US agriculture secretary Brooke Rollins has faced ridicule after suggesting Americans could save money by eating a meal of chicken, broccoli, a corn tortilla and 'one other thing' for around $3. The comments, made during a NewsNation interview, were intended to show how families could adapt to new dietary guidelines while managing grocery costs.
Rollins said the department had run over 1,000 simulations and found such a meal could cost about $3. She also claimed food prices were coming down, despite consumer price index data showing a 0.7% month-on-month increase in December, the largest since October 2022.
Democratic lawmakers were quick to criticise the remarks. Representative Ted Lieu posted an image of the sparse meal alongside a peppermint candy, while the House ways and means committee's social media account shared an AI-generated tray with a 'mystery item' compartment. Senator Ed Markey called the administration 'completely out of touch'.
Representative Pramila Jayapal described the advice as 'a slap in the face to struggling working families'. The backlash highlights ongoing concerns about food affordability as grocery prices continue to rise.
