RFK Jr. stood in front of cameras and praised a company he believes is helping Americans eat better. On Monday, the United States Secretary of Health and Human Services, 71, thanked Mom’s Meals for sending what he called wholesome, additive-free dishes straight to the homes of sick and elderly people on Medicaid and Medicare.
He spoke about the company’s mission as if it were a breakthrough in public health.
Last week I toured @momsmeals, a facility in Oklahoma that prepares more than 75 million meals a year for Americans—meals made without dyes or other ingredients commonly found in ultra-processed foods. pic.twitter.com/tX7uvT8m0A
— Secretary Kennedy (@SecKennedy) July 7, 2025
The meals cost seven dollars each and include plates like chicken bacon ranch pasta and French toast sticks with fruit or ham patties. Kennedy said these meals are a key part of his push to, as he puts it, make the country healthy again. His praise came after he toured the company’s Oklahoma facility last week and recorded a video that quickly spread online.
Yet, an Associated Press review of Mom’s Meals tells a very different story. Reporters went through ingredient lists and nutrition labels and found meals packed with industrial additives and preservatives that you would never find in a home kitchen. The meals are convenient, but they are also examples of ultra-processed food, the very thing RFK Jr. warns against.
Nutrition experts were quick to point out the contradictions. Marion Nestle, a food policy specialist at New York University, looked at the menu and saw high levels of sodium, sugar, and saturated fats in several dishes. She said the use of certain additives is what puts them squarely in the ultra-processed category.
The company pushed back on the criticism. A Mom’s Meals spokesperson said their products avoid synthetic dyes, high-fructose corn syrup, and certain preservatives banned in Europe. They insist their menu is a healthier option compared to many grocery store meals. Still, they did not directly address why so many of their dishes depend on additives that you could not replicate at home.
Federal health officials echoed the company’s defense. Andrew Nixon, a spokesperson for the U.S. Health and Human Services said the meals are healthier than many options available in stores. He stressed that medically tailored meals like these can help people with special diets stay on track without the burden of cooking every day.
Mom’s Meals is part of a larger industry serving Americans who rely on Medicaid and Medicare. These companies promise meals designed by dietitians and tailored for conditions like cancer, diabetes, or post-surgery recovery. States spend millions on these programs, believing they reduce hospital readmissions and improve outcomes.
However, not all medically tailored meals live up to their marketing. A STAT investigation last year found many companies fill their menus with salt, fat, and sugar, despite being advertised as diet-friendly. For people who cannot shop or cook, these meals are better than nothing, but they are far from the kind of fresh, whole-food diet experts recommend.
His supporters call themselves MAHA, short for Make America Healthy Again, and they rally behind his vision of fewer additives and more real nutrition in every meal.
This is what makes his praise for Mom’s Meals so surprising. He has built his reputation on questioning the quality of the food supply. Yet here he is, endorsing a menu of ultra-processed dishes that many health experts warn against. It is a sharp contrast that leaves many wondering if his message is getting lost in the politics of public health.