Why MAHA Might Need a Grocery Store Report Card
A Practical Food-Grading System for GLP-1 Users and Anyone Trying to Lose Weight
By Richard W. Schmidt, RDN
Let’s be honest: grocery shopping for weight loss can feel like taking a pop quiz you didn’t study for.
Bright packaging says “natural,” “whole grain,” or “low fat,” yet the nutrition label tells a very different story. Consumers are expected to decode added sugars, sodium levels, fat grams, and serving sizes while standing in the cereal aisle with a shopping cart and a busy schedule.
No wonder so many people give up.
Recently, the movement behind Make America Healthy Again has gained attention by encouraging Americans to dramatically reduce ultra-processed foods. The goal is admirable: improve public health and reverse decades of rising obesity.
But there is a challenge.
For many people, especially those who have spent decades eating ultra-processed foods, going “cold turkey” can feel like trying to run a marathon without training.
After 45 years as a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist, I have learned one simple truth:
Behavior change works best when it is gradual, practical, and forgiving.
That is why I developed a simple concept I call:
The Grocery Store Report Card
Just like school grades, foods get one of three marks:
A – Best Choice
B – Acceptable Choice
F – Limit or Reduce
Instead of expecting consumers to eliminate foods overnight, this system helps people make better choices step by step.
Think of it as progress, not perfection.
Why the Current Nutrition Label Can Be Misleading
The FDA nutrition label is based on a 2,000-calorie diet. That number works as a general reference, but for many Americans trying to lose weight, it is simply too high.
Consider average heights in the United States:
- Average male height: 69 inches
- Average female height: 64 inches
At the upper end of the healthy BMI range, body weights are approximately:
- 168 pounds for men
- 140 pounds for women
When designing weight-loss strategies for my patients, I often use a 1,500-calorie framework, which better reflects the caloric needs of many adults seeking weight reduction.
To allow for normal errors in tracking, I use a simple rule:
10 calories per pound of body weight.
Why build in this cushion?
Because decades of research—and my own professional experience—show something very consistent:
People tend to underestimate calories eaten and overestimate calories burned during exercise.
A small buffer helps keep the plan realistic.
The Role of Ultra-Processed Foods
Ultra-processed foods are everywhere. They are convenient, affordable, and engineered to taste good.
But they often contain high levels of:
- Added sugar
- Sodium
- Refined fats
The MAHA movement is right to highlight the health risks associated with excessive ultra-processed food consumption.
However, asking millions of Americans to eliminate them instantly can be overwhelming.
Instead, my approach allows people to:
- Reduce portions
- Reduce frequency
- Substitute healthier options when ready
That’s where the Grocery Store Report Card becomes useful.
Instead of labeling foods as “good” or “bad,” the system helps shoppers prioritize choices.
- Choose more A foods
- Choose B foods
- Gradually reduce F foods
Over time, the grocery cart improves naturally.
How This Helps GLP-1 Users
Medications like Ozempic, Wegovy, and Mounjaro have dramatically changed the weight-loss landscape.
These GLP-1 medications help people eat less by reducing appetite and slowing stomach emptying.
For many patients, they have been life-changing.
But there is an important reality that deserves discussion.
Medication alone does not teach food literacy.
Many people using GLP-1 medications still rely heavily on ultra-processed foods—just in smaller quantities.
That can work in the short term.
But long-term success requires learning how to shop differently.
The Grocery Store Report Card provides a simple tool to do exactly that.
It helps:
- Current GLP-1 users choose better foods while appetite is reduced
- Former users maintain weight loss after stopping medication
- Potential users build better habits before starting treatment
In many cases, the medication creates an opportunity: appetite is controlled, which makes it easier to introduce healthier food patterns.
The grading system helps people take advantage of that opportunity.
Portion Permission: A More Realistic Approach
Another key part of my philosophy is something I call portion permission.
Instead of banning foods entirely, people are allowed to enjoy smaller portions less frequently.
Why does this work?
Because strict restriction often leads to rebound overeating.
Allowing controlled portions of favorite foods reduces the psychological pressure that causes many diets to fail.
The Grocery Store Report Card works perfectly with portion permission:
- A foods: eat regularly
- B foods: moderate portions
- F foods: occasional treats
Over time, many people naturally shift toward healthier choices without feeling deprived.
A Practical Tool for a National Health Goal
The goals of Make America Healthy Again are ambitious and important.
Improving the American food environment will require many strategies:
- better nutrition education
- improved food labeling
- increased physical activity
- smarter grocery shopping
The Grocery Store Report Card could be one small but powerful tool within that larger effort.
It simplifies nutrition labels.
It supports gradual behavior change.
And most importantly, it meets people where they are today.
The Bottom Line
Weight loss is not just about willpower. It is about practical systems that help people make better decisions repeatedly.
After four decades of counseling patients, one thing is clear:
Complex nutrition advice rarely works in the real world.
But simple tools often do.
If consumers could walk through the grocery store and instantly recognize which foods earn an A, B, or F, healthier shopping decisions would become much easier.
And sometimes, making healthy choices easier is exactly what people need to succeed.
You can explore my approach in more detail in You Can’t Outrun That Brownie, or continue learning through the resources and articles available on my website.
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About the Author
Richard W. Schmidt, RDN, is the author of You Can’t Outrun That Brownie and a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist who lost over 30 pounds in his fifties and has maintained that loss for more than 15 years. He teaches sustainable weight loss through portion control, frequency awareness, and structured annual exercise prescriptions.
