Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. recently toured an Oklahoma facility for Mom’s Meals and praised their $7 delivered meals meant for Medicaid and Medicare recipients. He thanked the company for offering meals “without additives” and called this a solution to make Americans healthy again. But an Associated Press review found these meals rely on ultraprocessed, heat-and-eat formulas packed with chemical additives, sodium, sugar, and saturated fats—components Kennedy often critiques, making the endorsement appear inconsistent.

Critics question Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s health claims

NYU nutrition expert Marion Nestle reviewed the menus and said the meals include additives that you simply cannot prepare in a home kitchen. She pointed out that most meals are high in sodium, and many contain excess sugar or saturated fats. Nestle added that while it would be “perfectly possible” to craft similar dishes using real, whole ingredients, every meal she examined was over-reliant on additives—even though none used artificial dyes ().

Company response focuses on missing ingredients

Teresa Roof
Mom’s Meals spokeswoman, Teresa Roof.

Mom’s Meals spokeswoman Teresa Roof highlighted that their products omit common ultraprocessed ingredients like synthetic dyes, high fructose corn syrup, certain sweeteners, or preservatives banned in Europe. But she did not address other processing additives that classify the meals as ultraprocessed (). Meanwhile, HHS spokesman Andrew Nixon described Mom’s Meals as a “healthy alternative” to typical grocery options

Medically tailored meals tap into federal programs

Mom’s Meals delivers “medically tailored” meals to people with chronic illnesses or those recently discharged from the hospital, all supported through Medicaid or Medicare. States across the U.S. cover similar programs, but AP notes that some of these meals still feature high levels of salt, fat, and sugar, despite being marketed as dietitian‑approved ().

The broader food policy conflict

At its core, the controversy highlights a tension between Kennedy’s public push for whole-food diets and his support for a company whose meals contrast sharply with that message. These ultraprocessed meals don’t include artificial dyes—something the FDA recently pledged to phase out by 2026 under RFK Jr.’s leadership ()—but they do reflect ongoing concerns about what constitutes truly healthy fare under the Make America Healthy Again agenda.