You’ve heard of almond moms and trad wives—but there are also “crunchy moms” who adhere to peculiar health and wellness standards for their children and their homes. And they’ve found a champion in one of President-elect Donald Trump’s cabinet picks: Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.
RFK Jr. was nominated by Trump to lead Health and Human Services, and he has a laundry list of major changes he wants to undertake during his reign. He’s been outspoken about removing fluoride from drinking water, stymying vaccine practices, overhauling the Food and Drug Administration, and banning certain foods. His overarching plan is coined as “Make America Healthy Again,” or MAHA, for short. Confirmation hearings for RFK’s appointment haven’t yet been announced, but Trump said he’d let RFK “go wild” on health, food, and medicine.
@washcodoula A crunchy mom explained.. in my own words. 💭 Being a crunchy mom is something thats hard to explain to others who just don’t “get” it. Most crunchy moms don’t set out to be crunchy, but find themselves in the crunchy community after a few years of researching and learning new information. To all my fellow crunchy moms, thanks for being here. ✨❤️ #crunchy #crunchymom #crunchymomsoftiktok #crunchymomexplained #whatisacrunchymom #crunchycommunity #naturalmindedmama #naturalminded #holistic #traditional #homemade #diy #mom #fyp ♬ Outdoors – Acoustic Guitar Chill
These stances align closely with crunchy moms, who paint themselves as being environmental- and health-conscious and often limit the types of foods and products they use in their homes. Many crunchy moms subscribe to the notion that fluoride in drinking water is unsafe and vaccines are dangerous, both of which have been to have health benefits.
“POV: You’re a non-toxic [stay-at-home mom] and you can finally rest easy knowing RFK is ready to take down the food industry and big pharma,” one TikTok user posted on Nov. 7, with the caption: “Praise God for putting people in the right places to help our nation.”
There is also a subset of crunchy moms called “scrunchy moms” who aren’t quite as intense in their beliefs, but still prioritize making more conscious food and healthcare decisions for their children. One self-described scrunchy mom and registered dietitian-nutritionist, Stephanie Dunne, said crunchy moms are supporting RFK Jr. because they want to make personal choices about their families’ lifestyle and medical decisions.
“Essentially, crunchy moms want access to the healthiest (from their perspective) products and the freedom to choose the right course of action for their children without fear of legal repercussions,” Dunne told Fortune.
Some scrunchy moms are celebrating RFK’s impending appointment, saying his policy changes will make it easier for them to live the lifestyle they want to.
“POV: You’ve been a scrunchy mom for the last 3 years but it’s about to get a lot easier to be scrunchy #RFKJR,” one TikTok user posted on Nov. 8 with the caption: “FINALLY #MAHA #MAGA #rfkjr #scrunchymama.”
Many crunchy or scrunchy mom TikTok videos celebrating RFK’s nomination are paired to Zach Top’s song “I Never Lie,” espousing lyrics like “Things are going my way,” and “I sleep like a baby.”
This signals crunchy moms’ triumph in potentially seeing a leader sharing their same values.
@kenz.sommers No more chemicals in our food just for profit!!!! Yay! #maha @Robert F. Kennedy Jr ♬ DJ Fat Dog _ I Never Lie x Hollaback Girl – Randy Rogers
Another TikTok video shows a crunchy mom dancing to the same song with a text overlay saying: “ How life feels knowing RFK is about to take the food & pharmaceutical agencies by storm” with the caption “No more chemicals in our food just for profit!!!! Yay! #maha.”
Another TikTok user issued the warning: “FDA, count your days,” paired to the song “Walking on Sunshine” by Katrina And The Waves. The text overlay in the video reads: “Crunchy moms knowing the era of constantly checking food labels for dyes, seed oils, and chemicals is coming to an end because RFK Jr. is ready to advocate for the health of our children.”
The potential dangers of the crunchy-mom movement
While being crunchy often means prioritizing organic foods and avoiding toxins, it comes with its inherent dangers, pharmacist Dr. Katy Dubinsky told Fortune.
“It can sometimes lead to dismissing scientifically proven practices, like vaccines, which could pose risks to both children and communities,” Dubinsky says. “It’s important to find balance, staying informed while being open to scientifically proven methods.”
Take RFK’s stance on fluoride in drinking water, for example. The mineral that is proven to strengthen teeth and reduce the risk of cavities has been added to drinking water since 1945, with data from the National Library of Medicine showing adding fluoride to water lowers the amount of tooth decay in kids by 35%. RFK, however, has been skeptical about this practice, arguing it’s not necessary since fluoride is in toothpaste now.
“We don’t need fluoride in our water,” Kennedy told NPR in early November. “It’s a very bad way to deliver it into our systems.”
RFK and crunchy moms also subscribe to the idea that fluoride levels in drinking water and vaccines are linked to autism, a claim that has been debunked by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which says “to date, the studies continue to show that vaccines are not associated with [autism spectrum disorder].”
But not all crunchy or scrunchy moms are completely anti-vax, Dunne said. Rather, they simply want to be able to pick and choose which vaccines they give their children—even though most medical centers, like the Mayo Clinic, say it’s dangerous to skip any vaccines.
“Crunchy moms want the freedom to make medical decisions that are most appropriate for their children,” Dunne said. “This does not mean that crunchy moms want no input from healthcare professionals, but rather they want the autonomy to work with the health care providers of their choice to make medical decisions without government interference.”
Crunchy moms also want to better control the toxins entering their children’s bodies by the food they eat, and RFK plans to crack down on certain chemicals in processed foods.
“If eating unprocessed foods, spending time playing outside, and swapping your laundry detergent have the benefits crunchy moms hope they will, there’s lots of potential upside for their child’s health,” Emily Kukla, an early childhood development expert and speech therapist at Moms Teach Speech, told Fortune. “That being said, there are times when conventional medicine is absolutely necessary and delaying that in favor of holistic options can make the problem worse.”
