Overview
- Brooke Rollins reiterated Tuesday that nearly 1,000 USDA simulations show meals can cost $3 to $4 if people can access specific foods.
- She introduced a new estimate of $15.64 for three meals and a snack in a day, a figure critics noted conflicts with her per‑meal claim.
- A USDA spokesperson defended the analysis and said many meal combinations meet the guidelines without higher costs, while offering no details on the simulation methods.
- The department pointed to sample menus with items such as eggs, milk, tuna, salads and roasted chicken to illustrate low-cost days.
- The dispute comes as grocery prices rose 0.7% in December and average 2024 household food spending exceeded $10,000, with anti-hunger advocates warning that sustaining $3 meals requires time, bulk buying and transportation many households lack.