JSFiddle - React, Tailwind, and code Playground by Brett DeWoody July 15, 2013 HTML <div ng-app="miniapp"> <div ng-controller="Ctrl"> <select ng-model="selectedColor" ng-options="color.value as color.name for color in colors" ng-init="selectedColor='yellow'"> <option value="">Select A Color</option> </select> </div> </div> JavaScript var $scope; var app = angular.module('miniapp', []); function Ctrl($scope) { $scope.colors = [ {name:'Red', value: 'red'}, {name:'Orange', value: 'orange'}, {name:'Yellow', value: 'yellow'}, {name:'Green', value: 'green'}, {name:'Blue', value: 'blue'}, {name:'Indigo', value: 'indigo'}, {name:'Violet', value: 'violet'} ]; };