01/08/2026
The Trump administration released sweeping changes to U.S. dietary guidelines yesterday, encouraging Americans to eat more protein and cut back on added sugars and ultra-processed foods.
The dietary guidelines — which are updated every five years by the Agriculture and Health and Human Services departments — place steak, cheese, and whole milk near the top and emphasize protein at every meal. It recommends 1.2 to 1.6 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight — as much as twice the previous standard.
The previous MyPlate visual guide from 2020 recommended filling your plate with roughly equal parts grains, vegetables, protein, and fruit with a small portion of dairy. The guidelines said little about processed food.
Some of the new guidelines’ recommendations stand in contrast to the government’s prior recommendations. which included eating mostly low-fat dairy or fat-free dairy.
Like past guidelines, Americans are encouraged to eat plenty of fruits and vegetables.
After years of being advised to avoid eating too much red meat, health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. says the changes are key to preventing chronic disease and improving Americans’ health.
“The new guidelines recognize that whole nutrient-dense food is the most effective path to better health and lower healthcare costs,” he said from the White House yesterday.
RFK Jr. said the dietary guidelines shape dozens of federal feeding programs, including Head Start, 45 million school lunches every day, meals for 1.3 million active-duty service members, and food served to nine million veterans in VA hospitals.
The update represents some of the biggest changes to federal dietary guidelines since they were first issued in 1980.
FYI: I asked my son yesterday, who is in high school, what he had for lunch. His answer: a hamburger!😮