Vending machines actually have a holy history. Around 215 BC the mathematician Hero invented a type of vending device that accepted bronze coins to dispense holy water. Vending eventually became economically viable In 1888 when the Adams Gum Company put gum machines on New York City’s elevated train platforms to dispense a piece of Tutti-Frutti gum for a penny.

Now they’re everywhere: around the corner from your hotel room, in train stations, and in just about ev- ery rest stop on road trips. They call your name when you’re especially vulnerable. You’re stressed, tired, bored, anxious, and your blood sugar is traveling south—all of which means the sugar, fat, and salt junk food allure is really hard to overcome.

When a vending machine calls your name, choose wisely. There are good, better, and best choices to be made.

Calorie Savers: No Choice Is Perfect; Make the Best Choice for You

• You can almost always find packages of nuts, or popcorn, or pretzels, or dried fruit.
• Be careful of things with too much sugar, especially if you’re driving. A big time sugar hit may give you energy from an initial blood sugar spike but more than likely it will be followed by a drop in your blood sugar levels possibly making you sleepy, grouchy, and hungry for more sweet and fatty food.
• Your choice depends on what you want: protein or sweet satisfaction, fill-you-up fiber or salty crunch. Here are some choices; just be aware of calories, carbs, protein, and fiber.

Crunchy

• Baked Lays Potato Chips: 130 calories, 2 grams of fat, 26 grams of carbs, 2 grams of protein

• Baked Doritos, Nacho Cheese: 170 calories, 5 grams of fat, 29 grams of carbs, 3 grams of pro- tein

• Cheez-It Baked Snack Crackers: 180 calories, 9 grams of fat, 20 grams carbs, 4 grams of protein

• Ruffles Potato Chips: 240 calories, 15 grams of fat, 23 grams of carbs, 3 grams of protein

• Cheetos, Crunchy: 150 calories, 10 grams of fat, 13 grams of carbs, 2 grams of protein

• Sun Chips Original: 210 calories, 10 grams of fat, 28 grams of carbs, 3 grams of protein

• Snyder’s of Hanover Mini Pretzels: 160 calories, no fat, 35 grams of carbs, 4 grams of protein

• White Cheddar Cheese Popcorn, Smartfood: 120 calories, 8 grams of fat, 11 grams of carbs, 2 grams of protein

Nuts/Seeds

• Planters Sunflower Kernels: 290 calories, 25 grams of fat, 9 grams of carbs, 11 grams of protein

• Planters Salted Peanuts: 290 calories, 25 grams of fat, 8 grams of carbs, 13 grams of protein

Cookies/Pastry/Bars

• Mini Chips Ahoy: 270 calories, 13 grams of fat, 38 grams of carbs, 3 grams of protein

• Frosted Strawberry Pop-Tarts (2 pastries): 410 calories, 10 grams of fat, 75 grams of carbs, 4 grams of protein

• Hostess Fruit Pie, apple: 470 calories, 20 grams of fat, 70 grams of carbs, 4 grams of protein

• Fig Newtons: 200 calories, 4 grams of fat, 40 grams of carbs, 2 grams of protein

• Quaker Chewy Low-Fat Granola Bar, Chocolate Chunk: 90 calories, 2 grams of fat, 19 grams of carbs, 1 gram of protein

• Nature Valley Granola Bar, Crunchy Oats and Honey (2 bars): 190 calories, 6 grams of fat, 29 grams of carbs, 4 grams of protein

Candy

• Skittles: 240 calories, 2.5 grams of fat, 56 grams of carbs, no protein

• Twix (2 cookies): 250 calories, 12 grams of fat, 34 grams of carbs, 2 grams of protein

• 3 Musketeers, king size: 200 calories, 6 grams of fat, 36 grams of carbs, 1 gram of protein

• Peanut M&Ms: 250 calories, 13 grams of fat, 30 grams of carbs, 5 grams of protein

• Snickers, regular size: 250 calories, 12 grams of fat, 33 grams of carbs, 4 grams of protein

For more tips on making calorie-conscious choices, get a FREE download for your Kindle or Kindle reader from Amazon through Tuesday, August 6th!

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Vending machines are everywhere – down the hall from your office or around the corner from your hotel room, in hospital waiting rooms, in train stations, and calling your name on road trips. They call your name when you’re especially vulnerable – when you’re stressed, tired, bored, anxious, and your blood sugar is traveling south – all of which means the sugar, fat, and salt junk food allure is really hard to overcome.

When a vending machine calls your name, choose wisely.  There are good, better, and best choices to be made.  You can almost always find packages of nuts, popcorn, pretzels, or dried fruit along with the packaged sweet or crunchy calories.

Be careful of choices with too much sugar, especially if you’re driving.  A big time sugar hit may give you quick energy but more than likely it will be followed by a drop in your blood sugar levels that could possibly make you sleepy, grouchy, unfocused, and hungry for more sweet and fatty food.

No Choice Is Perfect; Make The Best Choice For You

Your choice depends on what you want:  protein or sweet satisfaction; fill-you-up fiber or salty crunch.  Here are some common choices so you can compare calories, fat, carbs, and protein:

Crunchy

• Baked! Lays Potato Chips (original), 1 package, 130 calories, 2g fat, 26g carbs, 2g Protein

• Baked Doritos, Nacho Cheese, 1 bag (38.9g):
170 calories, 5g fat, 29g carbs, 3g protein

• Cheez-It Baked Snack Crackers (Snack Pak):
180 calories, 9g fat, 20g carbs, 4g protein

• Ruffles Potato Chips, 1 package (1.5 oz):
240 calories, 15g fat, 23g carbs, 3g protein

• Cheetos, Crunchy, snack size bag (1 oz): 
150 calories, 10g fat, 13g carbs, 2g protein

• Sun Chips Original, 1 package:
210 calories, 10g fat, 28g carbs, 3g protein

• Snyder’s of Hanover Mini Pretzels, snack size: 160 calories, 0g fat, 35g carbs, 4g protein

• White Cheddar Cheese Popcorn, Smartfood, 1 package: 120 calories, 8g fat, 11g carbs, 2g protein

Nuts/Seeds

• Planters Sunflower Kernels, 1 package (1.75 oz): 290 calories, 25g fat, 9g carbs, 11g protein

• Planters Salted Peanuts, 49g (1.75oz): 290 calories, 25g fat, 8g carbs, 13g protein

Cookies/Pastry/Bars

• Mini Chips Ahoy!, snack pack (56g): 270 calories, 13g fat, 38g carbs, 3g protein

• Frosted Strawberry Pop-Tarts (2 pastries): 
410 calories, 10g fat, 75g carbs, 4g protein

• Hostess Fruit Pie, apple: 470 calories, 20g fat, 70g carbs, 4g protein

• Fig Newtons, 1 package: 200 calories, 4g fat, 40g carbs, 2g protein

• Quaker Chewy Low-Fat Granola Bar, Chocolate Chunk, 1 bar: 
90 calories, 2g fat, 19g carbs, 1g protein

• Nature Valley Granola Bar, Crunchy Oats and Honey, 2 bars: 190 calories, 6g fat, 29g carbs, 4g protein

Candy


• Skittles (original), 2.17 oz:
240 calories, 2.5g fat, 56g carbs, 0g protein

• Twix, 2 cookies:
250 calories, 12g fat, 34g carbs, 2g protein

• 3 Musketeers, king size:
200 calories, 6g fat, 36g carbs, 1g protein

• Peanut M&Ms, 1 pack:
250 calories, 13g fat, 30g carbs, 5g protein

• Snickers, regular size: 250 calories, 12g fat, 33g carbs, 4g protein

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I drive a lot.  I have three long road trips coming up in the next month. I know that I’m going to stop for a snack or meal —  either because I need gas; I’m bored, stiff, and tired; I’m hungry – or any combination of the above; and, quite frankly, because I love rest stops and truck stops.

The lure of a rest stop can be hard to pass up when you’ve been sitting in the car for hours on end. You walk in and you’re assaulted by an array of vending machines, candy racks, fast food, donuts, coffee, and every bottled drink under the sun. You’re a captive consumer (there’s probably no other place around that you know of to stop other than the roadside rest stop, truck stop, or gas station) – and, you crave something to:

• Keep you energized and awake
• Ease the boredom
• Reward you for endless hours of driving (especially of you have complaining or fighting kids with you)
• Bring back memories of summer road trip food you had when you were a kid (as a parent I can admit that you often give in and buy all kinds of stuff for your kids because they’re driving you crazy)

The Trap And The Danger

An endless stream of high carb, high fat, high calorie, and processed food is just begging you to plunk down your money so you can immediately indulge (watch how many people start eating the food they’ve bought before they even pay) or to take with you (in case there’s a pending famine).

The real danger – aside from the damage to your waistline – is that the high carb processed foods spike then crash your blood sugar — which ends up making you really tired and cranky.  Drowsy drivers are most definitely not safe drivers.

Cranky drivers make life miserable for everyone in the car – not a great tone to set if you’re going on vacation.

Some Ideas

• It may take away some of the road trip spontaneity, but when you pack up your car pack some food, too.  Fill a cooler with water, fruit, yogurt, sandwiches, whatever you think you will eat and that will keep you alert and energized (aim for some complex carbs and protein).  Why not throw in some portion sized bags of nuts and popcorn, too?  Planning ahead means you’re not at the mercy of the vending machines and racks and racks of candy, chips, and baked goods.
• Use an app or your GPS to find nearby restaurants as you drive through various communities. A little searching can help you find places with healthier options than you might find at a rest stop. This can be really helpful for anyone with allergies or special dietary requirements.
• If you haven’t done either of the above and just want to play it by ear – or pit stop – at least have your own mental list of some good, better, and best choices of food to buy.  The danger is that the candy, chips, fries, and donuts call your name the minute you walk in the door.  If you know that you’re going to head straight for the nuts, or popcorn, or even a burger, that’s great, as long as the giant chocolate chip cookie and the bargain 32 ounce soda for 99 cents doesn’t grab you first. Try to decide what you’re going to buy (hopefully, a good choice) before you go in – and then stick to your decision.

Enjoy your road trips.

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Hippocrates (460 -377 BC) said our food should be our medicine and our medicine should be our food.

This photo is of the vending machine in the family/guest waiting room on the ambulatory surgery floor of a major New York City hospital.

Wouldn’t Hippocrates be horrified?

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