Less Soda and More Milk

As a kid it was a treat for me to get coke (we don’t call it “pop” in the South; think of it as big C and little c) when we went out to eat. My folks didn’t serve it very often at home and probably for good reason. There was always milk, white and chocolate.

It was nice to see Applebee’s and IHOP join many of the chains like McDonald’s and Wendy’s in removing sodas from the kid’s menus. You can still order it, but it won’t be listed. That may not sound like much, but as a parent I know kids will more likely choose from the pictures on their menu than something that is not on it.

Cavities and empty calories go hand in hand with cokes no matter your age. Moving kids away from drinking sodas is a good start, and what would be even better would be if we were given the option of choosing milk when we order our number one combos at the drive thru.

Toddst2 at English Wikipedia [CC BY-SA 3.0 or GFDL], via Wikimedia Commons

If getting away from sodas is good for the health of children then why not adults? I’m not sure why soda, tea, coffee, and water are acceptable for adults to drink at a restaurant but not milk. The best way to lead is by example, and when mom and dad are having their milk when they go out to eat then the kids are likely to follow that healthy choice as well.