Not only are prices going up, but supply is going down. There was no canned cat food at the store today. Luckily, I have a little and my cats will eat dry. I have been cooking for the animals at times in order to clean up the freezer and save money.

The tri tip roast I cooked for a friend last week was $10 a pound before it was on sale. Yikes! I see steaks at $20 a pound, but haven't purchased any.

I am cooking for a family from the women's shelter a mother with five little ones. I try not to think what that runs every week. Just once a week, but I try to make a nice meal. The shelter is totally full and this young mother has been placed in another location. If I can do anything to make her life easier, I will.

I am kicking myself for selling my mom's old cookbook that was put out by the government during the depression on how to make healthy meals on a budget. I know I use eggs a lot...can make "fried vegetables" by sautéing any veggies you have then adding a couple of eggs to the pan...quick and easy...could also add some canned pinto, navy, chickpeas, or whatever to further boast the protein. Mom used to make a ton of hot dishes where rice, noodles, potatoes took a leading role....not good for Keto...but helped keep the cost downs. I have been trying to add things like nuts, seeds, yogurt to keep the meat down....not that those things are cheap either. I have been thinking that every time I cook a squash, that I really aught to scoop out the seeds and roast them to much on...more protein. oh...I have also been buying a lot of frozen veggies....I think they may be less expensive then fresh and actually more economical in that there isn't much waste at all with them.

The other day the lady in front of me had two small girls with her. Once given the total, she reluctantly started to have the clerk start to take things off the bill. She started with ice cream, and some little kid treats. The kids were upset, and mom tried to explain how sorry she was. She was counting her money, and I bent over, and pretended to pick up some "dropped" money. Her eyes filled with tears, and she had two very happy little girls. I know what a struggle it can be, having had some lean years when my kids were small. I try to do what I can to help others out.

Awww, that was so sweet. And so tactful!

I’m for that idea. If you start a new post for this, I can bet more will add to it. It’s a great plan !

I saw a cool cookbook like this in an antique store. I didn’t buy it but I did spend some time looking at it.

I learned to stretch the food dollar & I had the world’s best teachers. My Mother & her friends were farm wives who put 3 meals on the table every day also lunches mid morning & mid afternoon. (today called a “snack”). They made food that didn’t require a lot of ingredients and I try to remember that in meal planning.

I have several depression era cookbooks. It's all basic cooking. It's surprising how many families do not buy basic foods anymore. I overheard two younger ladies talking in the grocery store by the dry beans. One said dry beans were pretty to look at and the other said she had no idea why dry beans were even sold anymore because no one she knows ever buys them, her mother never did.

Climate change is not the problem. As far as gas prices, last year the US was energy independent, this year, and the next three, we are not.

Don't want to get too far off topic. "Energy Independence" tends to be a buzz word used politically by some and isn't really what it seems. You want to be patriotic? Ride a bike and harness the wind.

https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/ar...dle-east-peace