AUSTIN, Texas, March 2, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced that medical schools will soon teach nutrition after the addition of nutrition questions to licensing exams, and revealed that baby formula will be fully tested by April for PFAS, pesticides, and heavy metals at the Eat Real Food Rally presented by MAHA Action.
Sec. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. addressing the crowd in Austin
Rep. Monica De La Cruz welcoming Sec. Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Eat Real Food Rally Poster
Speaking to a capacity crowd at Brazos Hall, Secretary Kennedy also announced the closure of the GRAS loophole, requiring any new food ingredient to provide proof of safety. Companies including Dunkin' Donuts and Starbucks will be required to produce safety data they were supposed to have maintained. The reforms aim to ensure American foods follow the highest safety and nutritional standards globally.
"A healthy person has a thousand dreams. A sick person only has one. And right now, most of our kids only have one dream, and that's not good for our country," Secretary Kennedy said, calling for restoration of cooking, family meals, and human connection as a foundation for rebuilding American health.
The Secretary described the new food pyramid as a transformative document that will redirect USDA's $405 million per day in food spending away from ultra-processed food toward real food for children, military personnel, and low-income families.
National Movement Gains Momentum
White House Senior Advisor Calley Means pointed to concrete wins previously thought impossible due to lobby power, including 25 states achieving SNAP soda removal. He noted the new dietary guidelines will shift billions of dollars away from food corporations to American farmers, with 70% of school meals currently ultra-processed.
Entrepreneur Jason Karp, founder of HumanCo, cited alarming statistics: colorectal cancer is now the fastest growing cancer and number one killer of men under 50, with cases in children up 500% in one generation.
Congresswoman Monica De La Cruz (TX-15) reinforced these themes with her Healthy Babies Act, ensuring mothers of all income levels can feed their children real, wholesome food from day one.
"American families are ready to Eat Real Food, and tonight's turnout proved it," said Alex Hardy, CEO of MAHA Holdings, one of the event's organizers. "These wins are already reaching patients in hospitals, service members on bases, and children in school cafeterias across the country."
Texas Leads Implementation
Joe Gebbia Jr., Chief Design Officer of the United States and co-founder of Airbnb, highlighted Texas as a national model. The Make Texas Healthy Again legislative package has resulted in 80% of Texas school food now grown or grazed in-state, directing $250 million annually to local beef, dairy, produce, and eggs. Additional reforms include classroom nutrition education, additive warning labels, and removal of junk food from schools and SNAP.
The rally follows the MAHA Center's Super Bowl message reaching over 150 million viewers, as health leaders transform grassroots support into federal policy and state-level action.
About MAHA Action
MAHA Action is a 501(c)(4) organization dedicated to organizing and empowering Americans to advocate for a healthier America. Through grassroots mobilization, policy advocacy, and public education, MAHA Action supports the Make America Healthy Again movement's mission to reverse America's chronic disease epidemic by championing real food, metabolic health, and transparent food safety standards.
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