$2.50 a gallon high? you should try living in the u.k. its about £1.05 a liter!
Its been generations since we in the US have suffered, lol.
At my poorest, my wife and I split a chicken breast and can of green beans each night for about six months.
At my grandparents worst, they lived on biscuits and whatever they could get out of their garden. . .for about 3 years.
oh, but they had commodities. . .I'm not sure what those are, but I'm thinking gov't staples.
So I'm hard pressed to complain, I've had a great life, so far, not rich, at all, lol, but I get by just fine.