The Drunken Lizard Pub

Is there a easy way to hardly ever have to worry about food? I keep wanting to travel out farther distances because I am on my way to Port Kuudad for the next part at the beginning of game to take seeing glass to halls of academia but always find my self lacking food even with one point invested in to foraging. Rats usually supplied decent food but now there are not so many of them around. I have the draw water spell so that takes care of my thirst problem but what about food? I remember reading somewhere there is a spell for food ? How far along until I can get it? My arcane elemental is at lvl 8. Basically I am just trying to find a good way to get food without getting ripped off by the merchants ex: 30 gp for dried meat really? Your killing me smalls..

There is a create food spell which can often be found in Eastwillow or when you get to Everdale, but there's also plenty of food around. Did you get the fish and potatoes in the Inn in Eastwillow? Etc. Etc. I've never had to buy food in any play-through of Book II, not even my first when I didn't know where anything was.

Your basic choices are to either put points into Foraging (which slows hunger) and make food or to pony up to the merchants. I might note that the dried meat, spider legs, etc. that cost 30 gold also pretty much fill you up. They are reasonably cost effective if you haven't found the make food spell yet.

I might point out that the Create Food spell is a 'cleric' spell not Arcane. (first tier)

You may also sleep in a tavern, they feed you in the process (but it costs gold).

anyone know if sleeping in the inn breaks the true ranger challenge? I know you can't buy food but not sure if this would count as buying food.