New bill would require healthier drink options for kids meals

DOVER, Del. – Delaware families could soon see changes to kids menus at restaurants, if a recently proposed bill is passed into law.

House Bill 79 hopes to inspire healthy choices by making water, milk or 100 percent juice the automatic drink included in kids meals, instead of soda. Supporters say that this bill will make it easier for families to make healthy choices when they eat out, something that is happening more often as our world gets busier and busier. And it’s a change that local restaurants seem to be on board with.

“It help them with their healthy living, you know weight wise. Not all that sweet stuff. It’s healthier to have juice or milk,” says Michelle Weigand, a server at Georgetown Family Restaurant.

People who oppose the bill say it could cost restaurants more money because soda is a cheaper option.
It’s important to know that the bill does not prevent restaurants from serving kids soda. It simply makes milk, juice or water the default option on the kids menu.

If the bill becomes law, Delaware would join California and Hawaii, the two other states that have passed similar legislation.