US students and faculty now have more healthier snack options to eat on-the-go, following the launch of Del Monte fresh fruit and vegetables in vending machines across university, college and school campuses nationwide.
The University of Notre Dame, The University of Miami and Miami-Dade College are among the first higher education institutions taking concrete steps to help students and faculty lead healthier lives by offering convenient, fresh produce in their vending programmes, according to a press statement from Del Monte.
Primary and secondary schools in south Florida and several school districts along the East Coast have also begun offering healthier snacking options.
All items in the line are completely natural and 120 calories or fewer. Products are specially packaged to ensure freshness, and include 4-6oz single serving sizes of fresh-cut Del Monte Gold Extra Sweet pineapple chunks, table grapes, apple slices, baby carrots, celery and tomatoes. A few of the mixes also contain light or low fat dips.
The range also include whole bananas, which are specially packed in Del Monte’s Controlled Ripening Technology (CRT) proprietary banana packaging, which helps to maintain the fruit’s freshness and appearance.
“We are excited that so many educational institutions, at all levels, have decided to include Del Monte fresh fruit and vegetables in their vending programmes,” said Dennis Christou, vice-president of marketing at Fresh Del Monte.
“With the rates of obesity among children and adults rising, and the increasing emphasis on the benefits of fresh fruits and vegetables, it is important to give consumers healthier options in as many venues as possible. Offering students and faculty these healthier choices in vending machines is a great way to help them stay healthy when on the go and perfect for their sometimes hectic and time-crunched lives. We are confident that this is just the beginning of our efforts to expand our produce offering in vending machines across North America.”
