WATERLOO - It's 3 p.m. Your stomach is rumbling. You can't concentrate on your work because you need a sugar fix. Or maybe you have the munchies and you need something salty to sustain you.

The office vending machine shines like a beacon for your belly, calling you to it with promises you'll be satisfied.

But as you stare at it, you realize this is not the healthiest thing you can do. Or is it?

Vending machines are chock-full of high-calorie, low-nutrient favorites such as candy bars and potato chips.

But among snack machines filled with diet demons, you can choose the lesser of evils, says Lori Fincher, a dietitian at Allen Hospital.

"There are some good choices, like pretzels or baked chips. Low-fat granola bars are a good choice also, but be careful because there are some high-sugar ones out there," Fincher said.

Long blamed for some of the ills that plague overweight people, especially children, the vending-machine industry is trying to change its bad image. Vending machines across the country are making an attempt to include more healthful fare.

The industry's trade group, the National Automatic Merchandising Association, recently launched a campaign to encourage healthful food choices, hoping to fend off efforts to remove machines from schools and to improve the industry's image.

The effort includes a color-coded rating system to indicate which foods are healthful choices and which should be eaten in moderation. Several vending machine companies, such as Aramark Corp., are beginning to label health-conscious choices for consumers.

Despite the effort, vending machine snackers tend to go for the calorie gusto.

"Even though we have wellness centers or health places asking for healthier snacks like granola bars and Sun Chips, it's still pretty rare that people choose them. They just go out of date in the machine," said Dan Rousselow, territorial sales manager for Vending Americas, a Pepsi-owned company that stocks vending machines across the Cedar Valley.

Vending Americas gets requests from health clubs and schools to stock more nutritious fare in their machines. The company complies with the requests, stocking fruit and other low-calorie snacks.

"We get no turns on them. If a kid has a buck in his pocket, he's not buying a healthy snack. He's still eating salty snacks," said Rousselow, noting potato chips and other salty goods are hot sellers in local vending machines.

"Vending companies are pretty much supplying what people are demanding," said Fincher. "Sad to say, it's the candy bars they want."

Some places offer refrigerated vending machines, which almost always have more healthful options. If you have to get a sandwich from the machine, choose turkey or another light meat, and look for sandwiches that have mayonaisse packets on the side.

The cold machines also often offer milk. Choose skim or 1 percent milk if it's available, recommends Fincher.

Of course, Fincher's best advice is to plan ahead.

"If you know that every day at 3 p.m. you're going to need a snack, pack your own snacks from home. You can choose healthier options because you're in control of your options," she said.

Contact Meta Hemenway-Forbes at (319) 291-1483 or meta.hemenway-forbes@wcfcourier.com.

Making the right choice

Courier Lee News Service

If a vending machine is all that stands between your hunger and you, here are some quick tips to help you make the right choice.

Peanuts:Though high in fat (26 grams for 1.75 ounces), they are high in monounsaturated fats, which can lower cholesterol levels, plus they offer some protein (12 grams). "They will make you feel full longer, too. So if you won't be eating again for a while, they make a good choice," said Cathy Feldmeier, a registered dietitian at St. Anthony's Medical Center in St. Louis.

Pretzels: A good low-fat selection (less than 1 gram for 1.58 ounces), but scrape off the salt if you are looking for a low-sodium option.

Beef jerky: This is a good high-protein choice (10 grams for 0.9 ounces). It's low in fat and calories (1 gram of fat and 70 calories) but high in sodium (450 milligrams), so be careful, says Merrill Dove, the director of nutrition at Imagine Weight Loss center. But overall she calls it "a real good choice."

Snackwell's cookies: These are low in fat and not too high in calories (210 for four cookies). "The problem people get into with these is that they eat too many," said Dove. "The good thing about the vending machine is that the portions are controlled. You are receiving the actual portion size."

Crackers with peanut butter: Not the healthiest choice because of the fat content (10 grams for six crackers), but it's better than a candy bar because of the protein (5 grams).

Twizzlers Nibs: Better than a chocolate bar because they are low-fat (1.5 grams), but they are still high in sugar (33 grams for 2.25 ounces) and calories (220).

Dark-chocolate Twix: Dark chocolate has antioxidants that have been shown to help fight some diseases. That said, "you're better off getting them from fruits and vegetables," said Feldmeier. This 2-ounce bar has 240 calories, much more than a serving of broccoli or blueberries.

King-size Snickers bar: This is a big no-no. The king-size Snickers has about twice as many calories (510 for a 3.7-ounce bar) as a regular Snickers bar and packs a whopping 24 grams of fat.

Peanut M&Ms vs. regular M&Ms: Choose peanut M&Ms over regular, because at least you get a little protein with the nuts (twice as much as in regular M&Ms). But don't get the king-size, which packs 480 calories and 24 grams of fat into a 3.27-ounce bag.

Fruit Snacks: Don't be fooled by the word "fruit." These snacks are made with very little real fruit, and although they are fat-free, they are high in sugar (42 grams for 2.5 ounces) and calories (225). "They are pretty much just candy," said Feldmeier.

Trail mix: A good choice that combines sweet and salty to fight most cravings. The seeds and nuts are high in protein (5 grams for the 1.1-ounce bag), and the raisins are good for you. Plus, this bag, at only 130 calories, has no cholesterol and is low in sodium.

Big Grab bag of potato chips vs. baked potato chips: Opt for the low-fat baked chips (140 calories, 3 grams of fat for a 1-ounce bag) and save 90 calories and 12 grams of fat over the big bag (1 1/3 ounces).

Popcorn: A bag of light popcorn is a great option because it's low-fat and low-calorie for the amount of food you are getting. In addition, you are getting fiber, which can help you feel full. Beware, however, the buttery popcorn, which can have 36 grams of fat per bag (3.5 ounces).

Chocolate mini-doughnuts: They often come in a package of six that contains a whopping 600 calories as well as 36 grams of fat. If you must have something chocolate, you actually are better off with a candy bar.