McDonald’s is the quintessential American fast-food chain and the Happy Meal is its flagship item. But recently there’s been a Grumpy Debate surrounding the Happy Meal as San Francisco considers legislation that would effectively ban the boxed fare.

The debate centers around the question of whether it’s fair to target kids with the toys included in every Happy Meal. Advocates of the ban argue that the toys lure children into eating unhealthy food. While it’s admitted that the Happy Meal is high in calories, saturated fat, sodium, and cholesterol, opponents argue that food choice is an issue of parent responsibility in which the government has no right to interfere.

McDonald’s is certainly no stranger to this sort of controversy. In April, a Washington-based non-profit group, the Center for Science in the Public Interest, threatened the restaurant chain with a lawsuit and argued that Happy Meal toys represent an unfair marketing practice which is already illegal. And in the spring, Santa Clara, California, passed a bill similar to the one San Francisco is mulling, which banned restaurants from offering toys with meals that did not meet certain nutritional requirements.

Whether or not the ban passes, the time is right for this kind of debate. Michelle Obama’s push for healthier school lunches has drawn attention to the soaring rates of childhood obesity in the US. And just this week, scientists announced that high cholesterol is endangering the heart health of our nation’s young people. As childhood nutrition makes the news more often, awareness of the issue is raised. And we don’t need a plastic toy to feel happy about that.

If you or your child have had one too many unhealthy meals lately,  find a preventive medicine specialist or find a pediatrician today.