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"  Temperature isn&amp;#039;t the only thing on the rise. Gas prices continue to creep over the $4 a gallon mark. And they aren&amp;#039;t stopping there. In an interview with CNBC, Richard Hastings, strategist at Global Hunter Securities, sees gasoline has having &amp;quot;no problem&amp;quot; reaching over $6 a gallon this summer due to increased demand and probable storms. Of course, gas prices don&amp;#039;t just come into play when you&amp;#039;re at the pump. Food prices are going up all over the place - from fast food to chocolate. Though we can&amp;#039;t help lower gas prices, we can help you with some cost-cutting menus and tips on how to spend your dime when it comes to food. According to MSN, the Consumer Price Index has risen 2.7 percent in the past 12 months. To put that into more understandable terms, Hershey&amp;#039;s has raised its wholesale prices by almost 10 percent. According to Bloomberg, McDonald&amp;#039;s will raise their prices due to an expected 4.5 percent elevation in food expenses. Food expenses such as beef, which is expected to rise 5.5 percent, pork could rise 7 percent and coffee prices, according to MSN, have already jumped 27 percent between December and March and will continue to as the months go by. Fruits and vegetables are not out of the loop, their prices have risen 23 percent in three months. So how can you continue to eat well without breaking the bank?     Get to Know Your Ingredients While many food costs are on the rise, certain items are always on the lower end of the expense spectrum. Jeff Yeager makes it a point to eat foods that cost less than a dollar a pound year round. Luckily much of these foods are actually some of the best for you. Yeager has come up with a handy list of fifty foods that can help you both pinch a penny and keep you satiated and healthy. Included on the list are items like kale and other leafy greens, potatoes, even the summer favorite of watermelon.    50 Healthy Food Choices That Cost $1 or Less   Stay Seasonal  It&amp;#039;s absolutely possible to enjoy the fruits of summer&amp;#039;s bounty without breaking the bank. After all, summer&amp;#039;s not all lobsters and t-bones. Dishes like Grilled Shrimp with Pineapple Salsa and Grilled Eggplant and Portobello Sandwiches are absolutely delicious and can be made for under $3 a serving.    Cheap Summer Eats   Stock Your Pantry A great meal can be had in no time and economically if you just stock your pantry right. Beans, pasta, canned fish and grains are great ingredients on which to center a healthy, cheap meal. Dishes like Tuna and White Bean Salad and Santa Fe Quinoa Salad are simple and easy. Check out more recipes like those or watch this video about pantry staples from Coupons.com household saving expert, Jeanette Pavini.    5 Cheap Must-Have Ingredients     "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.delish.com/food/news/a37429/money-saving-tips-as-gas-prices-keep-rising/>