Republicans push healthy eating as junk food dominates convention

Republicans spent much of the GOP’s pre-election pep rally promoting healthier food and the Make America Healthy Again agenda. But outside the arena floor, visitors found familiar fatty concessions: corn dogs, nachos, burgers, pizza, candy and fountain drinks.

“We are making America healthy again,” Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. told the crowd this week at the American Airlines Center. “We need to elect a Republican Congress to keep this momentum going.”

Throughout the two-night Republican midterm convention, politicians and parents stood on stage talking about restoring children’s health, reducing chronic disease and lowering prescription drug costs.

Yet the convention’s food offerings looked much like those at any major sporting event.

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Hungry republicans could buy fried chicken tenders, nachos with processed yellow cheese sauce, pizza, burgers and hot dogs, with few lighter options beyond salads. A cheeseburger, fries and a large soda — packed with high fructose corn syrup and artificial coloring —   cost about $32. Chicken tenders and fries were $19, while a chicken Caesar salad cost $12.75. 

Maddie Marchetti and Tim Cantalin, both from Dallas, didn’t mind the options. They considered their visit their “cheat day.”

Marchetti said she tries to eat clean and supports efforts to remove food additives but was making an exception for convention food.

The contrast reflects a broader debate surrounding the MAHA movement. Supporters say the effort has elevated long-overlooked issues such as food quality, children’s health and chronic disease. 

But critics say many of the movement’s priorities, such as improving nutrition and reducing disease, have bipartisan support. They also argue President Donald Trump’s administration has fallen short on some of its environmental and public health goals, while claims about lowering prescription drug prices have been challenged by lawmakers. 

Dallas mom Ally Raskin, who was invited to speak during the event, said Republicans are delivering on several MAHA priorities, including efforts to phase out synthetic food dyes, restore whole milk in schools and endorse healthier food options.

“This is turning a ship,” Raskin said. “It’s a big ship to turn, and it’s going to take a lot of time.”

Raskin said decades-old health and environmental problems will not be solved overnight.

Minnesota mother Amanda Hughes echoed that message Thursday on the stage with her four children and husband, saying parents “who ask about chemicals, additives and where their food comes from are not extremists.” 

“Parents deserve honest labels, serious research,” Hughes said. “And Washington is finally answering.” 

The convention’s broader health message extended beyond food.

The administration is shifting focus toward more affordable healthcare and disease prevention, Dr. Mehmet Oz, the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services administrator. 

Americans “should never, ever have to choose between buying groceries and taking medicines,” Oz told convention attendees. 

Oz also highlighted expanded access to GLP-1 weight-loss medications, joking that President Trump refers to them as the “fat shot” and saying the drugs are contributing to “a historic American weight loss.” 

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Many attendees stopped for concessions after the speeches, an illustration of how the movement’s message about healthier eating now faces one of its biggest tests: changing the habits of the people embracing it.

Misty Jackson, 50, said she wasn’t planning on eating anything during the convention but the pizza looked good. She said she’s more focused on the GOP’s efforts to bring healthy food to schools. 

“I have grandkids in school, and the things they serve are not healthy,” Jackson said. “I am glad the administration is pushing for healthier and affordable options.”