However, you drop the ball when you write "It's not affordable unless you're absurdly wealthy."
The fact is, the salary range in Norway is high, and quite compressed. Everyone can afford to make lasagna.
Can you please tell me exactly how much ingredients cost, and what a typical starting salary is for a college graduate in Norway?
Not to say "I don't believe you", but I'm incredulous. This is shocking.
P.S. Why are you an American living in Norway? How is it?
In terms of salary: I've never heard of a college graduate making less than 250.000NOK = $43,000 USD, even in the most trivial, entry-level job. Note that that's for 32.5 hours/week, with 5 weeks paid vacation and full health care included.
I don't have the lasagna ingredient prices available at home (most items don't have price tags, but shelf-tags at the store), but I can tell you that gasoline is over $7/gallon, if that's something to go by.
Fårikål for 10, aka Mutton in cabbage for 10 people. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F%C3%A5rik%C3%A5l
Lamb meat (fresh), 4kg - 200 NOK / 34,7$
Cabbage, 4kg - 10 NOK / 1,7$
Pepper (whole), 40 grams - 7 NOK / 1,2$
Potatoes 2,5kg - 20 NOK / 3,5$
Total 41$ (for 10)
http://www.rema.no/multimedia/archive/00010/Aftenposten_0910...
McDonalds:
1 Filet O' Fish
1 Cheeseburger
1 Big Mac
2 Fries
1 Smoothie
1 Diet Coke
--------------------------
US $31.50
There's no universal minimum hourly wage in Norway, but generally the lowest amount paid seems to be around 100 NOK / 17$.
Denmark was, of course, expensive by US standards. But upon returning from Norway, he remarked on the absurdly high cost of living. He made lasagna for his Norwegian girlfriend's family and it ended up costing around $60 US--just for the ingredients and a soft drink. Eating out at a burger-type joint ran nearly $100. It's not affordable unless you're absurdly wealthy.