RFK Jr. attacked CNN anchor Erin Burnett after the network challenged his affordable meal calculation. CNN found the meal required $70.54 in grocery purchases. That figure was far above RFK Jr.’s $19.64 calculation.
RFK Jr. attacked Erin Burnett after CNN found his $19.64 meal actually cost $70.54
The meal featured wild Alaskan salmon cakes with a white-bean salad. RFK Jr. presented it as an affordable dinner for a family of four. His calculation placed the meal’s cost at only $19.64. CNN later examined whether shoppers could prepare it for the amount.
Correspondent Tom Foreman recreated the recipe for CNN’s report. He visited a local grocery store and calculated the necessary ingredients’ costs. His total reached $70.54 before the meal could be prepared.
The disagreement involved how individual ingredients were priced. RFK Jr.’s show counted only portions used in the recipe. CNN considered what shoppers needed to purchase at the store. That distinction significantly increased the upfront grocery cost.
One example involved eggs used in the Salmon cakes. RFK Jr.’s calculation counted one egg at 25 cents. Foreman found shoppers had to purchase a dozen eggs for $2.79. He argued grocery stores did not sell ingredients in tiny portions. That made RFK Jr.’s advertised total difficult to match.
RFK Jr. responded by accusing Burnett of political bias. “Trump Derangement Syndrome has so debilitated @ErinBurnett,” he wrote. He claimed she had abandoned “common sense and basic arithmetic.” He defended the show’s costing method as standard recipe accounting.
“If you put a squirt of ketchup on your burger,” RFK Jr. wrote. He questioned whether customers should pay for the entire bottle. He argued unused ingredients remained available for future meals.
RFK Jr. said his broader goal involved healthier cooking and stocked kitchens. He argued Americans could reuse ingredients across multiple meals. CNN’s report did not dispute that the completed dish appeared healthy.
The dispute highlighted different definitions of an affordable meal. RFK Jr. focused on recipe portions and ingredients used. CNN emphasized the amount shoppers would spend at checkout. The contrasting calculations kept attention on his Real Food Show claims.
TELL US – DO YOU THINK RFK JR.’S MEAL COST CALCULATION WAS FAIR?
