WASHINGTON, Aug. 4, 2010 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- In a series of speeches earlier this year, First Lady Michelle Obama revealed the details of her "Let's Move" campaign to combat childhood obesity in America. The plan involves a variety of elements meant to assist Americans in making healthier choices when they eat. A cornerstone element of the "Let's Move" program involves a major reform of the foods being made available to children in America's public schools, extending beyond the cafeteria lunch tray.
Mrs. Obama has also called for a change in the foods available to children via vending locations in schools. In order to meet the goal of reducing the amount of fat, salt, and sugar being consumed by children at U.S. schools, a major factor will be changing the selection of vending products carried in school locations. In place of the traditional candy bars, chips, and sodas currently offered, Mrs. Obama has proposed that schools instead stock a variety of health conscious and organic products.
"I don't know how they [candy bars] found a place in our schools to begin with," she said.
Fresh Healthy Vending is poised to step forward and fill the urgent need for schools to make the changes in their vending platforms as the new school year nears this September. Working through franchisees nationwide, Fresh Healthy Vending offers positive health conscious choices through their vending model that includes low calorie, organic and fresh food alternative snacks.
"The goal is to change the way that children are eating in our schools by making healthy snack options not only available, but attractive as well," said Jolly Backer, CEO of Fresh Healthy Vending. "We feature specialized menus for elementary, middle and high schools that meet or exceed all State nutritional guidelines but most importantly to the kids they taste good," said Backer.
The "Let's Move" program's stated goal is to quadruple the number of the schools that meet the Healthier U.S. School Challenge by the end of the 2010-2011 school year, and ensuring that the nutrition programs in 10,000 schools meet the Healthier U.S. School Challenge standards over the next five years. Fresh Healthy Vending has publicly committed their support to meeting these ambitious goals and is already placing fresh vending machines in schools in multiple states to begin offering students a new range of healthy products beginning next month.
The "Let's Move" program will affect up to 50 million students in U.S. schools starting this year. For more information on "Let's Move," visit http://www.letsmove.gov/.
About Fresh Healthy Vending:
Fresh Healthy Vending is the leading healthy vending company in the U.S. and the only vending company that offers 100% juices, fresh vegetables and fruits, smoothies, and yogurts in every one of its vending machines. Under the leadership of CEO Jolly S. Backer, Fresh Healthy Vending is positioned for growth and continued success in the healthy vending machine market.
The Fresh Healthy Vending logo is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=7618