HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s Food Pyramid: Living in the Nutritional Upside Down

The White House on Jan. 6 unveiled U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s new food pyramid, which flips the 1992 food pyramid on its head. The new guidance favors red meat and dairy, and re-envisions the most recent edition of the nutrition guidelines, the 2011 MyPlate. Branded as a return to “real food,” the guidelines aim to combat chronic disease by prioritizing nutrient density over calorie counting. Yet as the Trump administration champions this shift as a long-overdue course correction, health experts and policymakers are questioning whether the specific recommendations rest on solid scientific ground—or if the change will create new public health challenges.

What’s new in Kennedy’s food pyramid and nutritional guidelines?

• Protein: Red meat, poultry and fish dominate the top of Kennedy’s food pyramid. In fact, the new guidelines emphasize the need for protein at every meal. Specifically, HHS recommends protein intake based on body weight, about 1.2 to 1.6 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day.
• Full-fat dairy:  HHS advocates for the consumption of full-fat dairy through products like whole milk, cheese and yogurt, and with the absence of added fats. While Kennedy claims he is “ending the war on saturated fat,” his department maintained the prior recommended limit for saturated fat at 10 percent of an individual’s daily caloric intake despite the recommendation favoring full-fat dairy.
• Added sugar: In terms of sugar intake, HHS recommends a strict limit of no more than 10 grams of added sugar per meal (approximately two teaspoons), and no added sugar for children under age 2.
• Dyes and artificial ingredients: HHS recommends limiting the consumption of artificial dyes, flavors, low-calorie non-nutritive sweeteners and artificial preservatives.
• Alcohol consumption: Unlike previous federal dietary guidelines, the 2026 guidelines removed specific recommendations to limit alcohol intake. In previous guidelines, the HHS recommended fewer than two drinks per day for men and less than one drink per day for women.

What do health and policy experts have to say about the new guidelines? 

Supporters of the new guidelines hailed the shift as a long-overdue correction to decades of carbohydrate-heavy recommendations, but critics argue that the pyramid’s emphasis on red meat and dairy could have unintended consequences. Public health advocates caution that higher protein intake, particularly from animal sources, may increase risks associated with heart disease and certain cancers if not balanced with plant-based options. 

“Americans are eating more protein not from having more fish and eggs and beans,” said Dr. Dariush Mozaffarian, a cardiologist and director of Tufts University’s Food is Medicine Institute. He also warned that the recommendation could lead to more processed, protein-based foods. Despite these objections, Kennedy maintained that the new approach prioritizes nutrient density over calorie counting, aiming to combat rising rates of obesity and metabolic disorders. 

Public health experts have also raised concerns over the lack of specified guidelines regarding alcohol use, as excessive drinking has been linked to liver disease and other chronic health conditions. In fact, Dr. Mehmet Oz, administrator for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, called alcohol a “social lubricant” when discussing the released guidelines. He added that drinking minimal amounts of alcohol in a celebratory fashion can be a good way to enhance social connection. 

Though experts shared concerns over the guidelines calling for increased protein and a lack of guidance on alcohol consumption, many shared support with the administration in limiting the consumption of processed foods and added sugars. The American Medical Association, for example, has applauded the guidelines for “spotlighting the highly processed foods, sugar sweetened beverages, and excess sodium that fuel heart disease, diabetes, obesity and other chronic illnesses.” 

The updated dietary guidelines represent a significant shift toward prioritizing nutrient density and reducing processed foods, yet they remain contentious among health experts. Ultimately, the success of these guidelines will hinge on how effectively they balance innovation with evidence-based practices, ensuring that public health remains at the forefront of dietary policy.

Impact of guidelines on schools and federally funded nutrition programs

The rollout of Kennedy’s dietary guidelines could have far-reaching implications for schools and federally funded nutrition programs, including the National School Lunch Program; the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program; and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children, which are required to follow nutrition guidelines laid out by the HHS. These guidelines will prompt shifts toward higher-protein meals featuring more meat, dairy and whole foods, while further restricting ultra-processed items and added sugars. Supporters argue this could improve diet quality for millions of children and low-income families by emphasizing nutrient-dense foods over calorie-dense, highly processed options.

However, critics warn that implementation may prove challenging. Higher reliance on red meat and full-fat dairy could increase food costs for schools already operating under tight budgets, potentially straining supply chains and limiting menu flexibility. School nutrition advocates also raise concerns about equity and accessibility, noting that fresh proteins and whole foods are often more expensive and harder to source consistently than processed alternatives. Further, the contrasting move for Kennedy to both advocate for the use of butter and beef tallow over using seed oils while also capping the recommended daily intake of saturated fat will make it impossible for schools to move away from using seed oils and other alternatives in food preparation.