Steven Rinella, founder of MeatEater, says wild game represents the “healthiest food” because harvesting it requires physical effort and avoids processed ingredients.

His view aligns with a growing movement urging Americans to reconsider natural, nutrient-dense options, though many still resist one of the cheapest and most nourishing foods available.

Organ meats such as liver, kidneys, and heart are among the most nutrient-dense foods people can eat, yet they are widely rejected.

Also known as offal, these cuts are full of protein and contain high levels of vitamins and minerals compared to popular muscle cuts.

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A 3-ounce serving of beef liver offers an average of 70.7 micrograms of vitamin B12, according to the National Institutes of Health.

By contrast, the same portion of top sirloin steak contains 2.41 micrograms, data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture show.

Beyond nutrition, organ meats deliver strong economic value. Prices for offal cuts can be between 50% and 90% lower than premium steaks such as filet mignon or ribeye.

For example, USDA Choice beef liver recently sold for $3.39 per pound on Instacart, whereas USDA Choice beef loin top sirloin was $14.29 per pound.

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Washington, D.C.-based registered dietitian Roxana Ehsani said that “organ meats, or offal cuts, depending on the type, such as liver, contain higher concentrations of vitamin A, B vitamins, copper, folate and iron compared to more widely consumed cuts of meat.”

However, she noted that “they may also be higher in cholesterol and saturated fat than more widely consumed cuts of meat.”

During the years before World War II, Americans regularly ate organ meats. Wartime rationing even encouraged citizens to consume offal so soldiers could have the muscle cuts.

In other countries, offal remains a culinary staple. Iconic dishes such as tripe, haggis, foie gras, and pâté rely on these so-called “variety cuts.”

Tripe, made from cow stomach, continues to be popular in many cultures. Meanwhile, demand in the U.S. has dropped so steeply that much of the country’s organ meat production now goes overseas.

A 2025 report from Michigan State University Extension found that organ meats made up 22% of U.S. beef exports and generated nearly $1.1 billion in revenue in 2024.

According to The Takeout, offal’s decline in the American diet tied to several factors, including its association with poverty and rationing in the prosperity that followed World War II.

Large-scale industrial meatpacking also contributed to its disappearance, as the process emphasized speed and efficiency over whole-animal use.

The nation’s distance from traditional butchering and cooking practices deepened the divide.

Offal requires more labor to prepare, making it less appealing in a food system focused on convenience.

Today, advocates tied to the Kennedy-led Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) movement call for a return to “ancestral” eating based on nutrient-dense whole foods, protein, and red meat.

Images of beef liver roasts have become symbols of this revivalist approach.

For those unfamiliar with organ meats, Ehsani advises starting slowly.

“You might try mixing half organ meat with half ground beef in a recipe you’re typically used to eating — such as when making meat sauce for a pasta dish,” she said. She also recommended using herbs and spices to balance the stronger flavors.

Even with nutritional and financial advantages, most Americans remain reluctant to embrace offal.

Yet movements like MAHA suggest renewed interest may be simmering beneath the surface.