RFK Jr's Food Pyramid Could Mean Family Grocery Bills Of $36,400 A Year: Stocks Poised To Win Or Lose

New food guidelines shared by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. this week have consumers, health experts and food companies taking note. The guidelines, which are being referenced as the "new food pyramid" could mean higher costs for consumers.

Here's a look at the estimated costs and which companies could win and lose if new guidelines are followed.

Kennedy Unveils New Food Pyramid

Since joining the Trump administration, Kennedy has put an emphasis on his plan to "Make America Healthy Again," which includes using beef tallow to cook items, getting rid of food dyes and focusing on unprocessed foods. This week, he unveiled the "new food pyramid," which is nearly an upside-down version of the food pyramid many consumers were familiar with in the 1990s.

The previous pyramid showed grains on the bottom with a recommendation of consuming 6-11 serves of grains like bread, cereal, rice and pasta.

The new inverted pyramid prioritizes protein, dairy, fruits, and vegetables at the top, while whole grains occupy the smallest space at the bottom.

"As secretary of Health and Human Services, my message is clear: Eat real food," Kennedy said, explaining that the changes are part of a reset for federal nutrition recommendations.

"Today, our government declares war on added sugar, highly processed foods."

Kennedy's new guidelines emphasize whole milk, butter, and red meat, in contrast to modern studies that recommend limiting red meat intake to mitigate health risks.

They also come at a time when food costs have risen for many consumers, making healthy eating more expensive.

A New York Post report showed the costs of goods from a Whole Foods store under Kennedy's guidelines. The total cost was reported to be $175 per person per week.

This means that for a family of four, the annual food costs would be $36,400 ($9,100 per person). Depending on the two adults’ salaries in each household, food costs could increase to a larger share of overall monthly expenses.

Stocks, Companies To Watch For Kennedy's New Food Pyramid

Kennedy's attacks on the food industry have put many large food companies, including beverage companies such as PepsiCo (NASDAQ:PEP) and Coca-Cola (NYSE:KO), in the spotlight. With a new focus on getting away from sugar-sweetened beverages, those companies could find themselves under the watch again.

General Mills (NYSE:GIS), Kraft Heinz, Kellogg's and other big food companies could find themselves needing to change food ingredients and also with new ways to market products to consumers that the Trump administration has said should be consumed less.

Meat companies like Tyson Foods (NYSE:TSN) and Seaboard Corporation (AMEX:SEB) could be potential winners given the focus on high-protein foods such as meat.

Fruit and vegetable companies such as Fresh Del Monte Produce (NYSE:FDP) and Dole Plc (NYSE:DOLE) could also benefit from a stronger focus on their core products.

Kennedy has been a supporter of restaurant company Steak ‘n Shake, which is owned by Biglari Holdings (NYSE:BH), thanks to their switch to beef tallow for cooking. That restaurant and others that focus on burgers and meats like Texas Roadhouse Inc (NASDAQ:TXRH) could benefit from the new guidelines.

A focus on healthier foods could also put stocks associated with healthier food options into the spotlight like Sprouts Farmers Market (NASDAQ:SFM), Chipotle Mexican Grill (NYSE:CMG) and Whole Foods, which is owned by Amazon.com Inc (NASDAQ:AMZN).

While many consumers won't be able to switch to follow Kennedy's new food guidelines, those who do could change how some food companies are viewed and also affect financial results going forward.

Image: RealFood.gov