Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the Secretary of Health and Human Services, engaged in a public dispute with CNN anchor Erin Burnett this week over a segment questioning the affordability claims of meals featured on his YouTube cooking show. The controversy centers on a report by CNN correspondent Tom Foreman that examined the actual cost of preparing a family dinner from “The Real Food Show,” comparing the health secretary’s stated price against real-world grocery expenses.
According to Foreman’s investigation, a salmon and white-bean dish that RFK Jr. claimed could be made for $19.64 actually cost $70.54 when purchasing ingredients at a local store. The discrepancy arose because RFK Jr.’s calculations only counted the specific portions used in each recipe, while grocery stores sell items in standard quantities. For instance, the show priced a single egg at 25 cents, though eggs are typically sold by the dozen.
RFK Jr. responded to the report on social media, accusing Burnett of lacking “common sense” and “basic arithmetic.” He defended the cooking show’s methodology as standard recipe costing, comparing it to paying for an entire condiment bottle when using only a small amount on a burger. The health secretary maintained that the program aims to help Americans build pantries with quality ingredients for repeated use across multiple meals.
Foreman acknowledged the taste and apparent nutritional value of the prepared dish but stated that purchasing all necessary ingredients for $20 would be unrealistic for most shoppers buying groceries conventionally.
Originally reported by Variety →
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