Happy Meals Now Banned In Santa Clara

[wolfgirl90]

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/04/27/health/main6436917.shtml

(Despite the name of the article, the law has already been passed)

A new law in Santa Clara, California has made it illegal to sell toys with high calorie meals. This in effect bans such things as the McDonald's Happy Meal, Wendy's Kid's Meal or Burger King Kids Meal (although kid's meals from Taco Bell, Chick-Fil-A and Subway might be fine as they usually contain books, not toys [if they contain anything at all]).

The ban was implemented because some lawmakers believe the the toys are pretty much a "reward" for bad eating habits, a magnet for children to eat unhealthy food.

However, I personally do not think that this is case (hell, I don't think that the law is going to help with anything). First, children want to go to McDonald's because they like McDonald's food; getting the toy is a side effect of going to the restaurant (I don't think kids really care). Second, this only works if 1) the kids were actually attracted to the toys to buy the food and 2) if the children themselves were buying the toys. The fact of the matter is that PARENTS are the ones buying the food for their kids and its up to the PARENTS to regulate what goes into their kids' mouths. This new law only gets rid of the toy; it doesn't stop the parents from ultimately going to McDonald's and buying a bunch of small fries for their kids (which is ultimately what parents are going to do). If parents want their kids to eat healthier, they can get the healthier alternatives available at many restaurants or, and this is just a little suggestion, stop GOING TO MCDONALD'S!!:rolleyes:

So, what do you think of this new law? Smart? Stupid? Do you think that is going to cut down on childhood obesity or not do a darn thing?

[GameGeeks]

Government is just stupid. Like you said, things like that should be up to the parents. Government shouldn't take such decisions from the parents. And damn, I want to pick two and four for the poll.

[Gjallarhorn]

things like that should be up to the parents.

While I understand the reasons behind this ban, the quote sums up my opinion. But, the reason why parents get their kids Happy Meals isn't because of the toys, but rather because of how cheap and readily available they are; and you can't really pass a law to regulate that.

[Ramona Flowers]

Nuuu! D: this is bullcrap! I loved happy meals, only got them if I went like a long period of time (weeks) without getting into trouble, good grades, etc. And whenever I got a happy meal it was a freakin party. And so, to this very day, a happy meal (which is rare) fills me with comfort and happiness. its a freakin happy meal. Besides, they've added slightly healthier foods to the menu for happy meals.

[Miss Moonlight]

Although the kid in me weeps at this, I kind of understand it.

Mcdonald's doesn't really push health food, and especially not for kids ... they are, after all, a fast food company. And parents these days have seemingly very little time to actually cook, so they buy junk food for their kids.

But, it should really be up to the parents as to how they will feed their kids.

I guess they should change it to "slightly healthier meal" and have Richard Simmons toys in each box. Or bag.

... Do they even have the boxes anymore?

Banning junkfood isn't going to magically cure obesity. It's just going to make it harder for people to get it. Kids can get junk food anywhere.

Calorie reduction, education and all of that, might help loads more.

[Eris]

Heh, they've been pushing healthy happy meals in Sweden, offering carrot sticks and milk as an alternative to fries and coke with the burger. Their nutritional values aren't actually half bad.

[DOOM!]

To tell the truth, when I was lil' I used to buy Happy Meals just for the toys inside. I'd eat the stuff too, but it tasted strange and still wouldn't satiate my hunger. Today, I don't go to McDonald's, but if I'm stuck in my friend's car and starving and get served a Happy Meal, it had better damn have a toy in it!
Not that I care, but really gotta feel that they lost something over ME, as I lost my money and health over THEM. That, and maybe use the toy as a keychain, decoration, or just to piss off my friends before I throw it straight in the garbage can.

[Syaoran]

Most of the time the toys are just junk...so thats not the main problem.

[Forgotten Show]

The ban was implemented because some lawmakers believe the the toys are pretty much a "reward" for bad eating habits, a magnet for children to eat unhealthy food.

I rarely get to say this about things Cali lawmakers do, but this time they're actually right. It's one of the fundamental basics of behavioral psychology, and in this case is working on conjunction the physiological components that draw people toward fast food.

Whether the law will do anything or not... I dunno. It may help, but I think the help would be marginal at best. Philosophically, I disagree with placing yet another less-than-useful mandate on businesses, but it's not like this is going to cost anything. Lotta uselessness all around, I guess.

How's California's debt coming? Are they still issuing IUOs for gov't employee tax returns and bonuses (yes, it got that bad there...)? I might focus more on that first.



Bad Memory

[Archaic Devices]

Wait, is it the meal itself or just the toys? I can see banning the toys, but if its the meal itself thats just crazy o_O

[wolfgirl90]

While I understand the reasons behind this ban, the quote sums up my opinion. But, the reason why parents get their kids Happy Meals isn't because of the toys, but rather because of how cheap and readily available they are; and you can't really pass a law to regulate that.

Especially since the food is still there. I think the kids may be a little upset that they won't get toys in their Happy Meals, but the kids are not the ones buying them; its the parents. And I suspect that some of the parents are not going to give a crap about the toy so long as a bunch of french fries will get their kids to shut up.

http://www.animeforum.com/vbimghost.php?do=displayimg&imgid=49773


Wait, is it the meal itself or just the toys? I can see banning the toys, but if its the meal itself thats just crazy o_O

Serving the toy along with the meal is what's illegal now. Since the fundamental point of a "Happy" Meal is to get a meal plus a toy, unless McDonald's changes it (like the Big Kid's Meals), the Happy Meal in and of itself has basically been banned.

For other restaurants, they were basically bumming off of McDonald's idea, so cutting out the toy might not be such a problem for them.

[Darkseid]

That is just silly.

I doubt it will affect anything, really. Kids still gonna eat fatening food.

[Eris]

That is just silly.

I doubt it will affect anything, really. Kids still gonna eat fatening food.

Make that "Kids are going to eat what their parents feed them."

[poshyterra]

That's garbage. This isn't going to help childhood obesity. Everyone thinks if you ban food or put the labels on them then the world will stop eating it. Guess what? Nobody cares.

I grew up on Happy Meals. I loved getting them. They were a treat for me and my little sister. The toys amused us for a little while, and sometimes we really liked a few of them (the Stitch toy was the big one). I never really cared though. It was just the thought of eating french fries with my family and such that made Happy Meals special.

This is dumb. If the parents want to feed their kids Happy Meals, you can't stop them. I'd just go to the next town then if I wanted one.

[Darkseid]

Make that "Kids are going to eat what their parents feed them."
Thus fatening food. :p

[sylvi]

Oh, wow. It still never ceases to amuse me that people still think America has a free capitalist market when stuff like this happens. This is absolutely ridiculous and I can't believe this law would be passed.

[Eris]

Oh, wow. It still never ceases to amuse me that people still think America has a free capitalist market when stuff like this happens. This is absolutely ridiculous and I can't believe this law would be passed.

But then again, businesses aren't allowed to sell drugs because of basically the same reason. They're bad for you and cost society money. In that sense, this is hardly something new. You even had the prohibition back when the market was considerably freer than it is now.

You'll know the free market is gone when you get a 15 year vacation in the gulag for buying a happy meal.

[Miss Moonlight]

Like most people here have been saying, this is really a band-aid measure, and not a very good one.

On the high end of obesity, there are still 500-600 pound people (and even sometimes kids) at obesity clinics. At that point, the problem isn't just the food ... but for kids, who enables them to eat as much as they do. It's usually the parents.

As for adults, they can still order from phones and the internet, all the junk they want. So, banning the food is not going to help. It's a pretty pointless bill.

[sylvi]

But then again, businesses aren't allowed to sell drugs because of basically the same reason. They're bad for you and cost society money. In that sense, this is hardly something new. You even had the prohibition back when the market was considerably freer than it is now.
You're right, but this is even less justified in my opinion than drugs or alcohol. It's fast food and it's removing that wee bit of fun and surprise kids get when they go to McDonalds. And if the kid is eating too much of it, that's not his fault, its his parents fault. And I'm pretty certain you can get the same exact thing that comes in a happy meal cheaper if you buy them individually off of the dollar menu (burger is $1, small fries are $1, and a small drink is $1). So why not just demolish the damn happy meal itself?

[KitKaty]

Seriously? They could just make the meals healthier instead of taking the fun out of the meal. Up here, you get healthier options with the kids menu like milk, apple slices, carrots, and a few other good food choices.

Now if they included the toy when the child gets the healthy selection, that'd be great! You'd be rewarding kids to eat foods that are better for the body.

[Acnologia]

Well, I'm all for kids eating healthier, but the fact is that a lot of kids hate healthy food, and would rather eat sweets.

[wolfgirl90]

Like most people here have been saying, this is really a band-aid measure, and not a very good one.

Well, the reason why it truly sucks is that the law doesn't prevent the kids (or adults for that matter) from getting their hands on the food. It just prevents the restaurants from giving away toys along with the food.

So the kids can still get fat. They will have plenty of fries in their mouths but have a little less plastic in their rooms.



Now if they included the toy when the child gets the healthy selection, that'd be great! You'd be rewarding kids to eat foods that are better for the body.

I was talking about this to my mother and she said the same thing (she gave me Happy Meals for years, so she would know).:p

It would make lot more sense to give the toy for the healthier meal as a reward (since according to lawmakers that's how children eat). If they are attracted to the toy, they might become more attracted to the food. Maybe we should show Batman eating an apple or Darth Vader and Yoda enjoying a glass of milk.:)

[Mirun]

Its called Happy Meal. It makes them Happy. Now they are denying children their nutritional need and value of Love and Happy in their meals.

[Manhattan_Project_2000]

Heh, they've been pushing healthy happy meals in Sweden, offering carrot sticks and milk as an alternative to fries and coke with the burger. Their nutritional values aren't actually half bad.
This is done at some fast food places in 'Merica too, McDonald's does it if nothing else. Participation is voluntary of course, you're still given the choice to have fries and soda with your hamburger if you want it.

[Kaname Shikara]

This is just dumb and stupid O.o and I believe it wont change anything.

[KoboraX]

Wow...that's stupid. What kind of person wants Happy Meals banned, anyway?

[sylvi]

Wow...that's stupid. What kind of person wants Happy Meals banned, anyway?

A statist.

[Balance]

Wow...that's stupid. What kind of person wants Happy Meals banned, anyway?
The Happy Meals aren't banned, the toys in them are.

[Eris]

This is done at some fast food places in 'Merica too, McDonald's does it if nothing else. Participation is voluntary of course, you're still given the choice to have fries and soda with your hamburger if you want it.

... which means they should be free to sell toys with said healthy kids meals.

[Dr. Evil]

Um...wow. I remember being a little bastard and gettin a Happy Meal and the toy was the best part. I guess some kids won't enjoy it now. Oh well, as said in a couple posts above, it will steer some kids away from eating the real bad stuff. For god sakes, bring em to a fruit stand once in a while!