Santa Clara County in California became the first county in the nation to ban toys from a fast food kid’s meal on Tuesday April 28.

     County supervisors voted to ban the “plastic goodies” that help promote meals with more than 485 calories. Ken Yeager, a county supervisor says, "This prevents restaurants from preying on children's love of toys to peddle high-calorie, high-fat, and high-sodium kids' meals." Banning the toys will then also help fight childhood obesity.

    The supervisors are hoping that the ban breaks the “link” between unhealthy food and prizes. Toys are still permitted to be given out, although with the meals that have more than 485 calories, 600 milligrams of sodium, 35 percent of total calories from fat or more than 10 percent of calories from added sugar, a toy will not be included.

    This decision has angered the California Restaurant Association, because local officials had not come to them before creating the ban. A poll was conducted to show 80 percent of local residents didn’t think the toy “issue” was an important one. Kaitlyn Heckner, a senior says, “I think this is a good idea, it will definitely keep more kids healthy and not just want high calorie food just for the toys.”

     “I hope the ordinance will spark other counties and states to pass similar legislation,” says a food association’s director. “Restaurants will have a 90 day grace period beginning May 11 before the ordinance goes into effect.”