On the eighth of January 2026, the Secretary of Health RFK Jr. released a new dietary recommendation for all Americans. The new model takes the old pyramid, and literally flips it on its head. Grains and sugary fruits are placed near the bottom which now means eat less of them, and items like red meat, broccoli, poultry and other nutrient rich yet surprisingly fatty items are at the top. Notably things with high saturated fats seem to be near the top, which we know very clearly aren’t great to consume in high quantities.
However the new dietary recommendations have an even bigger recommendation, eat “Real” foods: skip processed food and avoid added sugar for kids under ten. The majority of U.S. citizens may have a problem with the real food advice for two reasons. First, the government doesn’t give a clear definition of what a heavily processed food is, and second, rising grocery costs make eating real food rather costly.
Another outcome of this may result in school lunch changes, promoting real food instead of what is already served. This may, however, mean schools have to pay higher bills to the companies providing lunches.
