Mess halls get a re-do: Trump trades ‘mystery meat’ for MAHA meals

President Donald Trump’s Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) initiative, conceptualized and led prominently by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., has focused on overhauling federal nutrition policy, and now they are taking that health initiative straight to America’s frontline: U.S. service members. Earlier this month, new Dietary Guidelines for Americans (2025–2030) were released, emphasizing nutrient-dense whole foods like high-quality proteins, healthy fats, fruits, vegetables, and whole grains while limiting ultra-processed foods, added sugars, and seed oils. The rollout included a total revamp of the traditional food pyramid, which is now inverted and places protein and healthy fats at the broadest part at the top as opposed to starches and complex carbohydrates.  
These new guidelines influence multiple areas under the purview of the federal government: federal food programs like SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) and WIC (Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children) including meals in schools, hospitals, prisons, and military dining facilities (DFACs or chow halls). 
It has not yet been determined whether the dietary guidelines will affect the manufacture of MRE’s (Meals Ready to Eat) used by soldiers in the field far from camp mess halls. A 2020 clinical trial indicated that MRE’s can provide a more micronutrient-dense diet than usual dietary intake, aiding in maintenance of nutritional status over 21 days. 
Since the Department of War aligns its nutrition standards with federal dietary recommendations, the changes are expected to shift military meals toward more real, nutrient-rich foods and away from heavily processed options. 
“An army marches on its stomach”
Earlier this month, U.S. Navy Under Secretary Hung Cao reenlisted Navy Culinary Specialist (CS) First Class, Bukenya Babirye. Cao, who is a former Navy captain and fled communist Vietnam as a child, thanked the chefs who keep morale high in the Department of the Navy and across the fleet.
“A good meal brings up morale. You have a crappy day, when people come in whether it’s rainy or cold outside, you get that warm meal. It makes the difference in morale. So thank you for what you guys do,” Cao told the gathering of Navy culinary staff. 
During Trump’s 2024 campaign, he promised to bring morale and respect back to America’s Armed Forces, which included incorporating the MAHA agenda into the military. 
During the Biden administration, the US military faced several recruitment shortfalls and widespread reports of declining morale, with the army recruiting only 45,000 soldiers in 2022 against a goal of 60,000, amid criticisms of policy impacts on readiness. 
Very early in Trump’s second term, military recruitment experienced a dramatic surge, with services exceeding goals and posting some of the strongest numbers in over a decade and a half. Observers have credited the shift and leadership with restoring the “warrior spirit,” boosting recruitment momentum, and improving overall military morale and focus on lethality.
Napoleon once allegedly declared, “An army marches on its stomach,” underscoring how reliable meals fuel campaigns and prevent collapse from hunger or disease. In the United States military, cooks have been integral since the Revolutionary War, when Continental Army companies assigned soldiers to prepare basic rations like hardtack and salted meat, helping prevent starvation and maintain fighting strength during prolonged campaigns. 
From the Civil War’s regimental mess systems that combated malnutrition amid supply shortages to modern culinary specialists in dining facilities and field kitchens, U.S. military cooks have consistently boosted morale, reduced illness, and enhanced combat readiness by delivering nutritious meals critical to mission success.
Amanda Head is the White House correspondent at Just The News. Follow her on X.

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