Oh, you want to keep the argument going, eh, Jack? ;-)

Okay. Here's how they did it. You note that in the land of Middle Earth there is a tremendous amount of unspoiled wilderness and uninhabited land. Agreed? That means there is undoubtedly a tremendous amount of wild game roaming around: deer, rabbits, wild goats, and many other such furry (and feathered) creatures, all of which make good eating. There's also a lot of plant life...more good eating for those with good hunting and gathering skills. Strider (Aragorn) is a character who has spent many years in the wilderness as a Ranger, and he knows how to find food and hunt. Legolas with his incredible skill with the bow can bag a deer or rabbit any time he sees one. The hobbits also know a bit about fishing, small game, and gathering. Gandalf has further tricks up his sleeve, all kinds of them. You're telling me these guys can't find enough food in the wilderness to sustain them while they're traveling?

I think they can. Just one deer could sustain the entire party for a few days if much of the meat was smoked in strips over a fire and packed.

They would survive the same way Indians did when they traveled in small hunting bands.

As for putting in some scenes of the hunting and gathering...yeah, they could've done that...but I think they were already dealing with a very big story and a limited amount of time to fit all the action in, weren't they?