A seat at the table has never been this pricy! Each year, Neiman Marcus offers a selection of catered gourmet food for families to save time on meal prep for the holidays. But this year, the good citizens of the internet caught wind of one side that comes attached with a very hefty tag: collard greens.
The leafy dish is available for $66, along with a $15.50 shipping fee. According to the site description, one fully cooked and frozen order includes four 12-ounce trays of greens “seasoned with just the right amount of spices and bacon.” With the $88.50 greens serving eight to 10 people, that cashes out to an $8.50 serving per person.
Unsurprisingly, social media was shocked by the offering, especially since collard greens are sold for as low as $2.63 per pound in most grocery stores, according to the USDA Economic Research Service. One pound typically serves two people. The dish, usually prepared with smoked meat, comes to almost $1.30 a head. “The fact Neiman Marcus shipping collard greens lets me know it's almost time for the Lord to return and take us all of earth,” @icanonlybemekh tweeted on October 31. User @themusicmogul joined in on the fun in a November 2 tweet, writing that “Neiman Marcus selling white people a $66 bowl of fig leaves and calling it collard greens. Lol.”
The hashtag #gentrifiedgreens slowly but surely gained steam on Twitter and Instagram, along with a heaping helping of criticism. “Cost aside, if you ain't making your collards with ham hocks or smoked turkey, I got no use for you. Bacon? Nah. #gentrifiedgreens,” @jubimom wrote on November 1.
The collard greens aren’t the only head-scratching dishes up for grabs this season. A Baked Bean Medley of beans, bacon, barbecue sauce, beef brisket and pork shoulder is available for $80. NM Exclusive Candied Yams are a steal at $48, which is 25 percent off the original price of $64. Want to spice up your life? Try 72 Handmade Tamales, on sale for $69. Or whet your guests appetites with Callie’s Charleston Biscuits, only $66.75.
This article originally appeared on www.usmagazine.com: Neiman Marcus Is Selling Collard Greens for $66, and the Internet Has Thoughts