Healthy meal for $3, Agriculture secretary says it's easy.

Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said USDA simulations indicate some meals meeting the administration's revised dietary guidelines can cost about $3 each, and the department offered sample low-cost food lists; critics and experts questioned the practicality of those examples amid rising food prices.

Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said this week that USDA simulations show it is possible to assemble a healthy meal for about $3. Her remarks followed the administration's revised dietary guidance, which encourages more animal-based foods and fewer processed items. The Agriculture Department provided lists of low-cost foods and an example day of meals it said fit the guidelines without increasing costs. Critics, experts and political opponents questioned how practical the department's examples are for many households given rising food prices and budget constraints. What is known: - Rollins told News Nation the USDA ran "over 1,000 simulations" and said a meal could cost around $3, citing items such as a piece of chicken, a piece of broccoli and a corn tortilla. - A USDA spokesperson said there are "hundreds of thousands" of meal options that align with the dietary guidelines and offered a sample day of meals including eggs, milk, canned tuna, cottage cheese, salad and roasted chicken with vegetables. - Joel Berg, CEO of Hunger Free America, said a $3 meal is possible but not easy to sustain, noting practical barriers such as the need to buy in bulk, transportation, storage and time. - Government data cited in the reporting show food prices remain elevated, with consumer food prices up 0.7 percent in December and average household food spending topping $10,000 in 2024. - The USDA example of about $10 per person per day is higher than average SNAP benefits; the article notes a maximum benefit this year for a family of four is approximately $994, about $8.15 per person per day. Summary: The USDA presented simulations and example menus to argue that meals meeting the revised dietary guidance can be put together affordably, while commentators and some officials questioned whether those examples reflect everyday realities for many families. Rising food costs and differences between simulation assumptions and real-world constraints are central to the discussion. Undetermined at this time.