Vegetables and animal meat can be gathered for food. Animals such as deer, chicken, and rabbits prance about, and harvesting them is recommended. Armed with a knife, you can collect Raw Meat and Animal Fat, both of which are used in food recipes.
Eating food is critical in the game. Doing so can replenish your health bar, give you a stamina bonus, and sometimes help alleviate thirst or provide a buff.
There are dozens of food recipes in 7 Days to Die. Cooking food is the best way to stave off starvation, plus it removes any chance of getting dysentery. You can unlock new recipes for food and drinks by reading Home Cooking Weekly Skill Magazines. Granted, you’ll need to read all 100 subscriptions to obtain every recipe in the game.
How to Cook
Cooking in 7 Days to Die requires you to build a Campfire. Creating one only requires five Small Stones. Place it on the ground and add fuel such as Wood or Coal. You start by only being able to cook Charred Meat and Boiled Eggs.
For the remaining recipes, you’ll need to find cooking tools for your Campfire:
Cooking Pot Cooking Grill
Most early recipes require only a Cooking Pot, but you’ll need a Cooking Grill to craft better food items. Recipes will show you what tool is required by checking the Food tab in your Campfire and looking to the right of their name. Food takes time to make, with more complicated recipes taking longer.
All Canned Food
Canned food will be the earliest and fastest way to replenish your food bar in 7 Days to Die. Most canned food can be found through looting, commonly by checking kitchen counters, refrigerators, and store shelves. You should keep some handy at your base when cooked food isn’t on hand.