By now, it seems the most pundits (except MeMe Roth and the grinches at the Center for Science in the Public Interest) have shown disapproval at Santa Clara County’s narrowly approved decision to ban toys from popular children’s restaurant meals. Most people rightly recognize the inherent nannying in such a decision, as well as the backhanded slap at parents’ childrearing skills. Eighty percent of county residents think the board of supervisors has better things to do with its time. But that’s not all. As we tell readers of The Daily Caller today, forcing eateries to adopt “Morose Meals” could conceivably have unintended consequences on kids’ health:
The ironic thing is that restaurants have already taken the initiative to offer healthier choices. Milk can replace soft drinks. Apple slices are now an alternative to fries.
Of course, this would take some action on the part of our parents. And if the Santa Clara supervisors are to be believed, parents are simply too lazy or too scared of their children to put healthier options in front of them.
The interesting thing about kid’s meals is that they provide kid-sized portions. A hamburger Happy Meal, with fries and a Diet Coke, has only 510 calories. With apple slices replacing fries that number drops to 295 calories. A “No. 1” at McDonalds is anchored by a Big Mac; that sandwich alone has 560 calories. A “No. 1” at Burger King is even worse for the kids: The Whopper contains 670 calories.
Do we want to push kids away from child-sized portions and toward adult portions?
Read the whole piece here.
