WASHINGTON — Burger King is pulling sugary sodas from its kids’ menu, joining the fast-food trend of altering menus to encourage healthy lifestyles.
Burger King pulled soft drinks from its kids’ menu boards quietly last month, USA TODAY reports. Other restaurants such as McDonald’s and Wendy’s have made similar changes to how they market menus.
Popular restaurants, including Wendy’s, Subway, Arby’s and Chipotle, don’t post soda on the kids’ menu.
Also, last week, McDonald’s announced it would eliminate human antibiotics from its check supply. Additionally, Dunkin’ Donuts said it would remove a whitening agent from its pastries. Both were efforts to improve the health quality of their food.
Alex Macedo, president of Burger King North America, said the change is “part of our ongoing effort to offer our guests options that match lifestyle needs,” according to USA TODAY.
Soft drinks are still an option for customers, but they are not listed on the kids’ meal menu.
The kids’ meal offers the options of fat-free milk, 100 percent apple juice and low-fat chocolate milk.
Sugary soft drinks are a top source of calories in children’s diets and can contribute to obesity, Margo Wootan, director of nutrition policy for the Center for Science in the Public Interest, told USA TODAY.
“It … helps to set kids on a path toward healthier eating in the future, with fewer kids becoming conditioned to think that soda should be a part of every eating out occasion,” Wootan said.
