Getting your kids to not eat fast food may have just gotten a whole lot easier in San Francisco. No more happy meals.
They’re not planning to ban the meal as much as the toy that comes with it, but really…the toy is what makes the happy meal. The government there feels that toys are used as incentives to get children to want more kids’ meals and are contributing to childhood obesity.
Happy meal = Toy = “MOM! I WANT A HAPPY MEAL!”
Sound familiar? How could the children possibly live without completing the set of kids’ meal toys? It would be such a shame to have Homer, Marge, Lisa and Maggie with no Bart Simpson.
The legislation intends to break this link between toy rewards and unhealthy eating.
The Healthy Meal Incentive legislation will set nutritional standards for meals that come with toys. The legislation intends to target childhood obesity and encourage healthy eating. Here is the official summary:
“Supervisor Mar introduces Healthy Meal Incentive legislation, which sets nutritional standards for restaurant food that is accompanied by toys or other youth focused incentive items. This legislation is aimed at promoting healthy eating habits and to address issues related to childhood obesity. Fast food restaurants target children and youth by offering toys and other incentive items. The Healthy Meal Incentive legislation would encourage restaurants to provide healthier meal options. To provide an incentive item, meals must contain fruits and vegetables, not exceed 600 calories or 200 calories for a single food item and must not have beverages that have excessive fat or sugar.”
This won’t be the first toy ban in California if it goes through. Santa Clara county banned toys in meals earlier this year.
Reactions are mixed, as some people feel it is the parents’ responsibility, not the government’s, to teach their children how to eat healthily, but others are all for the measure.
What do you think? Should toys be banned in unhealthy meals?
Source: http://blogs.sfweekly.com/thesnitch/2010/08/happy_meals_may_be_banned_by_s.php
Photo credit: Flickr Creative Commons by EvelynGiggles
I agree, banning fast food doesn’t make kids healthier. I think the focus should be on healthy families – healthy groceries, making meals nutritous together, being active together. It’s about a healthy lifestyle and that means everything in moderation. I don’t eat fast food often but sometimes I enjoy a #3 from McDonald’s, I would hate to have that taken away by the govenment. http://blog.mydiscoverhealth.com/
What patronizing sanctimonious garbage! Where does this lust to forbid pleasure come from?
The prohibition is totally unnecessary. For a start, Happy Meals can be healthy meals. Any parent can pick a happy meal with carrots instead of fries and milk instead of Coke. What is left is the hamburger–absolutely not more fattening than the holier-than-thou-meals (think veggie beans and rice with melted cheese on top)which are as heavy in fat and calories (if not more so)!
“Healthy” is not necessarily healthy, and “unhealthy” is not necessarily unhealthy!
What do I think? It is my responsibility to see that my children eat well, not the damned state government! What are they going to take away next, kid’s TV shows and movies? The legislatures had best focus on the state’s more pressing problems, such as the budget. So glad I don’t live in California!!