Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. took the stage at an “Eat Real Food” rally in Austin, Texas, this week, offering budget advice to Americans struggling with rising grocery prices: choose less expensive cuts of meat.
“There’s a lot of good food in grocery stores that goes to waste. Most of the cheap cuts of meat are very inexpensive. If you buy a porterhouse steak … it is gonna set you back,” Kennedy said in a clip shared on X. “You can buy liver, or the cheaper cuts of steak that are very very affordable.”
RFK Jr. says you can more easily afford groceries if you start eating liver instead of beef. If grocery prices are cheaper like Trump says, then why is his administration constantly telling you cut corners or go without? pic.twitter.com/evfKVQvlWE
— The Lincoln Project (@ProjectLincoln) February 27, 2026
His comments quickly drew criticism online, with opponents arguing that the administration was shifting responsibility to consumers rather than directly addressing inflation and cost-of-living pressures.
Rep. Ted Lieu (D-CA) responded sharply on X, writing: “Dear @WhiteHouse: PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE SEND @RobertKennedyJr TO EVERY SWING HOUSE DISTRICT WHERE HE CAN TELL AMERICANS TO EAT LIVER OR CHEAP CUTS OF MEAT TO COPE WITH SURGING INFLATION. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION TO THIS MATTER.
CNBC anchor Carl Quintanilla added a pointed remark, posting: “NEW AD TAGLINE: “Liver. It’s what’s for dinner.’”
Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin also weighed in, stating: “A reminder that Trump is hosting a candlelit dinner for his donors at Mar-a-Lago this weekend. I wonder what they’re serving?”
The anti-Trump organization The Lincoln Project wrote on X, “RFK Jr. says you can more easily afford groceries if you start eating liver instead of beef. If grocery prices are cheaper like Trump says, then why is his administration constantly telling you cut corners or go without?”
Bloomberg columnist Matthew Yglesias commented: “New affordability solution — buy liver instead of steakliver instead of steak.”
The account Decoding Fox News added: “Let them eat liver. Some folks like liver but offal has long been considered food for peasants. Northern Europeans ate it mostly due to lack of other alternatives. They have no self-awareness.”
