“Eat a piece of chicken, a piece of broccoli, a corn tortilla—and one other thing. That can cost around $3.”

When asked how Americans struggling with rising grocery prices should adapt to new dietary guidelines, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins offered this baffling solution.

This statement is not only wildly out of touch—it’s a slap in the face to millions of families trying to afford nutritious food while prices keep climbing.

Data from the Consumer Price Index showed that food prices rose 0.7% in December 2025, the biggest month-to-month increase in over two years. Produce, coffee, and beef are all up. Eggs, chicken, and milk—the staples Secretary Rollins claims are “coming down”—continue to strain family budgets nationwide.

Meanwhile, the USDA claims to have run “over 1,000 simulations” proving this mystery $3 meal works. But no one has seen those simulations. And no one at a grocery store feels that kind of relief.

While top officials celebrate new guidelines and dine in private ballrooms, working families are being told to stretch a single piece of broccoli and half a tortilla into a balanced dinner. That’s not leadership—it’s mockery.

We, the undersigned, demand that:

• Secretary Rollins publicly apologize for her dismissive and unrealistic comments;
• The Department of Agriculture release its so-called $3 meal simulations for public review;
• The Trump administration expand grocery assistance programs—including SNAP, school meal programs, and direct relief—for low- and middle-income families affected by food inflation.

If you want Americans to eat healthier, you have to make it affordable. Blaming families for struggling while prices rise is unacceptable.

Sign this petition to tell Secretary Rollins: We don’t need speeches—we need solutions. Deliver real food assistance now.

Photo: Evelyn Hockstein/Reuters