California Legislature Changes Default Beverage in Kids’ Meals

The California legislature has passed a bill that would require retail food facilities to make the default beverages sold with children’s meals “water, sparkling water or flavored water, as specified, or unflavored milk or a nondairy milk alternative, as specified.” Flavored waters may not contain “added natural or artificial sweeteners,” while nondairy milk alternatives must contain fewer than 130 calories. In addition, a restaurant’s menu and advertisements must display the default beverages.

The bill would “not prohibit a restaurant’s ability to sell, or a customer’s ability to purchase, an alternative beverage instead of the default beverage offered with the children’s meal, if requested by the purchaser of the children’s meal.” The bill has been presented to Governor Jerry Brown for approval.