Snack vending machines adding calorie counts.

[Artemis Windsong]

There goes that luscious snack item.  They will put those glaring calorie counts staring you down.  I wonder when/if my fitness center will do this.  Their vending machine is emptied regularly. 

I can seen it now right under the Muscle Milk or peanuts - 600 calories.    Or more.

I switched over from my 90 calorie snack bar to chocolate silk to coconut silk to a nut mixture.  2 brazil nuts, 2 walnuts, 2 cocoa almonds and 4 pistachios.   That works out to about 100 calories of nutrition.l

[sesfw]

I heard about this. If there is a snack machine at a fitness center then that tells me the signs will be ignored.

Just one more thing the gov't has stuck it's finger in.

[steph08]

If someone wants/needs a snack, I doubt it will stop them. I usually go for pretzels since I pretend they are the least dangerous option.

[NancysSummerSip]

As much as I like knowing the calorie/fat count on things, I think this one is overstepping. And very, very expensive to implement. All those vending machines have to be altered, and it won't come cheap: this is from Time magazine online:

An estimated 5 million vending machines provided by over 10,000 companies will have to comply with the new rules, which are expected to cost the vending machine industry $25.8 million in the first year and $24 million every year following.

newsfeed.time.com/2013/12/30/coming-soon-to-ruin-your-midafternoon-vending-machine-snack-calorie-counts/

Granted, the calorie saving/weight loss factor is supposed to equal the cost of changing the machines. But that's assuming a lot, like people actually make healthier choices and do other things besides make those healthier choices in order to lose weight.

[Artemis Windsong]

The govt. is making more of a mess of things.

It's just a guilt trip for after consuming that tasty snack.

[Sum Dum Gai]

Seems like it would be easier to pass an executive order that we all have to point and laugh at fat people when we see them in public.  Will accomplish just as much and it's free.

[Artemis Windsong]

Be nice. I am on the high side of my BMI because my height shrank.  I don't trust my scale at home because the official Drs. office scale weighed heavier. 

I signed up to track my calories on line.  It will be more accurate and I get kudos for doing it.  I put in a modest weight drop with a medium time period.  The nuts I have been eating for snacks after exercise are a lot lower online than I had recorded on my own. 

It tracks activity but the DVD I did was not on the list.  I will need to explore that part of the program.

[BeenThere...DoneThat...]

...I just ate a slice of cheesecake... I don't care how many calories it had...

[Artemis Windsong]

I feel the love.

[Formerly SK]

The anti-govt hyperbole is a little over the top don't you think?  They require ingredients to be listed on processed food.  They require nutritional info on processed food.  And yes, the poor companies had to spend money redesigning things to meet the laws.  Personally, I love to know the calorie count on something before I buy it - something you can't do with a vending machine because the items are partially out of view.  IMO transparency is always a good thing, and I prefer to be an informed consumer. 

[Sum Dum Gai]

I'm totally in favor of product labeling, but at the same time when I'm getting a snicker's bar from a vending machine I already know it's not good for me.  I'm buying it anyway.  Maybe I'm in a hospital waiting room and would rather get something quick then leave.  Maybe I just had a great workout at the gym, and I know the snack is bad for me, but my body is screaming for calories.  Maybe I'm working through lunch, and I know the snack is bad for me, but I'd rather have something in my stomach than go hungry.  We all know vending machine snacks are bad for us, we're buying them anyway.  I don't see the calorie info really doing anything.

[Artemis Windsong]

I would need to search the archives but Outside Online had an article about how a Snickers Bar is one of the perfect snack foods even with the higher calories than a reduced calorie snack bar. 

All of the situations you mentioned are perfect Snickers Bar time. 

Only the young and very fit can use them as the TV snack and get away with it.  Back in my day, I could indulge.

Guilt be gone!  Snickers bars are health food.

[Formerly SK]

Jan 11, 2014 18:32:40 GMT -5 Sum Dum Gai said:

I'm totally in favor of product labeling, but at the same time when I'm getting a snicker's bar from a vending machine I already know it's not good for me.  I'm buying it anyway.  Maybe I'm in a hospital waiting room and would rather get something quick then leave.  Maybe I just had a great workout at the gym, and I know the snack is bad for me, but my body is screaming for calories.  Maybe I'm working through lunch, and I know the snack is bad for me, but I'd rather have something in my stomach than go hungry.  We all know vending machine snacks are bad for us, we're buying them anyway.  I don't see the calorie info really doing anything.

In general I completely agree with you.  But there's thinking something is 400 calories bad and then realizing it's actually 1000 calories bad.  I've stopped eating several things permanently because I found out they were like the latter when I had thought they were more like the former. 

[Artemis Windsong]

I agree Formerly SK.  I have calculated how much the whole package would be if I ate the whole thing.  Number of servings x calories per serving.  In most foods there is an alternative lower calorie satisfier somewhere.

I started online logging to keep me on track and have reduced calories significantly.  It takes a while to build the self-discipline to pay attention and count calories and servings.

I use unsweetened almond milk to cut the calories in my flavored Kefir and chocolate silk.  Veggie straws substitute for potato chips.  They are lower in calories and fat but not necessarily a real veggie.

I count my various snack nuts to keep the snack to about 100 calories.