Healthy Beverages

Jeffco Sips Smart is a group of community partners that aims to improve the health of all people in Jeffco by increasing healthy beverage consumption through education, partnerships and supportive policies. We are part of the Healthy Beverage Partnership, a seven-county regional collaboration.

Spot Hidden Sugar 

Did you know that a soda has as much sugar as 18 chocolate chip cookies? And that fruit drinks and sports drinks are close with 8-10 cookies’ worth of sugar? These drinks with added sugar (soda, juice drinks, sports and energy drinks, sweetened teas and coffees) are the biggest source of added sugars in Americans’ diets and cause immediate and long-term health concerns. 

To learn more about this and how to choose healthy drinks, visit our Hidden Sugar campaign [external link].

To learn about our past work with healthy vending, concessions and meetings view our Legacy Lens (PDF) and our Healthy Beverage Partnership toolkit [external link].

Children’s Meal Focus 

We’re excited to support restaurants to promote healthy drinks on children's menus. Healthy drinks are those with no added sugar and include water, unflavored milk and 100% juice.

For more information on healthy drinks and the effects of sugary beverages, please see our Healthy Beverage Campaign Toolkit [external link]. This toolkit contains social media resources about the effects of sugary beverages and the marketing practices of beverage companies. This information was used for the support of the Golden Healthy Kid’s Meal Ordinance. Additionally, check out our video resource, Healthy Beverage Campaign Video [external link].

Why Children’s Meals?

Promoting only healthy drinks on children’s menus sets our kids up for a healthy future while still maintaining parent choice.

  • Many national chains have already moved to list healthy drinks and sides on their children’s menus.
  • Did you know that a toddler’s or preschooler’s drink choice remains their preferred drink into adulthood?
  • When a healthy default drink is listed on a menu people are 66% more likely to choose it.
  • People can still order any drink they wish.
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Where Is This Happening?

This approach has been successful in over ten cities nationwide [external link], most recently in our very own Lafayette, Colorado led by the Lafayette Youth Advisory Council! 

Benefits to Customers

  • Supports parents and caregivers by giving them easy access to healthy options.
  • Any drink can still be ordered with the children’s menu.
  • This limits the advertising of the unhealthy sugary drinks to children.

Benefits to Restaurants

  • This is low effort and cost neutral, since a children’s meal includes a drink in the price.
  • It sends a positive message that the restaurant supports youth health.