Separate hunger, healing and fire supplies; carry ready food and cook raw meat at camp.
Watch the hunger bar rather than leaving camp to find food only when it's nearly empty. For a short trip, carry food you can eat immediately and leave some food, healing supplies and fuel at camp. Bring raw meat back and cook it at the fire.
Separate three jobs
| Need | Before leaving | After returning |
|---|---|---|
| Hunger | Carry fruit or cooked food you've confirmed is edible; check your hunger first | Refill what you need and retain a portion for the next trip |
| Healing | Take some bandages or other healing items if available; read what the item does | Put remaining healing supplies somewhere the team knows |
| Campfire | Ensure the fire has fuel and keep a small reserve at camp | Add logs, coal or a fuel canister as needed when you find them |
Food addresses hunger; healing items address injuries. Don't assume every food is an instant substitute for a bandage. Check each item's current description for its effect.
Only raw meat or a few berries?
Fruit can serve as food on a trip; confirm the item's name and that it is edible. Bring raw meat to the campfire: drop cookable raw meat onto the campfire, wait until it becomes cooked, then pick it up. Raw meat can cause damage, so don't treat it as equivalent to cooked meat.
If you're already very hungry and far from home, check the ready food you carry and your teammates' positions, then head toward known camp first. Don't chase distant food into darkness or a group of enemies.
Split supplies in co-op
Before leaving, agree who carries food and who watches camp. Give each person a portion for the trip and put the rest where teammates can find it. After returning, use remaining food and fire fuel to decide the next trip. If you have rescued children, watch their hunger indicators and include their needs in the camp reserve.
The fire, farming and later cooking equipment offer more options; check current crafting costs and recipes in the interface. Make sure the team can eat and get home before pursuing advanced ingredients far away.
Sources: hunger and food, campfire cooking and food, rescued children and hunger.
Sources
Revision history
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