It’s hard to imagine buying a happy meal without finding some sort of toy or trinket inside that infamous McDonald’s cardboard box.

However, in California that is not the case anymore, as of recently a law was passed in California banning the sale of toys with Happy Meals. This was an attempt at trying to fight childhood obesity, and rightfully so.

Throughout our childhood, memories of the cardboard happy meal box from McDonalds serves as an important part of a childhood. Any time spent at the famous fast food chain would result in every child buying a happy meal in part for the food but for mostly the toy.

This was a smart marketing move by McDonalds which has lasted for quite a long time and brought in a heap of profit. But, if you look at it this way, it’s because of those toys that most children continuously eat at the fast food restaurant and consistently fill themselves with processed foods.

The happy meal is visually appealing, and that added surprise in the box keeps the children coming back for more. The consistent consuming of foods heavy with carbohydrates, additives and artificial flavors can only be detrimental to a child’s health, not in the short term but in the long run.

It’s a marketing measure taken by McDonald’s as a way to accommodate the younger generation and that they were able to accomplish. The measure taken by California is the beginning to similar measures in other states. By taking action against childhood obesity, they’re attempting to start a “food revolution” as said by an article that appeared in The Guardian.

This food revolution will be the start to hopefully many more; it’s time to take a more active role in preventing obesity especially in children. Brochures, articles and lectures are just not enough anymore; words can only go so far.

It’s correct to assume that the happy meal toys will be greatly missed; it became one of the significant parts of the childhoods of many in this country. Nevertheless, the times have changed and are still changing and disease has become widespread in the United States.

Being one of the top ten fattest countries in the world says a lot about the diet of the people and how well people take care of themselves.

It would be to our advantage to sacrifice an old childhood tradition in favor of the health of our children, for once.