Question

How can I use jQuery to move a specific <option> to be the second option?

<select class="comestibles">
 <option>apple</option>
 <option>banana</option>
 <option>cantaloupe</option>
 <option>date</option>
 <option>eggplant</option>
 <option>fig</option>
</select>

<select class="comestibles">
 <option>apple</option>
 <option>banana</option>
 <option>cantaloupe</option>
 <option>date</option>
 <option>eggplant</option>
 <option>fig</option>
</select>

This code will make eggplant the first option… close but no cigar.

jQuery('select.comestibles').each(function(){
  $('option[value=eggplant]',this).prependTo(this);
}); 

Answer 1

Assuming there’s only one select element…

jQuery('option[value=eggplant]').insertAfter('option:first-child')

I also assume that you actually have value attributes on your elements.

http://jsfiddle.net/wNmLF/

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The code in the question changed. Now it would be…

jQuery('select.comestibles option[value=eggplant]').insertAfter('select.comestibles option:first-child')

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For the most recent change…

jQuery('select.comestibles').each(function(){
    var opts = $(this).children();
    opts.filter('[value=eggplant]').insertAfter(opts.first())
});