We have not been offered our choice of healthy foods far too long. Why not offer healthy choices? How many children do not have supervised choices when they go to these vendors? Why not offer something other than chips and crappy food. Ben, wasn't our choice taken away when they only gave bad choices? Our diets have been dictated by fast food pushers too long.

It's great to offer healthy choices, no one is trying to deny that mouse.
The issue is our Govt's censorship of what we eat.

It is not often I disagree with Mr. Meisner, and I certainly do not wish to be seen as agreeing with any form of government (UGH!) but on this topic, I need to say that having healthier choices is a blessing. There are lots of people who would choose a healthier snack or meal if it is available. Mouse has it right, North American diets are geared to factory foods, they process the goodness right out and then add salts, sugars, and fats to make the food taste good, and keep you waddling back for more. Hooray for choice!
metalman.

I totally agree that we ALL need to learn about and have healthy choices when it comes to food! I also agree with Ben when he says that it should be up to US to decide what we want to eat. If all levels of government were really concerned then they would stop genetically altering our food to the point of no taste, stop putting chemicals in food to make it last longer and make healthy food less expensive. That is what their responsibilies should be and nothing more!! CONTROL FREAKS!!

I am pleased with the decision of a better choice at vending machines and vendors. As long as I have a choice to have a veggie burger and the man or woman behind me has a choice to have a jumbo hotdog, if they so desire. I can have that apple at the vending machine, and perhaps someone may want that chocolate bar, whatever size! It may inspire people to make better healthy choices and lifestyle changes. I agree with Ben, it does start in the home, but it can be re-inforced in our daily choices made outside the home. Every little bit of help with obesity and a healthy living should be welcome.

Hey... wait a minute .."save taxpayers some money"... isn't that a lot like responding to those flyers that come in the mail... you know... the ones that tell us to SAVE BIG by shopping at a particular store...

The concept is boggling... "spend your money to save on this item"... wouldn't you save a lot more by just NOT buying that item ??? And... that "saved" money would actually be in your own pocket !!

So, by extension... the City already HAS the tax money in their hands... "saving" that money is nonsense for the taxpayer since the taxpayer has already given that money to the City. It is GONE !!

Same with the "carbon tax rebate" that the province is going to give back to the local governments (with strings)... the province is going to give money collected FROM the City... BACK to the City.

Where do they think that money came from in the first place ???

ARRGGHHHHHHH

V.

Just like others have said, I welcome heathier choices as long as I have the choice to buy the jumbo hot dog or the king sized chocolate bar if I feel like it.

But you really have to wonder how the city finds the time to 'fix' things like this, while letting huge things (like the general condition of the city) fall off the radar screen.

I agree Mouse, haven't "they" already been dictating what we eat by only offering certain foods?

Im a meatatarian.. Its a personal choice.. Bring on the jumbo dogs!!

Yeah every place should have a healthy choice menu as an option next to their regular menu to keep more customers. Eat however you want at home and take your vitamins/exercise...ugh I know but stay in control of your own body then what the city does about food won't matter to you besides the fact that it has a messed up priority list. Winter is coming...are they ready to deal with another flood? Sure hope it doesn't come to that.


Has anyone tried a "Fat Burger" yet...I laugh everytime I drive by because right next door isn't there some sort of health facility? Next time i'll pay more attention driving through that area.

Two part citique - size and type of food offering.
More options for type of food is about time.
Fewer options of size of unit of food is nonesense.

Fat Burger - went there once. Never again. The service system is too cutesy and very bothersome.

Yes Heidi there will be flooding again this year due to the fact that the Govt's responsible have not started any gravel removal projects.

Metalman I didn't see anywhere that Ben had said adding healthier foods into the system was a bad thing.
The problem is, who do these people think they are dictating what we eat or don't eat. It's nobodies business what or how much I eat but my own.

I say to the Govt's, mind your own business and stick to important issues. Stop wasting my money.

From what I can tell, the hot dogs and hamburgers and chocolate bars haven't been banned, have they? Haven't they just decided to offer other, healthier choices? How is this a bad thing? If someone still has the choice to have junk food, then how is that dictating what we eat? The choice is still there.
It will be nice, actually, to be able to have something decent for a change, rather than the over priced, high fat, high calorie options. What about those of us who would have liked to eat something healthier but couldn't because there was nothing but crap available?

Hate to say it lostfaith but if healthy hot chilli peppers were added to this menu maybe it could spark a fire under their butts to get things done??? There is always a positive side to things.

:)

northman, are you sure that there is any meat in a hot dog weiner? ;)
meatalman.

"But you really have to wonder how the city finds the time to 'fix' things like this, while letting huge things (like the general condition of the city) fall off the radar screen."

Good point! I expect the city to do both well and efficiently at the SAME time!

The city has various departments and about 600 employees and a huge annual budget.

There is no shortage of money or person power.

If the vendors could make money doing it they would already be offering these choices. Here is how its going to go. They are forced to purchase and cook these other options and then throw them out at the end of the night because they didnt sell. The costs associated with this waste will be passed on to people that buy the other products. Government should not be telling private industry how to manage their business. Choice costs money. Remember in the 80s when you could get a car with or without every stuipid little option? Its been replaced with packages because options cost money. So when the prices incrase at civic facilities (and they arent exactly low now) remember why.

I, for one, would appreciate being able to buy a healthier choice at a concert, hockey game or my nephew's swim meets.

And how about those birthday parties at the Aquatic Center? Not allowed to bring in your own food, except for the cake. You are held hostage by the garbage they sell there. If this is the case, then healthier choices should be mandatory.

Metalman.. I really dont want to know. I enjoy a hot dog once in a while despite what my imagination says is in them. Cheers..

Meisner's comments on Food choice....stupid, stupid, stupid!!

It's just one small step to at least offer a healthier choice. Why does anyone have a problem with that? There is still junk food everywhere, nobody is going to go hungry. Hide a stash in your backpack if you need to. Don't want anybody crashing from a sugar fix.

Anyone got a problem with a tofu burger washed down with a large wheat grass drink? I thought not. No worry about Big Brother. We just have to worry about Big Chef!

I don't have a problem with this policy. The crap food will still be there if you want it and now so will more healthy choices. That's actually the ultimate in ensuring that people can make choices.

Born in BC is absolutely correct. If there was money to be made in so called healthier choices they would have had the vending machines full of this before. Ben is right, let the "city fathers" run the city like they are supposed to and stay out of our kitchens.