Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. recently praised Mom’s Meals, a company delivering $7 ready-to-eat meals to homes of Medicaid and Medicare recipients. After touring the company’s facility in Oklahoma, Kennedy shared a video on his official account calling the program a vital solution to improving public health. The meals range from chicken bacon ranch pasta to French toast sticks with fruit or ham patties.

“This is really one of the solutions for making our country healthy again,” Kennedy stated, commending the company for distributing “additive-free” meals to vulnerable populations.

Ultraprocessed Reality Behind the Meals

However, an Associated Press review tells a different story. Despite Kennedy’s praise, many of Mom’s Meals' offerings fall under the category of ultraprocessed foods, the very types Kennedy often blames for rising illness in America. Nutrition expert Marion Nestle from New York University reviewed the meals and found them to be full of additives not typically used in home cooking.

“These meals are filled with ultra-processing additives,” Nestle said. “What’s so sad is that they don’t have to be this way. Other companies make healthier options, but they cost more.”

She noted many of the meals are high in sodium, saturated fat, or sugar.

Company’s Response and Defense

Mom’s Meals defended its offerings. Spokeswoman Teresa Roof claimed the meals don’t include ingredients commonly found in ultraprocessed foods, such as synthetic dyes, high fructose corn syrup, or certain banned preservatives. However, she did not directly address the presence of other additives or explain how the meals remain shelf-stable without significant processing.

A spokesperson from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Andrew Nixon, called the meals a “healthy alternative” to what many low-income consumers typically find in grocery stores.

Medicaid Coverage and Industry Scrutiny

Mom’s Meals is among several U.S. companies providing “medically tailored” meals to eligible Medicaid and Medicare patients, including people with chronic conditions or those recently discharged from hospitals. While some states fund these meals through taxpayer dollars, the total annual cost remains unclear.

A 2023 STAT News investigation found that states are spending millions on these programs, yet many of the meals marketed as healthy were still high in sugar, fat, or salt, mirroring the standard American diet.

Kennedy’s Push for Dietary Reform

Kennedy’s broader vision to “Make America Healthy Again” hinges on encouraging diets rich in whole foods. His stance has won support from diverse political groups, including Trump loyalists and health-conscious suburban mothers, often referred to as “MAHA.”

In a recent social media post, Kennedy criticized America’s reliance on ultraprocessed foods and urged citizens to reclaim their health.

“This country has lost the most basic of all freedoms, the freedom that comes from being healthy,” he said.