How Healthy Food is Helping to Reinvent Libraries

March 14, 2017

At Berkshire Natural, we think that our healthy snacks and vending machines create a sense of community and bring groups of people together over something truly positive. We believe that healthy food is the future – it’s all about creating access to nutritious food so that kids are taught healthy eating habits and adults alike can fuel our bodies for energy and growth. Berkshire Natural’s mission is simple: to help people live healthier lives by making delicious organic and natural foods available.

So, that’s why we were beyond thrilled when the Shrewsbury Public Library reached out to us to work together to provide healthy snack options for their patrons. Some might see libraries as rigid and old fashioned, with rules prohibiting food or drinks, so people can’t stay very long because they need to leave in search of a refreshment.

However, Shrewsbury Public Library has long allowed covered beverages in their building. With a commercial grade Keurig machine available, library patrons could buy a quick cup of coffee, tea or hot chocolate and enjoy at their table. When planning for their building’s renovation and expansion, which integrated many new technologies and advancements, they knew that healthy eating options would be a part of their continued work on providing a sense of community and a welcoming space for all to enjoy. They wanted to further embrace their role as a community center, and continue to be a place that brings people of all ages and all walks of life together.  Berkshire Natural is now helping them accomplish that by providing healthy snacks in the library! Library patrons can enjoy a hot or cold beverage anywhere in the library, or a food snack at the comfortable café in their new Community Commons.

Shrewsbury Library opened their new space in September 2016 featuring a Berkshire Natural Healthy Vending Machine for all to enjoy. Now, instead of lugging around cookies and sugary juice boxes, parents have access to healthy snacks through the Berkshire Natural vending machine at the Shrewsbury Library. And, if a patron is at the library to work all day long, they can grab a nutritious snack option that will keep them focused rather than crashing on sugar an hour later. By providing options like Cedars Hummus, Peeled Organic Mango, Green Mountain Yogurt and Mojo Iced Coffee, Berkshire Natural is helping to make healthier food more accessible and helping libraries respond to patrons’ needs. The vending machine has helped enhance that sense of community they wanted and so far, the public has embraced these healthy eating options immensely!

We are so happy to continue serving up healthy snacks and continue our mission to help people live healthier lives by making healthy food more accessible. First libraries, what’s next??!!

 

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