Vending Machine Challenge Short Order Style

The office vending machine, often the cause of extra pounds and unhealthiness, is seen as a calorie and nutrition trap. But let's be real, come 3 p.m.,.the shiny colorful wrappers start calling your name. Somehow you manage to justify the Snickers as a "meal replacement bar." That is, until the...

By Christina Staalstrom

October 11, 2010

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The office vending machine, often the cause of extra pounds and unhealthiness, is seen as a calorie and nutrition trap. But let's be real, come 3 p.m.,.the shiny colorful wrappers start calling your name. Somehow you manage to justify the Snickers as a "meal replacement bar." That is, until the next meal.

So we challenge you, reader, to come up with ideas to make something from your vending machine worthy of a Top Chef quickfire award. (Remember they did it with an amuse bouche...) The rules are simple: Use only a microwave and what's in the machine. Be sure to include at least one savory and one sweet ingredient.

First we'll give you an example. Ours is a run-of-the-mill vending machine with classic Lays, Bugles, Doritos, plantain chips, Snickers, watermelon gum, M&M's, Famous Amos cookies among others.

Behold the "stuffed rusty Bugle with nuts"! We melted our Snickers and Baby Ruth bars, dipped a Bugle in the nutty chocolate sauce and then stuffed the whole thing with the filling from a Swiss creme sandwich. Decadent? Hardly....but definitely worthy of a snack attack.

Now who's up for the challenge? Just leave it in the message field or send a message to [email protected]. Check in next week to see who takes on this very exciting public throw down. (Okay, that may be overinflated, but hey, we're talking vending machines.)

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