--- title: "HHS 'Eat Real Food' Celebration Puts Food Transparency and Nutrition Policy in the Spotlight" url: "https://www.biohackyourself.com/articles/hhs-eat-real-food" author: "Biohack Yourself" published: "2026-09-15" updated: "2026-09-16" section: "Press" topics: "nutrition" description: "Biohack Yourself Media’s Sophie Sargent joined health leaders, researchers, advocates, and members of the wellness community in Washington, D.C., as HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. highlighted…" --- # HHS 'Eat Real Food' Celebration Puts Food Transparency and Nutrition Policy in the Spotlight *By Biohack Yourself · September 15, 2026 · Press* *Biohack Yourself Media’s Sophie Sargent joined health leaders, researchers, advocates, and members of the wellness community in Washington, D.C., as HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. highlighted proposed changes to federal food oversight.* **WASHINGTON, D.C.** — Food policy took center stage in the nation’s capital on August 10, 2026, as U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. hosted an “Eat Real Food” policy celebration bringing together health professionals, researchers, advocates, and other voices focused on the future of America’s food system. Sophie Sargent covered the event on location alongside the Biohack Yourself Media team, reporting from D.C. as HHS highlighted new federal actions related to food ingredient transparency and nutrition policy. At the center of the event was a proposed change to the way the U.S. Food and Drug Administration oversees substances classified as Generally Recognized as Safe, commonly known as GRAS. Under current FDA regulations, a company that concludes a substance is GRAS under its intended conditions of use may voluntarily notify the FDA, but notification is not currently required. The FDA’s August 10 proposed rule would require GRAS notices for certain uses of substances in human and animal food, giving the agency and the public more information about ingredients entering the food supply. The proposal remains subject to the federal rulemaking and public-comment process. The announcement marked the latest development in the administration’s broader food and nutrition initiative, which has increasingly emphasized what HHS describes as an “eat real food” approach. Earlier this year, HHS and the U.S. Department of Agriculture released the 2025–2030 Dietary Guidelines for Americans under that message. The event also highlighted the federal government’s ongoing work toward establishing a uniform definition of ultra-processed foods. FDA and USDA began formally seeking public input on such a definition in July 2025, citing the need for greater consistency across nutrition research and policy. Federal research has also highlighted the complexity of creating a workable definition, including concerns that some classification systems can encompass nutrient-dense foods alongside foods of lower nutritional quality. *Sargent with American Kitchen Project founder Helene Leeds at the HHS “Eat Real Food” policy celebration in Washington, D.C.* Sargent’s coverage captured both the policy discussion and the perspectives of people who traveled to D.C. to participate. Among the attendees was Helene Leeds, founder of the American Kitchen Project, who described food choices as extending beyond individual meals and into the health habits families establish at home. “Food can heal and food can also harm, and we shouldn’t underestimate the power of our choices,” Leeds said. Leeds shared that her advocacy for real food was shaped in part by experiences within her own family. Through the American Kitchen Project, she said she hopes to help Americans become more confident preparing meals at home and make the kitchen a more central part of conversations about health. Another attendee featured in Biohack Yourself Media’s coverage, known as Holistic Hilda, described the gathering as a significant moment after years of advocating for issues including real food, school nutrition, and reduced use of certain pesticides and dyes. The range of voices at the event reflected a broader debate taking place around American nutrition policy. While advocates have called for greater transparency around food ingredients, industry organizations have raised questions about how new regulatory approaches could be defined and implemented. In particular, industry groups have cautioned against definitions of ultra-processed foods that they consider overly broad. *Biohack Yourself Media’s Sophie Sargent with Holistic Hilda at the HHS “Eat Real Food” policy celebration* That distinction remains important as federal agencies move forward. A uniform definition of ultra-processed food is still a developing policy area rather than an established classification, and USDA research has documented methodological challenges in applying existing processing-based categories to foods. For Sargent, the gathering also offered an opportunity to document how food policy discussions are reaching audiences beyond traditional government and scientific circles. “I’m 25, I’m in Gen Z,” Sargent said during her on-location recap. “And so to be here representing the young generation and seeing all different ages come out to support real food and the changes that HHS is making, it is just such an incredible initiative.” Sargent also noted Biohack Yourself Media’s previous coverage involving Kennedy, including its coverage surrounding the MAHA Ball and Kennedy’s appearance in the five-part "*Biohack Yourself"* documentary. The August gathering ultimately placed a straightforward phrase at the center of a much more complicated policy discussion: “Eat Real Food.” Behind that message are questions about ingredient disclosure, how foods should be classified, what information regulators should receive from manufacturers, and how nutrition policy translates into decisions made by American families. For Biohack Yourself Media, covering the event offered a close look at those conversations as they move from government agencies and research institutions into kitchens, grocery stores, and everyday discussions about health. Media contact: [support@biohackyourself.com](mailto:support@biohackyourself.com) **Disclaimer:** For editorial, educational, and entertainment purposes only. Not medical advice. Does not represent regulators, associations, or featured practitioners. Consult your licensed provider. 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