With full class schedules, memberships in campus organizations, attempting to have a social life and maintaining a somewhat decent sleep schedule, eating healthy can prove a difficult task for college students. 

Across campus, students have access to a variety of different food stops, including vending machines. In total there are 69 vending locations making up more than 100 vending machines at Iowa State offering snack foods and beverages. Iowa State’s beverage contracts run through Coca Cola. 

Vending machines, traditionally not known for offering healthy options, are a quick and easy alternative to waiting in the lengthy dining center lines.

On Iowa State’s Dining website, the vending tab advertises that, for the “health conscious diner, we offer fresh fruit, and yogurt vegetarian items.” However, taking a look at several vending locations on campus, these options are few and far between.

Brittney Rutherford, marketing coordinator for the Department of Residence and ISU Dining, told the Iowa State Daily in an email that ISU Dining has tried multiple times to offer healthier items in the vending machines, but that students often ignore them.

“We have tried fresh whole fruits in the past, but are required by law to wrap them in plastic. This makes the fruit go bad more quickly and look very unappealing to customers, so it would go bad before it sold.” 

Though those venturing to a vending machine aren’t often seeking out the most healthy snack, those who are juggling a full schedule and a growling stomach that cannot be ignored shouldn’t only have to choose from empty calories and fake sugar for a meal. The average caloric intake of a college student should be 2400 to 3000 calories per day, and students should have other options available so that the majority of their intake isn’t from nutrient-lacking calories. 

For example in Hamilton Hall, where the Daily offices are located, there are three vending machines available to students and staff: beverage, frozen foods and room-temperature foods. Upon inspection of the machines the healthiest option seems to be the snack size Cheetos, a bag full of a nutritionally-empty 150 caloric count, or a bag of Chex Mix. 

The nature of storing food in vending machines does limit the food able to be offered, and we are not proposing to get rid of all unhealthy snacks, but there are small changes that can be made to ensure profits and student satisfaction are met. 

For example, more variety of baked chips or flavored water that has the same flavor quality as soda but less sugar and calories.

A few more healthy options that have a bit of a shelf life could be: string cheese, nuts, hard boiled eggs, dried fruit, more granola bars, individual servings of dry cereal, yogurt and whole grain popcorn. 

Brittney Rutherford of the Department of Residence and ISU Dining pointed out that they “have to balance items that will sell well and those that may not sell as well to keep machines profitable.”

While we understand that usually the most profitable items would be junk food, since that is a quick, convenient way to silence a rumbling stomach, but there should be healthier versions of foods that would also appeal to students.