Whether you’re a hospital worker on a 24-hour shift or a patient stuck at A&E, it can be difficult to find good, hot food outside of normal hours. You may have catering facilities, cafés and supermarkets from 9 to 5… but if you find yourself hungry at night, it’s tricky to find something that’s not a packet of crisps or some other unhealthy snack from a vending machine. Even though vending machines provided 922.2 million products at hospitals in 2015, these are usually snacks and cold drinks.
People need fresh meals to stay fit and healthy, but they also need meals that fit their busy schedules. That’s where fresh food vending can bring a range of benefits that promote wellness.
Keep scrolling and we’ll discuss how fresh food vending machines can benefit hospital staff, patients and those visiting loved ones.
1. Healthy food boosts morale
Good nutrition is essential for everyone to thrive in society. It’s also a key factor in helping people feel better and more motivated at work. A fresh food vending service like Nosh prepares healthy meals and stocks their vending machines with them for everyone to enjoy. As well as being wonderfully balanced, the food is also tasty, making them the perfect meal for a happy and productive workday. The goal is always to make sure you have healthier food for a happier team.
2. Easy-to-use, convenient food solutions
Not only are fresh food vending machines healthy and nourishing, they’re convenient, too! High-tech vending machines will have interactive touchscreens and offer contactless payment options. These days few people have time to prep lunch or go out and buy lunch – especially healthcare workers. People want food that is quick, easy and still delicious. Healthy vending machines work quickly and efficiently to provide you with meals from local restaurants on-demand. No need to leave the hospital, cook food yourself or spend money on expensive food deliveries.
3. High-quality, diverse, and delicious meals for all
You might be hesitant to eat meals from a vending machine – they’re traditionally frozen, unhealthy, and boring. However, all of our food is sourced from local restaurants and the menu changes every week! Every week, our high-tech machines are stocked with new dishes – from beef lasagne to chickpea curry. There’s something on our varied menu for everyone.
4. Dietary requirements? No problem
A good fresh food vending service caters to all dietary requirements, allergies, and preferences. Not every hospital has easy access to food off-site. This is particularly the case in more remote hospitals. With a fresh food vending machine, you get restaurant-quality food just a button away. Not to mention that they often serve gluten-free, vegetarian, vegan, halal options and more.
5. 360-degree management and customer support
Some vending machine companies will give you a vending machine, see that there are no sales and just leave the shell of the machine there. Soon, your hospital looks like a graveyard of broken vending machines. Your staff are left dealing with complaint after complaint after a patient goes hungry or uses a faulty machine.
A top fresh food vending service will never do this. They’ll offer 24/7 support and send people to refill a machine as soon as possible. For example, Nosh manages all aspects of its service – from installation to customer service to tailoring food preferences your staff. After installation you’re not stuck with a shell of a machine. We constantly release new meals, help you raise awareness about the service and run in-location tastings. Don’t settle for less. Get the customer care you deserve.
6. Meeting national standards for healthcare food
Over the past year, we’ve tailored our hospital vending offer and meals to NHS standards, so you shouldn’t expect anything less. The NHS National Standard for Healthcare Food and Drink 2022 specifies that hospital staff must have access to ‘healthy, balanced, hot and cold food options 24/7.’ Moreover, employers need to prove they are ‘improving sustainable procurement and reducing food waste.’ However, hospital catering is expensive and it’s difficult to run a kitchen around the clock.
We take all this off your hands.
With a smart vending machine service you’re able to offer hot food day in and day out. Now, in regard to sustainability…
7. Sustainable practices and waste reduction
Did you know that ten supermarkets are responsible for nearly 800,000 tonnes of plastic pollution every year in the UK? While the government is introducing legislation against single-use plastic in October 2023, a good vending service, like Nosh, will go out of its way to become more sustainable. All of our packaging is sustainable, be it compostable or recyclable. The food itself is sourced locally, ensuring we support local chefs and small businesses. We also use data-driven analysis to ensure that hospitals not only get a menu tailored to their patient and staffs’ specific tastes, but waste is kept to a minimum. It’s not about paying lip service to sustainability. It’s about genuinely building sustainable practices.
Providing nutritious meals 24/7 with the Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust
The Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust uses Nosh’s fresh food vending to provide staff with nutritious meals 24/7 and meet NHS national standards. One of the UK’s largest NHS trusts, they had tried multiple snack vending machines and a pasty machine. However, this received poor staff feedback. They needed a solution that was cost-effective, around the clock and able to feed 1000s of night staff. With Nosh’s vending machine, they were able to fulfil these legal requirements, all while giving their staff restaurant-quality meals. Not just doctors and nurses – the meals were a huge hit with the security team and office workers. We’ve got an easy-to-read why Broomfield and Basildon Hospital opted for Nosh’s vending service.
Be the reason your patients and staff are healthier and happier.
In hospitals and healthcare facilities, fresh food vending machines bring more than just a convenient dining experience. They symbolise a commitment to holistic care, patient well-being, and supporting the incredible work of healthcare professionals.
At Nosh, we’re passionate about giving you access to the best meals that are convenient and cost effective. It’s up to you to give your patients and staff the food they deserve.
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Give your hospital staff and patients the delicious, hot food they deserve.
