The US agriculture secretary, Brooke Rollins, is facing ridicule from congressional Democrats – among others – after claiming Americans can save money and have their meals align with new Department of Health and Human Services dietary guidelines by simply eating “a piece of chicken, a piece of broccoli”, “a corn tortilla” and “one other thing”.
One representative even called the remarks “a slap in the face to struggling working families”.
Rollins made the remarks during an interview with NewsNation in response to a question about how average Americans will afford adapting their meals to the White House’s updated food pyramid, which emphasizes red meat, full-fat dairy and saturated fats while discouraging ultra-processed foods and sugar. The rising cost of groceries has been a major issue for Americans in recent years.
So, the Columbo approach to meal planning. And I do love having a single spear of broccoli for garnish atop a corn tortilla.
ETA: The irony of saying immigrants are the problem and then suggesting tortillas is … stunning.
I have the simple American diet that will work for at least 70% of people:
Less
Obligatory “It’s a banana, Michael. How much could it cost, like, ten dollars?”
8oz of chicken, 3oz broccoli, corn tortilla, 2oz cheese = About 550 calories, 50 grams of protein, and some good and fiber.
This is a meal healthier than 99% of processed food options.
I say add some fried chili’s in oil.
You can’t be suffering if you’re eating more than your government recommended micro-meals.
these complaints are rediculous. of course a tortilla, a piece of chicken, a piece of broccli and a meal replacement shake would be a perfectly suitable meal!
Wanna know what’s cheap, nutritious, and tasty? Black beans, white rice, and a corn (or flour) tortilla with a little butter (or butter alternative). Add some meat if you have it and some cilantro if you want, but the beans and rice are super cheap in bulk, and beans are great. You can also refry the beans (less healthy ofc) or cook the leftovers into gallo pinto. There’s also other ways to prepare them, like soups, tacos, burritos, etc. You can even turn the rice into horchata (just be careful to find a recipe that’s food safe!).
Look, I grew up on this food, and it’s damn good. Also, the base ingredients are as cheap as it gets.
Ironically, my partner is allergic to broccoli, so the suggested meal wouldn’t even work for us. And that’s of course ignoring vegans and vegetarians.
Beans are so underrated.
Why would you encourage people to eat soap?
Keeps your insides clean. Soap should also break down any fats and cholesterols in the blood.*
* Do not try this at home.
You can just suggest bleach injections and divert responsibility. It’s still better than eating cilantro.
Don’t forget to say a prayer for the poor struggling billionaires before you eat, peons.
And wear a suit.
How am I going to afford a suit? 😭
the White House’s updated food pyramid, which emphasizes red meat, full-fat dairy and saturated fats
MAHAA: More American heart attacks again
I’d love to see what would happen if Trump were served a piece of chicken, a piece of broccoli and a corn tortilla. What would the one other thing be? Goya beans?
My guess is Bubba
If the white house can’t afford a more elaborate meal than that, they’ll just take more money out of the SNAP budget so trump can have surf & turf with ketchup.
You know, cause “fuck the kids” is his favorite motto…
Big mac
Small hands, Big Mac.
My work lunches are both more nutritious and have more calories. I spend all of five minutes tossing whatever looks good in my lunch-box.
Could say the same about my youngest’s grade-school lunches, but my wife puts more thought into those.
So their “meal” is meant to feed what? A fussy toddler who likes broccoli?
I’ve been eating a lot more grains and lentils and veggies and it’s pretty cheap and nutritious. Meat is a luxury.
Grains, legumes, and veggies make a full balanced meal. Especially if it’s whole grains. And it’s affordable, too.
Meat is definitely a luxury, and it always was throughout history. Before industrial agriculture, besides rich people, most folks would only eat meat on feast days, and that would be on like a “kill a sheep, feed the whole village” type basis. It wasn’t a staple.
People who insist that meat is necessary for complete nutrition need to get over the fact that they’re just plain wrong.
For me, meat, cheese, fruit, grains(noodles), and nuts are my go-tos at the moment. Fruit is easy because it is its own packaging and generally doesn’t require prep or refrigeration.
For whatever reason, my household seems short on veggies since I started packing lunches, and I need to do some expirimenting to figure out which work for me enough to buy more for myself rather than trying to stock the household with stuff the fams won’t eat.
If anything’s a luxury I don’t expect to work-out for me soon, its fish.
For sure. I usually eat salmon and it’s now $15 for what used to be $8-$10
You were eating cheap salmon!
Hey, I was the weird toddler who liked broccoli. This said, Mom was very generous with the butter and Knorr Aromat. Sadly, in this scenario, you only get one more thing, so I guess I’d pick the Aromat.
Wait… aromat exists outside South Africa?
It’s a Swiss thing. Probably owned by Nestle or Unilever at this point.
Right, I just didn’t think it was popular anywhere else.
I didn’t say weird. When it comes to toddlers, like people, “weird” is a feature, not a bug.
Is the “one more thing” a natty daddy tall boy because sounds like a great meal to me
