Can Americans Afford the New 'RFK Diet' on a €13 Daily Budget?

A new set of dietary guidelines for Americans has sparked debate over cost and practicality. Released in January by U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the plan promotes meat, full-fat foods, and whole ingredients while cutting back on sugar and processed items. To test its feasibility, one writer followed the so-called 'RFK Diet' for a week on a strict €13 daily budget.

The experiment aimed to see whether the government's recommendations could realistically fit into everyday life amid rising food prices.

The updated 2025-2030 Dietary Guidelines were unveiled on 7 January by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Officials initially claimed the diet could be maintained for just $3 (€2.50) per meal. However, inflation and climbing grocery costs soon forced a revision—adjusting the estimate to $15.64 (€13.18) per day.

Despite the guidelines' release, concrete support measures remain absent. Critics argue that without changes to programmes like school meals, hospital food services, SNAP, and WIC, many Americans will struggle to adopt the diet. These schemes currently do not prioritise whole foods such as meat, eggs, or full-fat dairy as the new rules suggest.

For seven days, the author ate according to the guidelines while sticking to the €13 daily limit. The challenge highlighted the gap between policy and real-world affordability, especially as food prices continue to rise.

The test revealed the difficulties of balancing health recommendations with financial constraints. While the government's diet plan encourages nutrient-rich foods, its success depends on wider implementation in public programmes. Until then, the cost of following the guidelines may remain out of reach for many households.