need not be good for you at all…
March 27, 2007 — 1:07 am
invisibelle says:
There is, indeed, a reason. Nothing healthful comes in a shiny/pretty enough package to sell well in a vending machine, and as you can tell by taking a step back and looking at the whole front of the machine, it really is all about which product will catch the most eyes as folks walk by.
That said, I work for an ad agency where Pepsi and Frito-Lay are the main clients, and most of us won’t eat/drink that stuff.
March 27, 2007 — 1:14 am
Lakshmi says:
There is a faithful bunch that buys only the *healthy* stuff, well packaged or not… 🙂 Thankfully, that kind is growing.
March 31, 2007 — 2:13 am
arunshanbhag says:
One of our vending m/c offers Colombo’s fruit yogurt! but even that I have only gotten a couple of times in the last so many years. I usually stock our office fridge with my own yogurt, or edamame! also have a stash of Britannia Cream biscuits (not the best – healthwise) and apples!
For afternoons try warm milk with “masala dudh powder” :-)) (my new kick!)
March 27, 2007 — 3:16 am
Lakshmi says:
Yes, milk with tea masala and Horlicks / Milo works best for me.
March 31, 2007 — 2:12 am
priyatam says:
🙂 I was lucky once, found a sandwich for 1.50$, was the best thing for me coz I was at work late in the night and couldn’t afford to go out for a break.
You may wanna try some cookies (they’re seldom good but still) first ..
March 27, 2007 — 11:00 pm
Lakshmi says:
You should check those sandwiches – they may not be fresh enough?
March 31, 2007 — 2:12 am
tomlinsonian says:
hmmmm
I read that the human body, when starved , goes straight for sugar, salt and fat.
That explains most of the stuff in a vending machine, methinks…
How have you been?
March 28, 2007 — 2:21 am
Lakshmi says:
Re: hmmmm
Basically, the concept literally feeds on the weakness of the human mind… I have been good. And you?
March 31, 2007 — 2:10 am
Anonymous says:
when u r really really hungry – first eat, then think about tongue, lastly think about stomach. 😀
Bharat
March 28, 2007 — 2:41 pm
Lakshmi says:
🙂 Does not work for me…
March 31, 2007 — 2:10 am