LEGISLATIVE TOOLS:

Introduction

Sample Letter

Sample Testimony

Working With Legislators

Meeting personally with your local legislator is important because you can help them

better understand not only our industry, but our work through the Balanced for Life campaign

educating students about the elements of a balanced diet and the importance of being

physically active. The following letter can be sent to your local, county and state elected

officials to request a meeting where you can tell them more about our industry and our Balanced

for Life Campaign. When you send the letter, think about including other campaign materials –

such as the ads we developed for the campaign – as examples of our industry’s work.

Once you’ve scheduled your meeting, look over this packet’s sample talking points and

sample testimony. They include many compelling arguments about our industry’s work that you

might find helpful to include in your meeting with your elected official.

Sample Letter

(Date)

Name of Elected OfficialTitleAddressCity State Zip

Dear _______:

All across the country communities are reporting higher and higher rates of childhood obesity and concerned citizens are looking for ways to solve the problem. As a member of the vending industry, I wanted to take a few moments to tell you about our industry’s work to be part of the solution by educating students about the importance of a balanced diet and being physically active.

Specifically, the industry recently launched a national education campaign, Balanced for Life. The campaign is designed to educate students about the elements of a balanced diet and the importance of being physically active. The campaign includes educational materials for students developed by a registered dietitian, and a partnership with an after school soccer and literacy program, America Scores, to get kids active.

We’re very proud of our Balanced for Life campaign, and I’d like to meet with you personally to share more about our industry’s work in this important area. I’ve included more information about the campaign, and will call you in a few days to schedule a convenient time for us to meet and discuss this further. Feel free to call me before then at (---) xxx-xxxx.

Sincerely,

Testimony

Frequently when your local legislators are considering new legislation, community members

have the opportunity to share their opinion about the measure, either in person or in writing.

The following are suggestions for statements you can share orally or in writing with your local

community members to respond to specific proposals in your community. In addition, there are

several versions included here, so think about other supporters in your community who might

work with you to deliver these important messages.

If you have any questions about the material or would just like to discuss these points further,

please feel free to call Balanced for Life Team Leader Jackie Clark at (301) 987-7113.

Sample Testimony: Version A

Thank you for the opportunity to share my thoughts with you about this critical challenge facing our young people today. As an industry concerned about the health and future of our nation’s youth, we certainly applaud your interest in solving the complex problem of childhood obesity. As parents of school children, we too are concerned about their health. However, we believe that the proposal currently being considered is a short sighted solution that will make everyone feel better, but in fact will do little or nothing to address the underlying root cause behind what is in fact a very complex problem.

And while I might believe that the proposal currently being considered will be ineffective, don’t just take my word for it. In many school systems across the country that have implemented various product bans, our very clever students have found ways around the ban, either buying the very same banned products at the convenience store, or even bringing them from home. Recently, for example, in Sacramento the local TV station (channel 10) reported perhaps the most clever solution yet: a group of entrepreneurial students bringing to school the same products and selling them directly to the students at a tidy profit. And as long as students have access to the same products in grocery stores, convenience stores and even at home, limiting access of the products in school vending machines is simply not going to work.

We believe that the only effective solution to the problem is to arm our nation’s youth with the knowledge they need to make smart choices wherever they are: at the vending machine, at the convenience store, or even at home. They must understand the elements of a balanced diet and where different choices fit into an overall healthy lifestyle. They need to understand too the importance of being physically active on a regular basis. For our part, our industry is so committed to working to solve this problem that we recently launched a sweeping national education campaign, Balanced for Life, which is designed to teach students about the elements of a balanced diet and the importance of being physically active.

Thank you again for this opportunity to share our view about this problem that affects every single one of us because it is our future that is at stake. I can tell you that everyone in the vending industry is dedicated to ensuring our nation’s youth are the healthiest young people in the world, and we look forward to working with you to address this serious health challenge and protect and promote the healthy growth of our nation’s children.

Suggested Testimony: Version B

Eliminating almost all snack foods from vending machines is not the answer to solving our children’s weight problems. After all, the child who really wants a candy bar or soda will get it – either at the 7-11 down the street, from a friend, or from home. In other words, the proposed regulations will not prevent kids from bringing in non-USDA approved snacks from other sources.

The American Diabetes Association, the American Academy of Family Physicians, the American Dietetic Association, and seemingly every other health, nutrition and disease-related organization maintains that the answer to our children’s obesity problem is a combination of making wise decisions about the foods they eat and getting enough exercise. In short, it’s about balancing the intake of food or energy and the expenditure of energy or calories.

Schools and parents alike need to provide children choices in snacks, to give them nutritional information so they can make smart choices about when it’s OK to eat more fun foods and when those should be avoided, to teach them to control their food portions, and to help them to get more exercise.

We all have a responsibility to teach our children – and show them by example – how to maintain healthy lifestyles.

No school restrictions on the type of food sold in schools will work without parental guidance. Parents must be part of the solution, and that means they, like the schools, need to promote and practice good eating and snacking habits and exercise.

Let’s face it, most of our children – most of us adults for that matter – do not get enough exercise, whether we’re eating food from a vending machine or from the lunch room. Study after study, from the American Medical Association to the University of California School of Medicine, has shown that lack of vigorous physical activity is the main contributor to obesity in adolescents. The U.S. Center for Disease Control, for example, found that about one-quarter of children aged nine to 13 do not engage in any free-time physical activity and nearly 62 percent do not participate in any type of organized physical activity outside of school.

A number of other studies has shown that all children, regardless of weight, need at least 60 minutes a day of physical activity. Aerobic exercise not only is important in weight control but also in maximizing their academic performance.

Physical activity means moving the body to increase the heart rate above normal and expend more energy – in other words, calories – than normal. It doesn’t mean our kids have to play more organized sports, although that can be helpful. It does mean they need to move around more –- walk the dog or walk to school, ride a bike, play a pick-up basketball game or chase Frisbees with some friends.

While severely limiting the snack options available to our kids seems like an easy solution, it’s not the right answer. Too many schools already get failing grades when it comes to academic performance. Let’s earn superior marks as leaders by providing our children with physical fitness and nutrition education.

Thank you.

Sample Testimony: Version C

Thank you for the opportunity to share my thoughts with you about this critical challenge facing our young people today. We agree that childhood obesity is a serious problem that must be addressed, and want to be partners with our local school systems as together we work to solve this complex health challenge. We are mothers and fathers ourselves, and certainly want to protect our children’s health and future well-being. We represent thousands of hard working, dedicated professionals across the country who want to be good corporate citizens and who want to be part of the solution. In fact, our industry is so committed to working to solve this problem that we recently launched a sweeping national education campaign, Balanced for Life, which is designed to teach students about the elements of a balanced diet and the importance of being physically active.

And many members of our industry are leading the way to develop new products that give consumers choices as they work to maintain a balanced diet. Many national suppliers have invested millions of dollars creating new, better for your products that give consumers a wider array of healthy choices. Nabisco, for example, recently introduced their “100 Calorie Packs,” featuring traditional snack favorites but with only 100 calories and 0-3 grams of fat per pack depending on variety. Working with fitness and wellness expert Dr. Kenneth Cooper, Pepsico Frito Lay has introduced a line of Smart Snack Ribbon products designed to help consumers make informed snacking choices. In order to carry the Smart Snack Ribbon label products must contain 150 calories or less; have less than 35 percent of the calories from fat, less than 7 percent of calories from saturated fat, have zero grams of transfats and 240 milligrams of sodium or less. These are just two of the many suppliers who are to be applauded for their demonstrated leadership on this issue.

Finally, it’s important to point out that any serious effort to address childhood obesity must include information about the elements of a balanced diet and the importance of physical activity. We believe that eliminating certain products from school vending machines does nothing to prevent childhood obesity and it also ignores the underlying causes of the problem: mainly, it does nothing to educate students about the elements of a healthy lifestyle and the importance of physical activity. Health experts agree that the key to solving childhood obesity is maintaining a balanced diet and being physically active, and unless our children are educated and understand where different products fit into an overall balanced diet, they will simply purchase elsewhere or bring from home the very same products many are suggested be eliminated from school vending machines.

Thank you again for this opportunity to share our view about this problem that affects every single one of us because it is our future that is at stake. I can tell you that everyone in the vending industry is dedicated to ensuring our nation’s youth are the healthiest young people in the world, and we look forward to working with you to address this serious health challenge and protect and promote the healthy growth of our nation’s children.

MEDIA TOOLS: Step-by-Step Guide

Sample Letter

Sample Talking Points

Sample Questions & Answers

Working with the Media

Effectively communicating to the media the messages of the Balanced for Life campaign is one of

the most important components of our program. Taking the time to meet with reporters and

provide materials about our campaign can help generate thousands of articles in communities

across the country. We hope you will take the time to tell our story to reporters in your community.

To help you work with the media and to help generate articles that shed light on the campaign and

the positive steps the industry is taking to address the problem, we have created this step-by-step

media guide.

Working with the Media:A Step by Step Guide

1. Schedule Meetings with Reporters

A good place to start is to identify your local reporters, then take the time to meet with them, explaining the Balanced for Life program and telling them more about our industry. It is important because on any given day one television program alone will reach tens of thousands of consumers; one newspaper may be read by hundreds of thousands of subscribers who all may think differently about the issue after reading about our campaign. The following is a suggested letter that can be used to arrange an appointment for you to share the details of the Balanced for Life campaign.

Sample Letter

Date

Name of ReporterStation or NewspaperTitleStreet AddressCity State Zip

Dear _____________:

I’m writing to tell you about Balanced for Life, the vending industry’s new campaign to help fight childhood obesity. It is an important initiative and one I’m sure you will want to include in any future stories about childhood obesity.

As you probably know, across the country concerned parents and community leaders are struggling to address skyrocketing childhood obesity rates. The problem is so severe that some government experts believe that the next generation may be the very first ever to have shorter life expectancy rates that than of their parents.

And we in the vending industry want to help. We too are parents and want to be part of the solution as we work together to find real workable solutions that will make a difference to our nation’s youth and help protect their future. To help parents, teachers and community leaders we have created a national education campaign, Balanced for Life. The campaign delivers nutrition information to students to ensure they understand the elements of a balanced diet and the importance of being physically active. The campaign also includes a partner, America Scores, an after school soccer and literacy program to get kids active.

We think this campaign is an important part of the solution because it arms our nation’s youth with the knowledge they need to help them live long, healthy lives, and I would like to meet personally with you to share more information about our campaign and answer any questions you may have. I will be in touch with you soon to schedule a time that might be convenient, but feel free to call me before then at (---) XXX-XXXX.

Sincerely,

2. Review Talking Points

Once you have the meeting, you’ll want to think carefully about the messages you will be delivering and the topics you will want to cover. To help you better prepare for the meeting, consider these talking points for your meeting:

We agree that childhood obesity is a serious problem, and as parents we too want to be part of the solution. We applaud all of those interested organizations that are working to solve this complex problem.

NAMA recently conducted a study that evaluated more than a million student purchases from vending machines at schools. The survey evaluated 2,084 school vending machines and concluded that students actually purchased far less than one candy bar or salted snack item per student per week. That’s right – less than one candy bar or snack per student per week. Obviously, one candy bar or snack per student per week is not the cause of this complex problem.

The vending industry believes that the solution lies in better nutrition education and increasing physical activity. We believe that students who understand how to make the choices that create a healthy diet and who understand the importance of being physically active will have the tools to ensure they can lead healthy and active lives.

The vending industry offers a wide array of balanced products that vending machines in schools can offer students. Fresh fruit, granola bars, yogurt and juices are just a few of the choices schools can offer to their students in school vending machines.

The vending industry is so concerned about working to address the childhood obesity problem that they have launched the Balance for Life campaign to educate children about the elements of a healthy diet and the importance of being physically active.

3. Prepare Meeting Materials

Think carefully about the materials you will want to share with the reporter during your meeting. Specifically, you might consider bringing a background report, which is included at the end of this section, that explains why vending is not the cause of childhood obesity. You might also want to include copies of the sample ads that are included in this packet. Finally, be sure to include information about you and your company as well.

4. Review Questions & Answers

Take a few moments to review the sample questions and answers included at the end of this section. They’re delighted to help you respond to any difficult issues that might be raised during your meeting.

5. Follow-up.

After your meeting, be sure to send the reporter a note thanking him or her for taking the time to meet with you. Be sure to keep the reporter’s contact information on hand and look

for additional opportunities to call him or her about any local activities that you think might be important.

Vending & Childhood ObesityA Backgrounder

Balanced for Life Will Educate Students aboutNutrition and Physical Activity

Why Balanced for Life?Across the country, obesity rates are skyrocketing and questions arise daily from

concerned parents, teachers, health officials and legislators about the best way to solve this

grave health problem. Overweight children are at risk for cardiovascular diseases, diabetes,

and other serious health problems, and the latest findings from the Centers for Disease Control

and Prevention's (CDC) National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) show

more children and teens are overweight than ever. According to the study, over the past two

decades, the number of overweight children and teens nearly doubled1.

As the pressure to solve the problem mounts, all too often school systems and legislators

point to school vending machines as the culprit, and turn to changing products or removing the

machines altogether as a potential solution to the problem. Pulling products from machines or

even yanking machines altogether from the schools, so the thinking goes, will solve the problem

by eliminating the opportunity for children to purchase products that are making them obese.

Unfortunately, not only is this thinking just wrong, but, in fact, it ignores the underlying

root causes behind obesity, which is why we are launching our Balanced for Life campaign. We

believe that these are short-sighted solutions that will only allow the problem to continue to

grow. Even proponents of fresh organic food for children such as Alice Waters, founder of

Chez Panisse restaurant in Berkley, CA, says, “You can’t just take the vending machine out of

the cafeterias and think that solves the problem.”2

Simply removing vending machines from school cafeterias is not only ineffective, but it

also does nothing to address the underlying causes behind growing obesity rates. First,

children are presented with any number of opportunities to purchase the identical foods offered

in school vending machines, and if they can’t find their choice at school they will likely purchase

1 National Center for Health Statistics News Release, March 12, 2001.2 “Food Fighter,” New York Times Magazine, March 7, 2004.

the same product somewhere else, such as a convenience or grocery store. Removing the

vending machines only ensures they will make the purchase from a different retail outlet.

Second, a recent study conducted by the National Automatic Merchandising Association

(NAMA) found that most children purchase less than one candy bar or salted snack product

from a vending machine per week. The idea that one product purchased from a vending

machine per week is a major contributing factor to skyrocketing obesity rates is unrealistic.

Third, other factors such as reduced physical activity and a society that increasingly has

decided to “super-size” food choices, contribute to the problem. Most school systems today

have eliminated daily physical education programs, while the rise in cable programming and the

growing popularity of computer games like Nintendo mean our children are less active than

ever.

Vending Machines Offer a Wide Array of Balanced ProductsToday’s vending machines offer a sweeping variety of products including all the

components necessary for a healthy diet. Water, fruit juice, yogurt, granola bars, even salads

and fresh fruit are all available from a vending machine. These products, when balanced with a

variety of other snack choices, such as candy or salted snacks, clearly offer all the elements of a

healthy, balanced diet. Students who understand how to make healthy choices and how

different food options fit into a healthy diet will be much less likely to become another obesity

statistic. As they become more educated they will also understand how snacks like chips,

candy and soda can fit into an overall healthy and balanced diet.

Given all these factors, the obvious solution to the critical problem of swelling obesity

rates is not removing vending machines from schools, but instead, educating children about how

to make the choices that create an overall healthy and balanced diet, which is why the vending

industry is proud to launch the Balanced for Life campaign.

The campaign is designed to partner with parents, teachers, school systems and

students as together we work to educate students about the elements of a balanced diet and the

importance of physical activity. Parents, school officials and nutritionists need to know that the

vending industry wants to work with them to make sure a variety of choices is available in school

vending machines, and that students understand how different choices fit into a balanced diet.

Finally, Balanced for Life calls for kids to learn about nutrition and be more physically

active, which is why we’re proud of our partnership with non-profit America Scores, an after

school health and literacy program that mixes poetry and soccer. Through America Scores

NAMA Balanced for Life will deliver nutrition education directly to students in twelve cities and

sponsor after school soccer programs in four cities across the country: Washington, DC,

Chicago, Denver and San Francisco/Oakland.

In addition, through America Scores NAMA Balanced for Life dietitians will deliver

nutrition education training programs directly to teachers and students in the target America

Scores schools. Bi-lingual written Balanced for Life educational materials and posters will be

provided to students, teachers, parents and school officials as well. At the end of the spring

semester the program will culminate in a day-long soccer Balanced for Life Jamboree! in each

of the four cities where hundreds of students, parents, teachers and community leaders will turn

out for a day-long Balanced for Life event to watch the students play back-to-back soccer

matches. Thanks to the America Scores, Balanced for Life partnership thousands of students

who in many instances don’t have access to any school PE programs at all will learn all about

nutrition and have the chance to be active after school playing organized soccer.

NAMA’s Balanced for Life campaign is one of the most important initiatives our industry

has ever launched because it will help our nation’s youth to understand how they can take steps

to live better, healthier lives. On behalf of the thousands of dedicated industry professionals

working in our industry, we’re proud to be offering these tools designed to protect the health and

well being of our nation’s youth.

Sample Questions and Answers

1. Isn’t it true that because of vending machines in our nation’s schools we’ve created a nation of obese children?

A. Certainly everyone agrees that childhood obesity is a very serious problem. However, it is in fact a much more complicated problem tied to a child’s overall diet and activity level. In fact, NAMA recently looked at purchases from vending machines at schools for more than a million school children. The survey evaluated 2,084 school vending machines and concluded that students actually purchased far less than one candy bar or salted snack item per student per week. That’s right – less than one candy bar or snack per student per week. Instead, we believe the solution lies in better nutrition education for our nation’s youth and increasing their physical activity. That’s why the industry launched the Balanced for Life Campaign – to ensure our nation’s youth understand the importance of a balanced diet and being physically active.

2. But vending machines give our kids access to junk food. Aren’t you concerned about that?

A. Actually, I’m proud to tell you that more than ever our children today have access to a variety of healthy food choices in their vending machines. Look around in schools today and you’ll see milk, fresh fruit, juices and water. You’ll still see popular candies and snacks, but children who are educated about making healthy food choices will know how to make the choices that are best for them. Of course we have always supported laws that require vending machines to be un-accessible to students during the lunch hour, and have urged our members to follow those policies as well.

3. But even if you have healthy choices in vending machines, don’t you think kids will naturally choose candy bars and other unhealthy food choices?

A. I think what you’re really asking is why our children are so obese and what we can do to correct the situation. First, there is no such think as a “bad food,” only bad diets. We think it is critical that our children understand nutrition, and have healthy food choices, which is why I’m proud to tell you that more than ever our children today have access to a variety of healthy food choices in vending machines. We also think it is important that children get the proper exercise, which is why we’re strong supporters of a daily physical education program in our schools. We’ve also strongly endorsed President Bush’s Health and Fitness Initiative urging all Americans to be physically active for 30 minutes and to eat a balanced diet and reject the use of tobacco and drugs.

4. Don’t you think we should just take vending machines out of the schools?

Providing vending machines in our nation’s school systems offers a variety of benefits both to students and school systems alike. Vending machines give students access to a variety of convenient food options that include healthy choices such as milk, fresh fruit and juices. In addition, in many instances the revenues from these machines help pay for much needed school programs that would otherwise be out of reach for many school systems. We think that what we really need is to educate our children about how to make the food choices essential to a balance diet, and to encourage more school systems to offer a daily physical education program. Of course we also support federal guidelines on the subject, such as the federal government’s “competitive foods” regulation requiring that foods of minimal nutritional value not be sold in the cafeteria when lunch is being served.

COMMUNITY TOOLSWorking With America Scores

Ideas for Working With Your Community

Nutritional Advice: Be A Smart Snacker!

Template Press Release

Community Events

Developing a program that delivers Balanced for Life messages locally in your own community can be an effective tool for shifting public opinion about our industry. By working with community groups and spreading our message locally, our industry can better be seen as a partner working with parents, school and local officials to be part of the solution. You work will help demonstrate our work educating students about the elements of a balanced diet and the importance of being physically active.

Some Community Events you might consider include:

1. Donate products to our America Scores Partner program.

America Scores is a non-profit after school program that mixes poetry writing and soccer. Through the Balanced for Life program, students in twelve cities will receive diet and nutrition information. In addition, the Balanced for Lie program is sponsoring after school soccer matches in four cities – Washington, DC, Chicago, Denver and San Francisco/Oakland.

You can help by contacting your local America Scores branch to see how you can help. Donating products, for example, to the America Scores program is an excellent opportunity to demonstrate the industry’s commitment to partnering with other groups to help solve the problem by getting kids active. Local America Scores programs you can work with include:

Cleveland 216-926-9258 Dallas 214-871-7930 x29 Denver 303-832-5879 Los Angeles 310-204-6455 Milwaukee 414-358-2510 x208 New England 617-971-0066 New York 212-563-3250 Seattle 206-721-7822 St. Louis 314-610-8835

There are lots of ways you can get involved with this program partner, everything from serving at special events to volunteering to coach games. Contact the local America Scores office near you to learn more about which opportunities might work best for you.

2. Partner with a local youth organization.

If you don’t have an America Scores program nearby, consider working with a similar youth-oriented program such as a local soccer, football or little league program. You might consider sponsoring the organization and donating a variety of balanced products for the students. If you decide to sponsor a local youth organization, be sure to send your local media a press release about your sponsorship. (See the end of this section for a template press release you can fill in and send to the local media about your sponsorship.)

3. Make a presentation at your local school.

Most school curriculum today includes the opportunity for parents and community leaders to make presentation about his or her industry to the students. The presentations are usually included as part of the school’s Career Training program, but can also be included as a general educational session about different kinds of businesses.

Begin by contacting your local school to see if you can arrange a presentation to educate the students about the vending industry. If possible be sure to bring lots of sample products for the students along with more information about the Balanced for Life campaign. You might, for example, consider printing materials from the ‘Kids’ section of the Balanced for Life Website at www.balancedforlife.net. You might tell the students too about the characters developed for the website, AJ the Athlete, Healthy Hazel and Sean the Smart Guy and encourage them to follow the characters on the website as they struggle through the year to get fit and healthy.

The most important part, however, is to tell the students the story behind the vending machine, sharing stores about what the industry is really like. Taking the time to meet with students to explain your job in the vending industry will go a long way toward changing the impressions our next generation’s leaders have about our industry. If you need help developing your presentation, feel free to call Jackie Clark at (301) 987-7113.

4. Participate in community fairs and special events.

Take the time to reserve space at local fairs, celebrations and community events. At the event, be sure to display literature from the Balanced for Life campaign. For example, you might consider reproducing the “We’re Putting a Classroom in Your Lunchroom” ads included in this packet along with the ‘Smart Snack,’ and “Be a Smart Snacker!” advice and stickers. If you need additional information, contact Jackie Clark at (301) 987-7113.

Sample Community Sponsorship Press Release

For Immediate Release Contact:(date) (Your Name)

(ABC VENDING) SPONSORS (GAITHERSBURG YELLOW JACKETS)Company Will Help (Dozens of Middle School Football Players)

(Your Town) – (date) – (Gaithersburg-based) (ABC Vending) will sponsor (dozens) of (local middle school students) who play in the (Gaithersburg Yellow Jackets,) (ABC Vending President) (Bob Smith) announced today. The company will provide (uniforms…snacks…etc) for all games throughout the year.

In announcing the partnership (Smith) said, “We think an important part of keeping our nation’s youth healthy is making sure they are physically active, and this program does just that. Across the country the vending industry is sponsoring youth sports programs, and we’re happy to do our part here in (Gaithersburg.)

The (Yellow Jackets football team is an inter-community after school football team with 52 players across Montgomery County. The team plays other county programs from September through December.)

(ABC Vending, based in Gaithersburg, Maryland, services accounts throughout the tri-state area. The company was founded in 1965 and has 365 employees.)

###

School Materials

Graphics:Static Clings

Be a Smart Snacker! Stickers

Be A Smart Snacker! Resource

School MaterialsStatic Clings & Be a Smart Snacker! Stickers

For your work with schools, NAMA has created a set of static clings for your vending machines.

The clings are designed to reinforce the Balanced for Life characters that were created for the

campaign’s web site, balancedforlife.net, and feature three characters who struggle through the

year to be fit and healthy. The characters are each featured on a separate static cling, and

include:

AJ the Athlete

Representing the importance of being physically active;

Healthy Hazel, representing nutrition

And Sean the Smart Guy representing education.

You will find three clings of each character in this package. Additional

copies of the clings and Be a Smart Snacker! Stickers can be ordered

from Clark Communications using the form included at the end of this section.

Educational Information for Schools

NAMA’s Balanced for Life dietitian, Lori Valencic, MEd, RD, LD, has created the “Be a Smart Snacker! Guidelines for you to share with everyone you meet with to discus the Balanced for Life campaign.

Be a Smart Snacker!Look for these Grab-and-Go Choices

From the Vending MachineBy Lori Valencic, MEd, RD, LD

How to Be a Smart Snacker

Snacks are great and it is important to snack smart. Snacks keep you going until your next meal; they’re a break from your work or play, and they help prevent overeating. In addition, snacks put flexibility in your day because you get energy when your body needs it, not just when the clock says it’s time to eat. Research shows healthy snacking can aid in lowering cholesterol levels and in maintaining your weight. Eating four or five small feedings a day is more beneficial than three meals for many people.

How do you get started? Listen to your body. Eat when you are hungry. Stop when you are satisfied. Make snacks easy and interesting. Eat smaller amounts at mealtime. Save part of a meal, especially when eating out, to eat as a snack later.

Be prepared for your hunger. Have food available so you can eat when you are hungry. Stash wholesome snacks at your desk, in the car, in the pantry and in your backpack or briefcase. Stop by the vending machine before you are ravenous. Here are some smart snack choices.

Pretzels are a great low-calorie treat when you get the munchies. Choose granola bars that are low in sugar and provide fiber with some protein. They are handy

and easy to eat on the run. Crunch on a bag of popcorn, a whole grain and wonderful snack food. Choose popcorn made

without trans fats (hydrogenated vegetable oils). Munch an apple. It is a “grab-and-go” food. You’ll feel full for several hours due to its pectin and

fiber content. (Pectin and fiber aid in lowering cholesterol.) Baby carrot sticks and a cheese stick are fun finger foods. Cheese provides protein offering staying

power. Carrots are loaded with fiber and antioxidants. My chocolate cravings are satisfied with a package of peanut M&Ms or a few Hershey’s kisses.

It’s perfectly natural to like sweets. Most kids love sweets (and adults do, too). It’s unrealistic to give up sweet treats if you really enjoy them. Like anything else, eat them on occasion and in moderation.

For a quick and easy snack, choose cereal and milk. Choose low-sugar, whole-grain cereals like Cheerios or oatmeal. Cereals are fortified with folic acid, iron and other important vitamins and minerals.

Select finger foods like baby carrots. Enjoy them one by one. Pre-packaged and ready-to-eat fruit and veggies are great any time. They satisfy the munchies and your sweet tooth.

Treat yourself to a variety of dried fruit –dried cranberries, prunes, apricots and raisins.

Choose a package of nuts –peanuts, pecans, walnuts, pistachios or other nuts. Nuts are rich in protein and unsaturated fat. They provide vitamin E, a powerful antioxidant that is cancer protective and heart healthy.

Trail mix combined with nuts, seeds and dried fruit is satisfying, great tasting and provides fiber and protein. Choose those low in trans fats.

If you have the munchies and desire something sweet, animal crackers, fig bars or graham crackers are low-fat choices. Along with a glass of milk, cookies always hit the spot.

Don’t misinterpret thirst for hunger. Always keep a water bottle handy. And after a game of soccer, football, baseball, track, etc., nothing is more refreshing than a glass of cold water.

A few other Smart Snacking facts…

Kids who eat breakfast perform better on achievement tests.Studies show kids who eat breakfast have higher achievement scores and increased concentration on tests and in the classroom than kids who skip breakfast.

Eating well helps mental health as well as nourishing your body.A varied diet with fruits, vegetables, whole grain foods (like 100% whole wheat breads and whole grain cereals like Cheerios), adequate protein, and less fat and sugar, plays an important part in keeping you healthy and alert. The healthier the body, the stronger the immune system to ward off illnesses (like the common cold and flu) and mental health conditions like anxiety and depression.

Cereals, breads and pastas help boost memory.The B vitamins in these foods are “brain-boosting” nutrients that are essential for maintaining mental function. Your body uses B vitamins to convert food into mental energy and to manufacture and repair brain tissue. Enriched grain products including whole grain cereals (such as Cheerios, raisin bran, oatmeal), breads (such as 100% whole wheat bread) and enriched pastas are top choices for B vitamins. Lean ground beef, chicken and turkey are other good sources of B vitamins.

Chocolate: Sinfully Delicious?

The Aztecs believed that chocolate was a gift from the gods of wisdom and knowledge. It is probably the most well-liked flavor in the world. But does chocolate have any place in a healthy diet? The good news is, the answer is “yes.” Sure, chocolate—which is approximately half sugar and half fat—gets a lot of bad press. Indulge and you feel guilty. But if eaten in moderation, there’s nothing wrong with chocolate.

Chocolate contains a complex combination of over 500 chemicals, including theobromine, a mood stimulant that provides that “feel good” bliss. The sugar and caffeine can give you a quick boost when you don’t have time for a real meal. Just keep in mind, chocolate is calorie-dense, meaning it packs a lot of calories into a small volume. That’s why it’s important to go easy—one or two Hershey’s kisses, a chocolate chip cookie or a cup of hot chocolate. The trick to enjoying chocolate in moderation is to not chow it down in one bite. Savor the chocolate experience—enjoy its rich aroma, delight as it melts in your mouth. As long as you keep your chocolate habit in check—and maintain a balanced and varied diet of snacks and meals, there’s no reason to feel guilty.

Balanced for Life Campaign Materials Order Form

Yes! Please send me ……..

Machine Graphic AJ the Athlete Please send me ____ at $1 each (Minimum order of 15.)

Machine Graphic Healthy Hazel

Please send me ____ at $1 each (Minimum order of 15.)

Machine Graphic Sean the Smart GuyPlease send me ____ at $1 each (Minimum order of 15.)

Be A Smart Snacker Please send me ________ sheets $5 per sheet of 12 stickers, minimum 5 sheets

Please ship them to:Name __________________________________________________________________________________

Address: _______________________________________________________________________________

City/State/Zip Code: ______________________________________________________________________

Telephone Number: _______________________________________________________________________

Email: __________________________________________________________________________________

Contact Name (if applicable) ________________________________________________________________

Please fax this form to (301) 519-8155 or e-mail your request to jclark26@juno.com. See following sheet for payment information.

Payment Methods

or

Please send your check payable to the National Automatic Merchandising Association to:

The National Automatic Merchandising Association20 North WackerSuite 3500Chicago IL 60606

Resources

Need Help?

For more information about….

The Campaign: Jackie Clark, (301) 987-7113

Nutritional Advice: Lori Valencic, Med, RD, LD713-880-8061

The National Automatic Merchandising Association (NAMA) Foundation

20 North Wacker, Suite 3500 Chicago, IL 60606-3102

ENDOWING THE FUTURE Capital Campaign Donor Letter of Intent

Date: __________________________________________________________________________________

Name of Donor(s): ________________________________________________________________________

Address: _______________________________________________________________________________

City/State/Zip Code: ______________________________________________________________________

Telephone Number: _______________________________________________________________________

Email: __________________________________________________________________________________

Contact Name (if applicable) ________________________________________________________________

I/We pledge an intention to provide a total gift of $___________ to the NAMA Foundation’s capital campaign, Endowing the Future, in support of its programs.

Enclosed please find the initial payment of $_________ toward this commitment. Please make checks payable to THE NAMA FOUNDATION. The balance of this pledge will be paid according to the following schedule:

$___________________ on ________________ 2005$___________________ on ________________2006$___________________ on ________________2007

Please send reminder notices for the future payments ANNUALLY, SEMI-ANNUALLY QUARTERLY, MONTHLY (please check one) beginning __________________(date.)

Please indicate how you would prefer your company or individual name listed for donor recognition purposes: (Corporate gifts of $10,000 and above are recognized with a company logo.)

________________________________________________________________________________________

Additional instructions: ________________________________________________________________________________________

Please email to sball@vending.org a low and high-resolution logo for donor recognition purposes.

Sincerely,

(please sign)________________________________________________________________________________ (Company title if applicable)

The NAMA Foundation is a non-profit charitable organization under Section 501 (c) (3). Contributions to the NAMA Foundation may be deductible as a charitable contribution for Federal Income Tax purposes. Consult your tax advisor.