Food Regulation, Defeat Child Obesity

San Francisco enacts 'Happy Meal' ban; city to stop restaurants from offering toys with fatty foods

First, California lawmakers came for your weed. Now, they're coming for your Happy Meals.

The McDonald's Happy Meal went the way of Prop. 19 in San Francisco Tuesday when the city's board of supervisors voted to forbid restaurants from offering toys with meals that contain too much fat and sugar.

Restaurants would also need to provide fruits and vegetables with meals that come with free toys. The city said the measure was an effort to combat childhood obesity.

"We're part of a movement that is moving forward an agenda of food justice," Supervisor Eric Mar told the Los Angeles Times. "From San Francisco to New York City, the epidemic of childhood obesity in this country is making our kids sick, particularly kids from low income neighborhoods, at an alarming rate."

The rule, scheduled to take effect in December, says that restaurants may include a toy with a meal it contains fewer than 600 calories – food and drink combined -- and if less than 35% of the calories come from fat, The Times reported.

McDonald's spokeswoman Danya Proud said in a statement that the company was "extremely disappointed" with the decision.

"It's not what our customers want, nor is it something they asked for," Proud said.

San Francisco mayor Gavin Newsome had said he would veto the measure, but it passed with a veto-proof margin.

Tuesday's vote came on the same day that McDonald's brought their famed McRib sandwich back to menus for a four-week run in certain cities.

The processed pork sandwich, which has 26 grams of fat, has appeared on McDonald's menus on and off for years and has inspired a cult following, complete with pro-McRib Facebook pages.

City supervisors had been mulling the issue for months and had decided to put off voting on the ban until after voters had gone to the polls in order to make sure the measure didn't become an election issue.

Santa Clara County enacted a similar ban on toys accompanying high-calorie meals in April.

Supervisor Bevan Dufty, who voted for the ban, told The Times that critics should not dismiss the legislation as a nutty effort by San Franciscans.

"I do believe the industry is going to take note of this," Duffy said. "I don't care how much they say, 'It's San Francisco, they're wacked out there.' "

:( this makes me sad and it also makes me sad when you post facebook updates in german and I can't troll/comment them!

:( this makes me sad and it also makes me sad when you post facebook updates in german and I can't troll/comment them!

We had this *** in the UK called Jamie Oliver who went to all the schools and banned all the food that was fatty.

He managed to make school meals worse, which means I just ended up bringing my own fatty food to school.

lol. sometimes i'm glad i live in germany and not the US. beer at the age of 16, hard alcohol at the age of 18... and McRib and fat food at any age and as much as you want :D

Do they still use trans fats?

No idea as i dont care :P as long as i dont become fat or feel sick i eat it :3

We had this *** in the UK called Jamie Oliver who went to all the schools and banned all the food that was fatty.

He managed to make school meals worse, which means I just ended up bringing my own fatty food to school.

well, i dont go to Fast Food restaurants often. Like 1-2 per month... so I wouldnt really care. I love to go to restaurants tho... preferably greek, italian or thai <3

I wish I would have had beer at 16, had to wait 5 years. Also I wouldn't be paying out the *** for Warsteiner since it's a domestic beer there.

You need to try Franziskaner or Paulaner. Or Beck's ... best (German) beer ever!

I wish I would have had beer at 16, had to wait 5 years. Also I wouldn't be paying out the *** for Warsteiner since it's a domestic beer there.

But on the note of fast food places changing the way they make things. It seems like even larger chain restaurant that you dine in are changing how they make things and it just seems to be cheaper and grosses. I only get fast food now if I'm rushing and I only go out to eat at smaller private owned establishments. Idk something about a small local restaurant just taste better.

Definitely.

I've had Beck's but the other two no. It's hard to find good Imported beers in the States. Q_Q

lol. sometimes i'm glad i live in germany and not the US. beer at the age of 16, hard alcohol at the age of 18... and McRib and fat food at any age and as much as you want :D

i miss germany :(

lol and getting drunk on the street in front of the police is fun too. at the age of 18 XD haha.