WASHINGTON — Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has launched a new cooking series designed to help Americans prepare healthier meals at home without spending more on groceries.
The online series, called “The Real Food Show,” debuted Thursday, July 30, as part of Kennedy’s major effort to encourage healthier eating habits and translate the federal government’s updated dietary guidelines into practical recipes that families can make in their own kitchens.
Kennedy announced the project in a video message, saying the series aims to show that nutritious meals can be simple, affordable and made with everyday ingredients.
Celebrity Chefs Join New Healthy Cooking Series
The first episode features Kennedy cooking alongside celebrity chef Andrew Gruel, who helps prepare crispy salmon cakes served with apple, white beans and green salad.
Future episodes are expected to include other well-known chefs, including Robert Irvine.
According to the Department of Health and Human Services, the recipes featured on the program will cost less than $5 per serving whenever possible.
Kennedy said one of the biggest misconceptions surrounding healthier eating is that it costs significantly more than buying highly processed food.
“When we published the dietary guidelines, there was immediately sort of a good reaction, but also a little trepidation from the public and from critics saying that this food is a lot more expensive than the ultra-processed food that we’ve been eating,” Kennedy said in an interview released ahead of the show’s launch. “And that’s not true.”
New Dietary Guidelines Emphasize Real Food
The cooking series follows the Trump administration’s updated Dietary Guidelines for Americans, unveiled earlier this year.
The recommendations encourage Americans to build meals around vegetables, fruits, protein-rich foods, whole grains, healthy fats and full-fat dairy products while reducing consumption of ultra-processed foods, refined carbohydrates and added sugars.
Kennedy has repeatedly promoted the phrase “Eat Real Food,” arguing that better nutrition is one of the most effective ways to reduce chronic disease.
He has also credited President Donald Trump for supporting the administration’s nutrition agenda.
In announcing the cooking series, Kennedy said the administration had “flipped the food pyramid” by placing real foods at the center of healthy eating recommendations.
Cooking at Home Instead of Fast Food
Kennedy said the series is intended to encourage Americans to return to preparing meals at home rather than relying on restaurant chains or fast-food outlets.
He said that many families mistakenly believe fast food is the cheaper option.
According to Kennedy, Americans have gradually lost everyday cooking skills that were once common in most households.
“Fast food is not less expensive,” he said. “People can eat a lot cheaper at home and a lot better food. But many Americans have forgotten how to cook. It’s becoming a lost art.”
The latest Consumer Price Index showed food prices continuing to rise modestly, with grocery prices and restaurant prices each increasing 0.2% over the previous month.
Kennedy said those increases do not change the fact that preparing meals at home is still one of the most affordable ways to eat healthier.
Kennedy Says Cooking Brings Families Together
Kennedy also described cooking as an important family activity that strengthens personal relationships.
According to him, sharing meals and preparing food together can help address loneliness and social isolation.
He called cooking a “sacred ritual” that many Americans have abandoned.
Kennedy said families benefit when they prepare meals together and sit down to eat without distractions.
Kennedy Shares His Own Food Habits
Kennedy acknowledged that his wife, actress Cheryl Hines, is the stronger cook in their household.
He said he typically prepares simpler meals, including eggs, steaks, fish and hamburgers, while Hines takes charge when family and friends gather.
Kennedy also noted that he is a longtime supporter of fermented foods, including sauerkraut, kimchi and yogurt.
Kennedy said he enjoys experimenting with different foods while traveling and has tried vegan diets several times, although he always found himself returning to meals rich in protein.
Video courtesy of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
