Better Snack Bar options, please

[Sk8fever]

To all the current and future rink owners, I know the snack bar is a big source of income, so I would like to suggest including some healthy snack choices for the more health-conscious skaters and adults who are there with kids.

Pizza, nachos, and hot dogs are not the best choices for someone who is skating for fitness/health, yet needs a little nutrition boost during a session. So if that's all I can eat, I just don't spend my money on it. I wouldn't want to undo all my effort of burning calories.

I would gladly purchase lite yogurt, frozen yogurt, smoothies, or low-calorie energy bars if they were available. And I believe some moms and dads would opt for these choices sometimes, too.

Anyone else having similar thoughts? Other suggestions?

Sk8fever

[ncsk8rgirl]

We have healthier options at my rink. Of course they primarily offer the junk food, but there are some choices. They don't stock very much of anything perishable because it will usually just go to waste.

[markthetrucker]

I bring my own.

[Sk8fever]

Originally Posted by markthetrucker

I bring my own.

But I'm a good girl and when the sign says "Absolutely no outside food or drinks allowed" it scares me into not bringing any. With my luck, I would get caught. I usually throw a banana and bottle of water in the car. And I use the water fountains there when I'm desparate. yuk

But I'd help out the rink's income if I had more choices there. Just sayin' !

[7Skaters]

Someone asked what could be done to get more people to come to the rinks/what rinks should be doing...I posted 7 or 8 different things...

This was one of them!

So many more people have been taking up indoor skating - on quads or inlines - for the fitness aspect, it's a shame that the majority of rinks still have dogs, pizza, and nachos on the menu. Yeah, keep those for the kids and those who don't care (or don't need it)...but the only "healthy" thing my rink offers is water or juice...at $2 for a bottle of water (50 cents in the store) or $2.50 (when the juice is only worth 75 cents in the store). $2 for a large pop, I'll pay...since It's not like they're pouring from 2 liters or something, it's not "just" pop you're paying for, but the ingredients, upkeep of the machine, the cups themselves, etc. But $2 for a bottle of water I can get at the store for less than half of what they're asking for? Nope, I refuse to do that.

I wouldn't go for full-on salads or the like, though I'd personally love it...but a few fresh fruits, some yogurts, peanut butter on whole wheat crackers (made there, not the processed crap you can buy "already put together"), etc. would be excellent choices. Heck, with the last option, it takes FOREVER for peanut butter to go bad, and crackers can get stale if when closed properly, so PB&...er...C?...would be the best option for things that don't spoil, or at least, things that don't spoil quickly. Hmm...maybe even some of the healthier Trail Mixes could be good, too...plus water and/or juices that don't cost an arm and a leg.

They not only need healthy choices, but healthy choices that are affordable.

[Poobah]

The healthy kind of peanut butter is a hassle to mix, and if you don't go through all of that, it's like grease mixed with concrete. Read: Too much trouble for minimum food service kid. You may like the taste of that kind. I find it tolerable. Most prefer the unhealthy kind. It's what they're used to.

[Elysarian]

Originally Posted by 7Skaters

Someone asked what could be done to get more people to come to the rinks/what rinks should be doing...I posted 7 or 8 different things...

This was one of them!

So many more people have been taking up indoor skating - on quads or inlines - for the fitness aspect, it's a shame that the majority of rinks still have dogs, pizza, and nachos on the menu. Yeah, keep those for the kids and those who don't care (or don't need it)...but the only "healthy" thing my rink offers is water or juice...at $2 for a bottle of water (50 cents in the store) or $2.50 (when the juice is only worth 75 cents in the store). $2 for a large pop, I'll pay...since It's not like they're pouring from 2 liters or something, it's not "just" pop you're paying for, but the ingredients, upkeep of the machine, the cups themselves, etc. But $2 for a bottle of water I can get at the store for less than half of what they're asking for? Nope, I refuse to do that.

You do realise that the cups cost a couple of cents each? and the total cost for gas, postmix syrup and maintenance adds up to around 10 cents per 10-oz cup right?

I used to work in a bar and soft drinks are the biggest earner for them by far.

[OffTheEdge]

We are blessed at our rink. This is some of our menu:

hotdogs, corn dogs, nachos, popcorn, pickles, Frozen coke. The standard.
But also:

Hamburgers, Hot wings, Grilled Chicken sandwichs, Chicken nuggets, chicken fingers, french fries, hot pretzels.

The chicken is Tyson, the pizza sause is Ragu, the peperoni is Hormel, the Burgers are 100% real beef, The fries are Orida. To top it off, nothing is over priced.

[7Skaters]

Originally Posted by Poobah

The healthy kind of peanut butter is a hassle to mix...

There's a mixable peanut butter??????????????

NOTE: I'M definitely not one of the health conscious out there. At least, not to that extreme. I refuse to buy organic (remember, family of 7 here, I'd hate to see our grocery bill), but I do eat as healthy as possible...fresh fruits, I'm - thankfully - not big on sweets (though I do have a weakness for root beer barrels and Bassett's Jelly Babies and can't stand cookies, cake or ice cream), yogurt, etc. when hubby gets it. I hate most meats. My only true weakness (that I'll eat "anytime" - root beer barrels and the Jelly Babies are usually a once or twice a year thing) is chips. I am, unfortunately, a salt-a-holic.

Anyway, they do have low sodium/low sugar types of peanut butter. Open jar, get knife, dip in PB, spread on cracker...not exactly hard to do. LOL

[7Skaters]

Originally Posted by Elysarian

You do realise that the cups cost a couple of cents each? and the total cost for gas, postmix syrup and maintenance adds up to around 10 cents per 10-oz cup right?

I used to work in a bar and soft drinks are the biggest earner for them by far.

When ordered in LARGE quantities (sure as for bars, restaurants, etc.)...yes. Not so much for rinks.

Bars, restaurnats and the like are at least open all afternoon into the night or several hours every night.

Our rink doesn't get massive quantities (which makes it more expensive)because they only have - at most - 7 sessions of 3 hours or less, and 2 sessions lasting around 6 hours. When not ordering in bulk, it costs more for "everything"...from the mix down to the cups and maintainence.

[Sk8fever]

All healthy items aren't necessarily highly perishable. I'd like to see more 100-250 calorie selections. Dannon Light Smoothies and yogurt come in packages that have a shelf life of several weeks. Other welcome options would be:

Canned diet drinks, i.e. Slimfast shakes.
Canned nutrition drinks, i.e. Boost.
Diet bars, i.e. Slimfast, which can last a year or more on the shelf.
Baked chips or crackers in 100-calorie packs.

I don't see how keeping a stock of these items would be any more difficult than storing candy bars, frozen pizzas, and hot dogs/buns. And they don't require any mixing or other preparation before serving. The Slimfast and Boost drinks don't require refrigeration in long-term storage, they only need to be served cold.

[ncsk8rgirl]

Originally Posted by Sk8fever

All healthy items aren't necessarily highly perishable. I'd like to see more 100-250 calorie selections. Dannon Light Smoothies and yogurt come in packages that have a shelf life of several weeks. Other welcome options would be:

Canned diet drinks, i.e. Slimfast shakes.
Canned nutrition drinks, i.e. Boost.
Diet bars, i.e. Slimfast, which can last a year or more on the shelf.
Baked chips or crackers in 100-calorie packs.

I don't see how keeping a stock of these items would be any more difficult than storing candy bars, frozen pizzas, and hot dogs/buns. And they don't require any mixing or other preparation before serving. The Slimfast and Boost drinks don't require refrigeration in long-term storage, they only need to be served cold.

I hardly consider a slimfast a "healthy" option... They are meant to be part of a controlled meal replacement PLAN. When I think that my daughter would have easy access to such a drink just burns me up. I doubt that rinks would take on the risk of serving them to a minor only to get sued by an angry parent.

Its true that not all healthier options are perishable, but it is more difficult finding things that are pre-packaged, profitable AND fall under that category.

I think trail mix and 100 calorie granola bars are good options, offering fresh smoothies (kids will go ga ga for these) and even plain old frozen yogurt are also good options.

[elemental]

when i go to the rink is when i allow myself some junkier food. i always get a big pretzel with mustard (and usually a pomp-blueberry g2). sadly..im at a rink 4-5 days a week...so ive probably had too many pretzels..

[Dec8rSk8r]

Next time you are talking to the manager or owner, you should suggest something you especially want, like frozen yogurt, that you would buy every time you come in and if they know your a regular, they would probably consider stocking it for you. Then, once others are buying it, suggest something else you want... get your way by being sneaky.

[Sk8fever]

Thanks, I plan on bringing this up at the rinks I visit, but I thought I'd throw it out there to see other opinions, and let other rink owners/personnel on the forum see if they might profit from having some different snack bar options.

On the Slimfast items, let me be clear that I wasn't suggesting allowing children to consume these... only adults who can consume them responsibly. Perhaps showing ID to prove they are 18 or older would be in order.
When I started this thread, it was with adults in mind.

On that note, children already have access to many "less-than-nutritious" snacks at the rink, and they could over-indulge on those without some parental control. I do not have kids, so I don't consider myself an expert by any means, but I would worry more about them eating too many sweets, sodium, and preservatives in the junk food than I would if they ate a diet snack bar. Now eating all in combination would be not be a good thing, and I believe common sense should be employed when adults choose what they and their children consume anywhere. Yogurt and baked chips would be appropriate for children, I would think, more so than cheesy pizza or nachos.

To summarize, I'm just suggesting some low-calorie options without the high sodium/fat/cholesterol/sugar content. And a dietary meal substitute may be favored by some adults who are on that type of plan, especially if they are at the rink during their normal meal time.

Thanks for all the input.
Sk8fever

[Bill in Houston]

Originally Posted by ncsk8rgirl

I hardly consider a slimfast a "healthy" option... They are meant to be part of a controlled meal replacement PLAN. When I think that my daughter would have easy access to such a drink just burns me up.

I'm not disagreeing at all, but it can't be any worse for her than a Diet Coke, though, right?

[7Skaters]

Originally Posted by Sk8fever

On the Slimfast items, let me be clear that I wasn't suggesting allowing children to consume these... only adults who can consume them responsibly. Perhaps showing ID to prove they are 18 or older would be in order. When I started this thread, it was with adults in mind.

I'd rather have my kids drink something like that because of:

Originally Posted by Sk8fever

On that note, children already have access to many "less-than-nutritious" snacks at the rink, and they could over-indulge on those without some parental control.

Slimfast isn't necessarily low-fat/low-cal or anything, since it is part of a meal replacement plan...however if my kids have money, all they want to get are push-pops, those sour rainbow-colored licorice-type "straws", 3 foot red licorice ropes, etc. I always tell them I'll "hold their money so they don't lose it" so I can control what they get and when they get it.

Due to all 5 of my kids recently being deemed underweight, their doc. even suggested Slimfast. Half a can each, with regular meals, to try to help them put on a little weight. Not *everyone* needs the low cal/low fat/low sugar stuff. But compared to letting them eat high fat/high sugar items I'd MUCH rather have them drink the Slimfast. In the long run, it's a healthier option than stuffing them with candy, cookies, and cake to put the weight on. Old habits die hard, they get used to all that junk "now", once they don't need it, they'll still want it, then they'll suddenly be 600 pounds when they grow up due to those *worse* eating habits.

While I'm totally, completely and utterly for rinks offering healthier options...I also have to say, everything in moderation, ya know?

I mean, eating a salad at the rink then stopping for fast food afterwards is still going to destroy whatever good you just did while eating healthy at home all week, then "splurging" on a single hot dog or one slice of pizza, with water or real juice, at the rink once a week is a better way to go.

[dee fenestrate]

trail mix, granola bars, string cheese. all of those seem to last a while and work as healthy snacks.

though trail mix might be out- so many kids nowadays with peanut allergies.

[slhallford]

Originally Posted by dee fenestrate

trail mix, granola bars, string cheese. all of those seem to last a while and work as healthy snacks.

though trail mix might be out- so many kids nowadays with peanut allergies.

I have a peanut and egg allergic kid. Pretty much everything in the snack bar aside from the Icees and sodas are out. There's just no way to confirm ingredients on anything and nobody wants the risk of a life threatening reaction. Airborne allergen triggered reactions are very, very rare so it wouldn't bother me in the slightest for trail mix and the like to be offered. Trust me when I say those kids and parents have that issue covered. Our rink management knows and let's the "no outside food" thing slide for her.

S

[MANY_SkatingDave]

Hi Good Girl/Mom,

We need more of you to replace the Brittanys,Madonas, , , ,

Originally Posted by Sk8fever

To all the current and future rink owners, I know the snack bar is a big source of income, so I would like to suggest including some healthy snack choices o - o - o Sk8fever

Well at the places I have been we can buy bottled water.
Yet that's about it.

Like Mark-the-Trucker, who formerly was at Devens Military Base in Mass and skated at Roll ON America in Lancaster, MA I and most of us long time skating adults bring our own stuff and kind of hide it in our skate bags. All kind of neat juices depending on allergies (like to milk, or citrus) are used as energy drinks by gal and guy long time hard skaters.

About the best I have seen was a Vending Machine. Yet that place is closed.

NOW, With this new generation of Derby Moms bringing their kids to skating we might SEE what you desire, come to fruition. Where I skate these gals skate hard, yet are still very nice and concerned for their kids.

We will see if concessions has a Derby Gal Upgrade.

Yours in Skating, MA/NY Skating Dave

Edit-01: Before I forget I got to tell you about using Strollers on the Skate Floor for new babies. The first time I saw it was in Indiana-Jasper where piles of great yet quiet people skated around and did spins with strollers. Since then I have seen it several places on rare occasion. When it isn't too crowded it is usually OK for the management and some places even have a session for stroller. Too many stories on this. SO The Point is Rink Adaptation for their Good Clients/Customers which would include you and your kids/husband. Clients that bring in money yet don't detract from future revenue.