New dietary guidelines prioritize ‘real food’ – but low-income pregnant women can’t easily obtain it

Most pregnant women in the U.S. aren't meeting dietary recommendations, especially in rural communities. ArtistGNDphotography/Getty Images

The federal government’s message in its new Dietary Guidelines for Americans, released in January 2026, couldn’t be simpler: “Eat real food.”

But for pregnant women in rural America, that straightforward advice runs headlong into a harsh reality: Rural women have less access to healthy whole foods.