I'm wondering if Elikal and I are playing the same game. The one criticism of his that I agree with is the uneventful walking around. Non-town, non-dungeon areas are dull, but I can live with it.
As far as food goes, a level one spell will give you all the food you will ever need for the cost of a few reagents. You can get this spell within 10 minutes of leaving the Castle.
Money is kinda tight, but I haven't run out of anything yet. Potions seem to be plentiful in the dungeons so I've been using the over casting spells. If you're not in combat, go ahead and cast a heal or cure spell. If you're in combat though, potions are instantaneous heals/cures vs the time it takes to cast a spell.
Wanna steal? Just let everybody get killed and store their bodies in a chest somewhere. Then go on a theft rampage. I'm not sure if the game is tracking your indiscretions outside of your companions, but you could at least give it a try.