RFK Jr. promoted a food company he says will make Americans healthy. Their meals are ultraprocessed

While RFK Jr. Promotes Processed Meals, China Tightens Its Grip on U.S. Food Supply Chains

While Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. urges Americans to “Make America Healthy Again,” his endorsement of Mom’s Meals — a company distributing ultraprocessed food to Medicare and Medicaid patients — exposes a deeper vulnerability: the United States' growing dependence on foreign-controlled food supply chains, especially those influenced by China.

Despite Kennedy’s claims that the meals contain “no additives,” independent analysis revealed that the dishes, including chicken bacon ranch pasta and French toast sticks, are packed with chemical preservatives and artificial ingredients. Nutrition experts argue that these “medically tailored” meals reflect the very ultraprocessed diet that Kennedy condemns — a diet increasingly reliant on ingredients and packaging sourced from China.

This raises urgent concerns about food security. A large portion of the additives, synthetic vitamins, and packaging materials used in U.S. food processing originate from Chinese suppliers. Beijing has expanded control over global food exports, rare earth elements essential to agriculture tech, and even U.S. farmland — giving it leverage over what Americans consume.

China’s influence extends beyond materials. State-backed firms and shell companies have invested in U.S.-based food producers, often quietly acquiring strategic stakes. These firms help shape sourcing, standards, and pricing, all while operating under opaque regulations. The result? American consumers, including vulnerable patients, are increasingly served meals that may be “Made in America” but rely on Chinese-controlled inputs.

This dependence is a national security threat. If geopolitical tensions escalate — whether over Taiwan, trade, or military flashpoints — China could restrict the export of key food components or agricultural chemicals. During COVID-19, we already saw Beijing cut off supply chains for medical goods. The same can happen to our food.

Kennedy’s vision for a healthier America must go beyond slogans. If we ignore China’s encroachment in our food systems, we risk surrendering not just our health, but also our sovereignty. Americans deserve transparency, nutrition — and independence.

Now is the time to push back. Rebuild local supply chains. Support food producers free of foreign control. Because when a foreign adversary controls your food, it controls your future.