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Statement

Moms Applaud Jack in the Box’s Decision to Pull Soda from Kids Menus

February 10, 2016
Youth & Family Justice

Lisa Lederer, 202-371-1996

Jack in the Box Joins iHop, Applebee’s, Dairy Queen, Burger King, Wendy’s, McDonalds, Subway, Chipotle, Arby’s and Panera in Providing Healthier Default Options on their Kids Menus
Today, after years of pressure from MomsRising.org, parents and nutrition advocates, Jack in the Box has announced that it will drop sugary sodas as an option from their kids meals and menus. The removal of soda pop products as an option from kids menus in all 2,200 of their restaurants nationwide will go into effect immediately.
 
In 2011, Jack in the Box announced its decision to remove promotional toys from kids meals to instead work on offering healthier menu options. By going a step further and removing highly caloric fountain drinks as an option from their menus, the burger chain will join fast food giants iHop, Applebee’s, Dairy Queen, Burger King, Wendy’s, McDonalds, Subway, and others in the pledge to market healthier food and beverage options to children.
 
Monifa Bandele, Senior Campaign Director of MomsRising.org’s Food Justice campaign, issued the following statement in response to Jack in the Box’s announcement:
 
“Sugary drinks are the number one source of calories in children’s diets and uniquely increase the risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and other chronic conditions. Mothers across the country work hard day-in and day-out to protect their kids in hopes of watching them grow into happy and healthy individuals. Sometimes though, parents aren’t around when their children make decisions about the kinds of foods and drinks they consume.
 
“That’s why we commend Jack in the Box on its decision to opt out of marketing some of their most unhealthy choices to children and take sodas off its kids menus as an option. Though ensuring dangerous fountain drinks are not readily available to kids is a step in the right direction, we hope the franchise can continue to explore ways to offer better, healthier alternatives to children.
 
“We are not asking for much. We simply want major fast food chains, who gross millions in income each year, to value children’s health alongside profits. And we will keep pressuring them for these changes until they do.”
 

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MomsRising.org is an on-the-ground and online grassroots organization of more than a million people who are working to increase family economic security, decrease discrimination against women and moms, and to build a nation where businesses and families can thrive. Established in 2006, MomsRising and its members are organizing and speaking out to improve public policy and to change the national dialogue on issues that are critically important to America’s families, including criminal justice reform, immigration policy reform, and gun safety. MomsRising is working for paid family and medical leave, affordable, high quality childcare and early learning, and for an end to the wage and hiring discrimination which penalizes women — particularly moms and women of color — and so many others. MomsRising advocates for access to healthy food for all kids, health care for all, earned sick days, and breastfeeding rights so that all children can have a healthy start. MomsRising maintains a Spanish language website: MamásConPoder.org. Sign up online at www.MomsRising.org — and follow us on our blog, and on Twitter and Facebook.