@JamesCollier the vending machine option would be amazing and a far quicker and easier route than the others.
Most hospital vending machines currently have crisps, chocolate, coke, fanta etc. The only vaguely nutritious option is a flapjack which isn’t gluten free and is full of sugar and covered in fake chocolate.
One issue with vending machines though is that they are leased, and companies have strict rules on what products can be sold in the same machine ie coke won’t allow Pepsi to be sold next to it, and Cadbury’s and Mars can’t be sold together etc.
A dedicated Huel machine for bars and RTD would be perfect.
Would Huel look at having dedicated Huel vending machines???
I have a mate who works for Nutricia (the clinical arm of Danone); they serve meal replacement type foods and are used for people with complex needs with regards to their food intake: dysphagia, COPD, malnutrition, allergy etc. They even have a factory in Liverpool which is a totally protein free environment. They have massive budgets for R&D, and are well established and it would be difficult for Huel to compete.
And Huel served as a meal replacement for everyday usage just won’t fly at this time either. It is too niche. In the future who knows.
I’d like to see Huel used in situations where people are starving, a way to deliver good nutrition easily; the issue there is access to clean drinking water, you don’t need another Nestle scandal.
Tonsillectomy a few years ago. Three hours after surgery I was given a menu, on it was fish and chips, shepherd’s pie, some vegetarian option or just toast.
I opted for fish and chips. Was a hefty chunk of fish and reasonable amount of chips. Even got ice cream for dessert.
Breakfast was just as good. Porridge, toast, eggs, most nice healthy tastes counted for.
Crazy when I hear people tell of their bad experiences!
I did a ‘just add water’ diet while in hospital to lose weight, as this was convenient.
The hospital wouldn’t allow for me to meet my diet consultant or buy diet products in the hospital grounds, as this was frowned upon - I was 10 stone over weight at the time, weight I had gained in hospital.
The meetings I had to do offsite and bring the products onto the ward.
The hospital offered no assistance to cover the cost, even though I had stopped eating their food.
I think if Huel was added to hospitals I think a full package of healthy eating would need to be taught. I believe some hospitals are allowing diet groups on the wards and those diets are being commissioned/prescribed by GPs.
As someone who worked in A&E for years and has on occasion been a patient/been visiting a hospital to see a patient, having Huel in a vending machine/available at the shop as RTD would be great to help at those times you’re stuck waiting around for hours. Maybe the answer is to always keep an emergency Huel bottle in your bag
I could be wrong, but I bet the prisons are probably serving meals that are more cost effective (cost per kcal). Huel is around $2 per 400 kcals.
Thing is, 400kcal is nice for the average Billy and Sally who want to try dropping weight, but that’s just terrible for others. If the prisons wanted to serve food, with a side of Huel, that’d be great.
I know it’s not Huel’s goal to be a weight loss food, but what do you expect selling 400kcal meals? The average person only eats 3 meals a day and needs 2000kcal to maintain weight.
For Schools, Kids may not enjoy it. It could end up being dumped…Wasted… And kids either go hungry or find something else to bring to school. Aside from the taste, not everyone wants a liquid diet.
Just my two cents. I’m not trying to offend anyone.
Heeeelll no. While huel is great and I’m enjoying my experience on it. Hospitals and prisons are already depressing as all get out. Now imagine on top of that you’re given only liquid food. While nutritionally dense, surely there would be a decline in moral? Considering food is such an important social aspect for people.
Although I appreciate the thought behind this idea, and would be happy to have Huel in hospital or prison (if ever I were to end up there), apart from potentially damaging the brand, imagine the outcry if prisons forced people to drink their food instead of providing them with it by force. Remember, we’re all here because we love Huel, what they do, and their benefit nutritionally, but not many inmates or hospital admissions feel the same.
Hmm maybe not. Because of ME I struggle with making 3 meals a day. Usually have two Huel meals and a cooked evening meal. I do this because I can’t get the help I need. I quite like Huel but I wouldn’t want this to become the norm. Let’s feed sick and incarcerated people liquid food because it’s more convenient than preparing 3 meals a day for them sounds like the kind of policy the Tory government would love.
Yes, I’ve think the conversation has moved on now from my initial un-informed question and has simmered down to what I think is a good idea which is to have Huel vending machines in hospitals for patients and staff.
I am definitely there for more healthy options in hospital vending machines and maybe including Huel in them. Wouldnt want to see the complete replacement of junk food in them though being in hospital is pretty miserable and sometimes you just need chocolate. But definitely there for a wider choice.
