Many fast food restaurants have moved from offering carbonated soda beverages in children’s meals and instead have pushed milk or apple juice, by their own choice. California now wants to make that mandatory. SB 1192, which has passed the California Grand Soviet Legislature aims to ban the default offering of any drink other than water, unflavored milk (or milk substitute).

“114379.10. For purposes of this chapter, the following terms have the following meanings:

(a) “Children’s meal” means a combination of food items and a beverage, or a single food item and a beverage, sold together at a single price, primarily intended for consumption by a child.

(b) “Default beverage” means the beverage automatically included or offered as part of a children’s meal, absent a specific request by the purchaser of the children’s meal for an alternative beverage.

(c) “Restaurant” means a retail food establishment that prepares, serves, and vends food directly to the consumer.

“114379.20. (a) A restaurant that sells a children’s meal shall make the default beverage offered with the children’s meal one of the following:

(1) Water, sparkling water, or flavored water, with no added natural or artificial sweeteners.

(2) Unflavored milk.

(3) A nondairy milk alternative that contains no more than 130 calories per container or serving. For purposes of this paragraph, “nondairy milk alternative” means a non-dairy fluid milk substitute that meets the standards for the National School Lunch Program as set forth in Section 210.10 of Title 7 of the Code of Federal Regulations.

(b) The beverage listed or displayed on a restaurant menu or advertisement for a children’s meal shall be one of the default beverages listed in subdivision (a).”