Toys in take out meals limited by Happy Meal Ban

San Francisco has passed what is being called the Happy Meal Ban. The Healthy Meal Incentive act limits what meals can contain free toys. Santa Clara County has enacted a comparable Happy Meal Ban, despite heavy lobbying of a number of restaurant associations.

Ban on Happy Meals due to the fat that is so high

The San Francisco's board of supervisors passed the "Happy Meal Ban" on Tuesday. They were considering the nutritional content of a meal when doing this. Toys will not be allowed in certain meals at restaurants. Offering a toy is only allowed with a meal that has 600 calories or less. This will contain the drink in it. The meal has to have less than 35 calories from fat. That is the rule. A half cup of vegetables are required in the meal also. A restaurant will have to have a meal with great nutrition if it wants to offer a free toy with the meal.

Happy Meal Ban doesn't mean meals are prohibited

It is not true despite the fact that the "Happy Meal Ban" is just a Healthy Meal Incentive. Playthings are not allowed to be offered with meals that aren't healthy and have high-fat and high sugar as part of the Healthy Meal motivation. The sides of the debate are really clear. The line is seen by many. Some say banning the toys is removing consumer choice and an anti-business move. Many say educating parents on giving their kids better nutrition is a better route instead of making legislation to force it. Either way, the city legislation passed with a veto-proof majority.

Seeing the pattern with the Healthy Meal Incentive Act

Controlling what cities eat was done before the Healthy Meal Motivation legislation. Trans-fats in restaurants were prohibited in New York City in 2006. After that ban had been passed, McDonald’s, Taco Bell, Dunkin Donuts, Burger King, Arby’s, Applebee’s, Cheesecake Factory and thousands of other restaurants quit using trans fats. Crisco shortening was redone also. Trans-fats are no longer in it. Do you think there should not be bans like this, or will the Healthy Meal Incentive Act be a good thing for limiting the food we eat?

Articles cited

BanTransFats.com

bantransfats.com/transfatnews.html

LA Times

articles.latimes.com/2010/apr/28/business/la-fi-happy-meals-20100428