Not Only Does Snickers Satisfy Your Hunger, It's Good For You, Too!

In our go-go world today, we're always in need of a quick fix for those times before and after lunch while at work or school. Whether they come from the home or the office, snacks provide us a temporary bridge over the dull roar of our stomach as the acids inside echo to be subsided.

But unless you bring (or buy) a fruit cup or small garden salad, most snacks contain "empty calories." I.e., they'll keep you satisfied but they have little nutritional value. From soda to chips, the real price you pay comes not out of pocket, but out to your abs and thighs. And depending on how regularly and consistently you've done so, expect a few less years to live, as well.

Hence the need for smarter snacking.

If there is one thing I will commend snack distributors for, it's their decision to make health-conscious choices for people to make. And at the very least, they've made basic nutritional information – like total calories and grams from fat – clearer for people to see, and they've put a greater emphasis on using all natural ingredients. Then again, if you select a candy bar from a vending machine, you ought to know what you're getting yourself into. Or so I thought.

When I walked by the lobby at a place I frequent this past Thursday, it came as a shock to me that Snickers was now a healthy snack.

Skeptical? Don't be. Here's why.

The first picture here is your typical vending machine. There's the bagged snacks up top, factory wrapped snacks in the middle, and some mints on the bottom row if you look real close. Nothing out of the ordinary at first glance.


Next is the following "disclaimer", which is found on all the vending machines where I go. It's pretty self-explanatory.


Now this is what made me do a double-take. Take a look at E6. (That's me in the Tampa Bay Rays shirt taking the photo with a digital camera. Yeah, I'm old school like that.)


Somehow, I guess Mars Incorporated must've made some serious hacks to the original concoction to appease all the dieters out there. Looks like the 3 Musketeers have got some internal competition.

On a similar note, take a closer look at the first photo. In addition to Snickers, Ruffles cheddar cheese and sour cream potato chips and a glazed honey bun are also designated as "healthy" choices.

Small wonder that the United States of America is the most obese nation in the world.

But in all fairness to the vending company that sponsors the machines at the place I frequent, this is probably nothing more than a delivery guy putting snacks into position with no regard for the disclaimer. And his mistake is our confusion.

This person just simply made a poor snack choice.