Healthy Snack Machines Coming to Countryside High

The push to get kids to eat healthier has been going on for years, with changes in school lunch menus and fast food fare plus Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move! initiative.

This week, one Clearwater school will jump on the trend in a big way, as Countryside High School installs six vending machines that specialize in providing healthy snacks on campus. 

Fresh Healthy Vending, a San Diego-based business that claims to be the leading healthy vending machine company in the United States, will install the machines Friday morning.

“Improving access to healthy snack and beverage options is a huge step to enhancing the overall health of students and faculty at Countryside High School,” Matt Wicks, a local franchisee of the company, said in a statement. “By prioritizing healthy eating, Countryside High School serves as a great example for other high schools throughout the country.”

Wicks will be on hand to supervise the installation of the machines on Friday morning.

The machines offer healthy snacks and beverages, such as yogurts, smoothies, fruit, vegetables, granola bars, baked chips and natural sodas.

Countryside will receive five snack machines and one café machine in the teachers’ lounge, offering the faculty fresh gourmet coffee specialty drinks, including French vanilla lattes, cappuccinos and espressos.

“At Countryside High School, we believe strongly in promoting the importance of healthy eating to our students and staff,” Countryside principal Gary Schlereth, said in a release. “We are excited to offer students healthier snack and beverage options, and to offer our teachers gourmet specialty coffee to enjoy.” 

According to the release, Countryside High will make up part of the 1,700 such Fresh Healthy Vending locations across the country.