Santa Clara County Supervisors approve first-of-its-kind ban on
toys connected to unhealthy children’s meals
By Lindsay Bryant
Pinnacle staff writer
From happy meals to un-happy
– toys linked to unhealthy meals at fast-food and restaurants
will be outlawed in unincorporated Santa Clara County after the
Board of Supervisors approved an ordinance 3-2 on Tuesday
morning.
Santa Clara County Supervisors approve first-of-its-kind ban on toys connected to unhealthy children’s meals
By Lindsay Bryant
Pinnacle staff writer
From happy meals to un-happy – toys linked to unhealthy meals at fast-food and restaurants will be outlawed in unincorporated Santa Clara County after the Board of Supervisors approved an ordinance 3-2 on Tuesday morning.
It’s a symbolic piece of legislation to fight childhood obesity, proposed by Board President Ken Yeager – fewer than 100 restaurants will be affected and fewer than 10 actually offer toys with meals.
But its distinction as the first ban in the United States of toys connected to unhealthy children’s meals has garnered national attention.
“This ordinance does not attack toys. Obviously, toys, in and of themselves, do not make children obese,” said Yeager, who proposed the ban. “But it is unfair to parents and children to use toys to capture the tastes of children when they are young to get them hooked on eating high-sugar, high-fat foods early in life.”
Restaurants that sell toys as “rewards for buying foods that have excessive calories” will be penalized with first a $250 fine that will increase up to $1,000 for excessive infractions.
Public health officials will have jurisdiction over enforcing these laws and Yeager responded that if places like McDonalds or Burger King receive bad publicity – since the fines are minor – then his message is effective.
The ordinance will allow for toys to be offered with healthier meals.
“We hope that other municipalities, counties and states will follow suit in helping to level the playing field for parents by passing similar ordinances,” Yeager said.
The ordinance outlines the caps for unhealthy meals for children: More than 120 calories for a beverage, 200 calories for a single food item, or 485 total calories for a meal.
Before becoming law, the ordinance must be read once again on May 11 at the board’s meeting and then a 90-day grace period will follow. Restaurants are given the opportunity during that time to offer alternatives to the ban but that also meet the goal of linking toys to healthier meals.
Yeager drew upon other laws that require children to wear seat belts or helmets when they ride bikes, for example, when asked if the government was meddling in the private sector.
“The government acts all of the time to help the health and wellness of children,” Yeager responded.
AREA RESTAURANTS AFFECTED:
MORGAN HILL
– Coyote Creek Golf Course
– Coyote Valley RV Resort Market
– Ernie’s Bar & Baja Grill
– Thousand Trails Kitchen
SAN MARTIN
– Clos La Chance
– Cordevalle Golf Club
– El Pato Loco
– San Martin Cafe
– San Martin Lions Club
GILROY
– Castroville Corners
– Pacific Dining at Gavilan College
– Picnic Grove
– San Juan Grill
– Skeels Orange Freeze
– South County Cones
