King County Courthouse, Administration Building offer healthier snacks in vending machines

April 13, 2005

King County Courthouse, Administration Building offer healthier snacks in vending machines

'Where Nutritious Meets Delicious!'

Image: Executive Ron Sims at a vending machine. Caption: Executive Sims selects apple chips, a healthy snack option now available in vending machines in the King County Courthouse and Administration Building. Organic apple chips, baked potato chips, fruit cups, Chex Mix, Goldfish crackers, graham crackers, granola bars, and light microwave popcorn. Healthy snacks are now available in vending machines in the King County Courthouse and Administration Building. When employees or visitors have the munchies, it's "Where Nutritious Meets Delicious!"

King County has launched a pilot of its healthy snack program in which seven vending machines in two county buildings offer new, nutritious treats. The program is a part of King County Executive Ron Sims' Health Reform Initiative which is aimed at improving the health of King County employees and managing the escalating cost of health care.

"I know that getting healthy and staying healthy is a big priority for all of us," said Sims. "This year we are offering lots of ways to help. Putting healthier choices in the vending machines is just one of them."

Employees and visitors to these heavily trafficked buildings will find delicious snacks that have less salt, less sugar and less fat than regular "junk foods." In addition four new healthy beverage machines are installed in these buildings, which offer bottled water, iced tea, juices, and other alternatives to soda and sugary drinks.

The healthier snack options were chosen based on criteria created by the Winner's Circle Healthy Dining Program, a nationally recognized non-profit organization that identifies food choices that promote health and reduce the risk of disease. King County is one of the first local governments in Washington State to pilot the Winner's Circle program.

The Winner's Circle criteria for a serving of a healthy snack are: 30 percent or less of the calories from fat, 35 percent or less sugar by weight, and no more than 480 milligrams of sodium (salt).

"We believe that when provided with the information and the opportunity to make informed choices, employees and other vending machine customers will choose healthier alternatives," Sims added in support of the program, which is supplemented with information in the Health Matters employee newsletter and signs on the machines. The county is collaborating with the vending contractor to track sales of the snack products to evaluate the project.

The vending machine pilot received vital support from Steve Gardner, Key Account Manager for Local Vending Services, the company that operates the machines. "We are very happy to participate in this pilot because King County and public schools are on the cutting edge of the movement to provide healthier foods in vending machines. Everyone in the industry knows this is where we are headed. We expect to have more and more healthy options available soon."

Support for the pilot is also provided by the Washington State Department of Services to the Blind, which by statute receives net proceeds from vending machines in public buildings. If the healthier choices prove popular, the pilot may be extended to other vending machines across the county.

For more information about Executive Sims' Healthy Reform Initiative, visit www.metrokc.gov/employees.

For more information about the Winner's Circle program, visit www.WinnersCircleHealthyDining.com.