The easy convenience offered by venders has been clear since the Hero of Alexandria developed the first machine, taking coins and dispensing holy water, through to the vending machines we grew up with in our schools, gyms and offices. Traditionally vending machines offered high sugar drinks, chocolate and crisps, with barely as much as an oatmeal bar in sight.

Exacerbated by dramatically rising levels of obesity, consumers have bought into ethical, organic and health conscious products. In 2004 the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) conducted a study comparing surveys taken between 1994-1996 showing the correlation between fast food consumption and weight gain. Unsurprisingly it found that consuming fast food on two or more days resulted in being overweight compared to those who did not partake of such foods, and a limited intake of micronutrients, essential to good health.

The Food Standards Agency(FSA) put forward proposals to tackle rising obesity amongst children, Chair of the FSA Sir John Krebs said: "Everyone has a responsibility to act and our action plan is a challenge to all with a part to play: not just parents and children, but government, schools, the food and advertising industries and the celebrities and sporting heroes children look up to."

 Proposals  were put forward aiming at reducing salt, sugar and fat in foods, as well as targeting vending as a key area in which health benefits could be achieved. The Health Education Trust (HET) note that vending can turn over as much as £10-15.000 annually for schools, so any changes needed to bear profitability in mind.

The HET worked with ten schools in the East of England as part of the Food in Schools (FiS) programme, looking at ways of providing healthy snacks - and even healthier profits. 2005 saw the first National School Vending Conference, organised by the HET and Department of Health, allowing companies to register and display healthy products suitable for sale in schools.

Joe Harvey, the Director of the HET said that, "Clearly the situation where vending in our secondary schools, is dominated by confectionery and soft drinks cannot and will not continue. There is nothing inherently evil in vending machines, what matters is how they are used. They can be a very useful and healthy extension of food service, especially at times when the dining rooms are busy or closed throughout the day."

Leading the charge however, was none other than a Mr Jamie Oliver, hell-bent on saving our children from a life of diabetes and other obesity related illnesses. Jamie's School Dinners blew the lid on the low quality meals served up to children in schools. After a high profile campaign and a 300,000 strong petition that generated a media frenzy, an equally frenzied Mr Blair saw his opportunity to make a popular change. He agreed new standards in school meals and pledged 280 million towards implementation.

In the last two years things have moved on considerably. As of September 2007, the new standards for food in schools other than lunches became compulsory. Including vending machines, foods must now contribute to a child's nutrition. 

The vending industry has been quick to adapt to new consumer demands and turn them to their advantage. The School Food Trust reveals that venders can still offer combination drinks, containing 50% juice, as long as there is no added sugar. And schools such as Sandwich Technology College and Sponne School Technology College have made a success out of healthy vending. The Sandwich Technology College report that they are making 45-50% gross profit from machines, according to the SchoolFoodTrust.

Healthy options like California Raisins are taking off as kids get that sugary fix from more natural sources. Instead of chocolate snacks that send you crashing shortly after consumption, raisins offer a more complex source of carbohydrate to children, maintaining energy levels and promoting learning. Well established companies like Weetabix aren't about to be left behind, launching series of new goodies, including Weetabix Oaty Bars, which contain less than 85 calories and are packed full of fibre.

Vending manufacturers themselves are reacting to the health trend. Companies such as Eagle Vending recognise that vending must be consistent with the message the school wants to promote as part of a whole school approach, designed to educate children on leading a healthy lifestyle. Offering ‘real choice' vending, producing machines stocked with healthy goodies ethically packaged to save on waste, Eagle Vending meets all of the different criteria laid out in government legislation.

The HET agrees that vending machines can play a positive role in promoting healthy eating. Pilot schemes run by the HET found that children usually opted for healthier options such as flavoured milks, mineral water or fruit juices, instead of the expected sugary drinks. This has scope for wider impact. The HET note that the results of the drinks pilot, if projected across England and Wales, would result in an additional 14 million bottles of healthy drinks being sold a year.

Vending machine manufacturers, snack and drink manufacturers alike have all been quick to realise there is no bucking this trend. Spurred on by the advent of the celebrity chef, older generations that grew up on largely processed foods are returning to a more natural approach to food. Rather than fight this, the evidence is showing that companies have instead taken it as a new challenge to come up with new and exciting healthy options. The message is loud and clear - healthy snacks mean healthy profits.

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