California parents: If you regularly take your family out for a meal, beware that a new law signed by Governor Jerry Brown will have milk or water be the default drink option for children's meals starting in 2019.
Restaurants in Californiaq that sell special meals for children (i.e. fast food restaurants, children's menus) will now be required by law to make this nutritiously conscious change.
While this is an attempt to combat childhood obesity and promote healthier lifestyles, you are still able to order sodas and other sugary drinks by request.
The new law was signed on Thursday, September 20th, 2018, and follows an ordinance previously enacted in a number of cities and counties from a few years ago.
According to The Los Angeles Times, some fast-food and dine-in restaurants have voluntarily changed their kids’ meals, and the new law had no formal opposition as it made its way through the California Legislature.
“Our state is in the midst of a public health crisis where rates of preventable health conditions like obesity and Type-2 Diabetes are skyrocketing, due in large part to increased consumption of sugary beverages,” state Sen. Bill Monning (D-Carmel), the law’s author, said in a written statement.
Parents, if you're wondering what the financial penalty for a restaurant that breaks the new law is, it is a minor one. The business will receive a written notice on the first violation. Additional violations over a five-year period would result in fines starting at $250, but only a single fine would be assessed per inspection. (The Los Angeles Times)
Parents! I'd love to hear back from you guys. Is this an important move for our children?
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