You’ve heard of mom’s almonds and trad wives— but there are also “crunchy moms” who adhere to special health and wellness standards for their children and their homes. And they found a champion in one of President-elect Donald Trump’s cabinet picks: Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.
Trump nominated RFK Jr. to host Health and social servicesand he has laundry list major changes he wants to undertake during his reign. He spoke openly about removing fluoride from drinking water, preventing vaccination practices, reviewing the Food and Drug Administration and banning certain foods. His comprehensive plan was coined as “Make America Healthy Again,” or MAHA for short. RFK’s confirmation hearings have not yet been announced, but Trump said he would let RFK go “wild” about health, food and medicine.
@washcodoula Crunchy Mama explained.. in her own words. 💭 Being a crunchy mom is something that is hard to explain to others who just don’t “get it”. Most crunchy moms don’t want to be crunchy, they 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 #hrskavamama #hrskavamamasoftiktok #crunchymomexplained #whatisacrunchymom #crunchycommunity #naturalmindedmama #naturalminded #holistic #traditionally #domestic #do it yourself #mom #fyp ♬ Outdoors – relaxing acoustic guitar
These views are close to crunchy moms, who are portrayed as environmentally and health conscious and often limit the types of food and products they use in their homes. Many crunchy moms agree that fluoride in drinking water is unsafe and that vaccines are dangerous, both of which are scientifically proven have health benefits.
“POV: You are a non-toxic (stay at home mom) and can finally rest easy knowing that RFK is ready to take down the food industry and big pharma,” one TikTok user published Nov. 7, with the headline: “Praise God for putting men in the right places to help our nation.”
There is also a subgroup of crunchy moms called “rubber moms” who are not quite as intense in their beliefs, but still prioritize making more conscious decisions about food and health care for their children. One self-described rubber band mom and registered dietitian-nutritionist, Stephanie Dunneshe said crunchy moms support RFK Jr. because they want to make personal decisions about their families’ lifestyles 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 kids without fear of legal consequences,” Dunne told Wealth.
Some rubber band moms are celebrating RFK’s impending appointment, saying his policy changes will make it easier for them to live the lives they want.
“POV: You’ve been a mom with rubber bands for the last 3 years, but it’s gonna be so much easier to be with rubber bands #RFKJR,” one TikTok user published on Nov. 8 with the caption: “FINALLY #MAHA #MAGA #rfkjr #scrunchymama.”
Many of the crunchy or rubbery mom TikTok videos celebrating RFK’s nomination are linked to Zach Top’s “I Never Lie,” with lyrics like “Things are going my way” and “I sleep like a baby.”
This signals the triumph of crunchy moms in potentially seeing a leader who shares their same values.
@kenz.sommers No more chemicals in our food just for profit!!!! Whoops! #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 caption that says, “What’s life like knowing RFK is going to win over the food and drug agencies” with the caption “No more chemicals in our food just for profit! !!! Whoops! #maha.”
More TikTok users issued a warning: “FDA, count your days”, paired with the song “Walking on Sunshine” by Katrina And The Waves. The text in the video reads: “Crunchy moms knowing that the age of constantly checking food labels for dyes, seed oils and chemicals is coming to an end because RFK Jr. ready to advocate for the health of our children.”
The potential dangers of the crunchy mom movement
While going crunchy often means prioritizing organic foods and avoiding toxins, it comes with its inherent dangers, the pharmacist said dr. Katy Dubinsky told Wealth.
“This can sometimes lead to the rejection of scientifically proven practices, such as vaccines, that could pose risks to both children and communities,” says Dubinsky. “It is important to find a balance, to be informed and at the same time open to scientifically proven methods.”
Getty Images—Flyview Productions
Take, for example, RFK’s stance on fluoride in drinking water. A mineral proven to strengthen teeth and reduce the risk of caries has been added to drinking water since 1945. data from the National Library of Medicine showing that adding fluoride to water reduces the amount of caries in children by 35%. RFK, however, was skeptical of this practice, arguing that it was unnecessary since fluoride was now found in toothpaste.
“We don’t need fluoride in our water,” Kennedy said NPR at the beginning of November. “It’s a very poor way to deliver it into our systems.”
RFK and crunchy moms also agree with the idea that fluoride levels in drinking water and vaccines are linked to autism, a claim refuted by the Centers for Disease Control and Preventionwhich says that “to date, studies continue to show that vaccines are not associated with (autism spectrum disorder).”
But not all crunchy or gummy moms are completely anti-waxing, Dunne said. Instead, they simply want to be able to choose which vaccines to give their children – although most medical centers, such as Mayo Clinicsay yes it is dangerous to skip any vaccine.
“Crunchy moms want the freedom to make the medical decisions that are best for their children,” Dunne said. “That’s not to say that crunchy moms don’t want any input from health care providers, but 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 that enter their children’s bodies through 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 switching laundry detergent have the benefits that crunchy moms hope for, there are many potential benefits for their child’s health,” Emily Kukla, an early child development expert and speech pathologist at Moms teach speechsaid Wealth. “That being said, there are times when conventional medicine is absolutely necessary and putting it off in favor of holistic options can make the problem worse.”
