Fast Food chains dropping soda from kids menu is good, but does not make a healthy meal

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In March Burger King quietly removed soft drinks from its kids’ menu and as a beverage option for the Burger King Kids meal. They aren’t the first fast food chain to do this – Wendy’s and McDonald’s have instituted similar changes as well.

Soft drinks can still be ordered, but the posted options for kids at Burger King are now low-fat milk, low-fat chocolate milk and apple juice.

We have known for a very long time that soft drinks are not nourishing, and that they contain lots of sugar. So not serving them to three- to seven-year-olds makes good sense from a health perspective since children are still developing taste preferences and eating patterns.

Unfortunately from a policy and consumer behavior perspective it is difficult to celebrate Burger King’s delinquent reform to product offerings directed to children. It is like being self-congratulatory about finally cleaning out the refrigerator as the rest of the house burns.

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