This story was updated at 8:55 a.m. Jan. 12, 2022, to include more co-sponsors of the legislation.
County Council Member Craig Rice is proposing a “healthy meal” mandate for restaurants, forcing menus to have at least one nutritious choice for children.
The option would be one of many choices on menus in restaurants and similar businesses countywide, according to the bill.
Restaurants and other food-service businesses, under the proposal, would be required to offer at least one meal that has less than:
- 600 calories
- 700 milligrams of sodium
- 35% of calories from total sugars
- 35% of calories from fat
- 10% of calories from saturated fat
- 0.5 grams of trans fat
The meal also must include either water with no added sugar; 8 ounces or less of nonfat or 1% milk or a daily equivalent; or 6 ounces or less of fruit or vegetable juice, or a fruit-vegetable juice combo.
It must also include the following:
- A half-cup or more of unfried fruit or unfried vegetables, excluding juice, condiments, or spreads
- A whole grain product consisting of, by weight, 51% or more of whole grain ingredients
- A lean protein, which could be: 1 ounce or more of meat, seafood, nuts, seeds, beans, or peas; an egg; half a cup of nonfat or 1% milk or low-fat yogurt, or 1 ounce of reduced fat cheese; or a plant-based alternative with calcium or vitamin D
If the bill passes, it still would have to be signed by the county executive to become law.
If restaurants or similar businesses don’t comply, it would be a Class A violation. According to county code, that means the business would face a $500 initial fine, then a $750 fine for repeat offenses.
The Prince George’s County Council approved similar legislation in November 2020. That legislation sets similar limits on the types of beverages that would be served with a kids meal, along with calorie, sugar and fat restrictions, according to Voices for Healthy Kids, a group under the American Heart Association that advocates for better health for youth.
Rice said the coronavirus pandemic has shown that those lower on the socioeconomic ladder are more susceptible to poor eating habits, and thus worse complications from COVID-19.
“It’s helping to instill a lifetime of healthy eating behaviors that are really important for our children, to be modeled for our future generations,” Rice said as he introduced his bill at Tuesday’s meeting. “Childhood obesity rates continue to rise, and there are long-term consequences and long-term health impacts that are as a result of seeing these obesity rates.”
Rice said the bill is supported by the American Heart Association and he has worked with the Restaurant Association of Maryland while drafting it.
In an interview, he said the legislation is meant to give families more options for their children to eat healthy at restaurants and businesses countywide.
At the beginning of the pandemic, Rice said, he noticed the importance of kids eating healthier, especially as county and Montgomery County Public School officials worked to provide students with meals as schools were closed.
He hopes that restaurants and similar establishments see it as an opportunity. He believes it shouldn’t be difficult for them to offer at least one healthy meal.
“At the end of the day, what matters to me most is we can come up with a way that isn’t onerous on our businesses and restaurants to give better options for their clientele,” Rice said.
Melvin Thompson, the senior vice president of government affairs and public policy for the Restaurant Association of Maryland, wrote in an email that his organization would continue working with Rice through the legislative process. He added that tweaks are needed.
“We’ve had initial discussions with Council Member Rice and his staff about this legislation, and hope to continue working with him and the Council to address industry concerns regarding the details of the bill language,” Thompson wrote.
Brian Levine, the vice president of government affairs for the Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce, declined to comment on the legislation.
Rice said he is willing to work with the Restaurant Association of Maryland and other partners to amend the legislation, perhaps by lessening the number of requirements.
County Council President Gabe Albornoz and Council Members Will Jawando, Nancy Navarro and Tom Hucker are co-sponsors. A public hearing is scheduled for Feb. 1.
Steve Bohnel can be reached at steve.bohnel@moco360.media
