Rising food costs in Open Book

As you're all aware, the rising food costs are INSANE.

I went to the store today to pick up a few items for dinners this week...$58 for 2 dinners to feed a family of 3 (the dogs are already taken care of this week as you all know I do cook for my dogs as well)...

Holy shit...

You know what the REAL SHOCKER was though?...Buying all the ingredients to make things "from scratch."

I'm not really into jarred or canned food (umm I can taste the glass and the tin)...I try to make just about everything from scratch...I flucking suck at baking, so I happily buy pre-made pie crusts (I don't make fruit pies, I make turkey pot pies in the cooler months)...

Anyway...I have Zucchini bake on tonight's menu (kind of like lasagna without noodles and meat)...Tomorrow I have Asparagus, Artichoke, and Lemon pasta lined up.

Both are meatless entries...Both SHOULD be cheap...I even make HALF of what the recipes call for (because I flucking hate leftovers, ewwwww).

You'd think I could make both from scratch rather cheaply (especially since they don't require meat).

But no...

Vegetables are OUTRAGEOUS...As I was going through the recipes I realized that I COULD make both dishes for half the cost if I wanted to used canned and/or jarred stuff...Like spaghetti sauce that comes in a jar.

Ummm thanks but, no thanks...

I still can't fathom how something that is pre-made (just think of costs that go into pre-made food...Factory space, employees, insurance, shipping, overhead, etc, etc...) is just SOOOO much cheaper than something made from scratch (I buy all the veggies and prepare the sauces myself).

I have gone to a few farmer's markets around here and their prices aren't any better than Nob Hill's, so I don't bother with those anymore...

It is just mind blowing and frustrating. Honestly, we could take our family of 3 out to dinner for these prices...No wonder American's are so un-healthy...Their bank accounts don't leave any other option.

It's just SAD.