In August 2014, a bill which would require kids’ meals served in restaurants, that include toys to meet specific nutritional standards was introduced by Council Member Ben Kallos and co-sponsored by Council Members Stephen Levin and Corey Johnson. The “Healthy Happy Meals” bill applies calories, sodium, and fat standards in children’s meals that are accompanied by toys.s. Robin Vitale, Senior Director of Government Relations of the American Heart Association remarked that “New York City parents will soon gain support in the effort to feed healthy, nutritious meals to their kids once a newly introduced bill is passed”. Toy giveaways as a food and beverage marketing strategy can influence children’s food preferences and encourage unhealthy eating. Since one-fourth of children’s calories come from restaurant or fast food meals, setting standards for those meals has potential to improve a child’s overall health. To learn more about the legislation, and find out more about the American Heart Association advocacy click here.
What do you think of the City Council’s recent legislation? Let us know in the comments!