Where to Find Food in Permafrost

Hunting is your main food source

The official Steam post on animals says you can hunt with almost any weapon. Firearms, bows, axes and even a shiv can bring down prey. The hard part is getting close, because many animals run at the first sign of danger.

Once an animal is down, you need a shiv to skin it. Skinning gives you meat plus pelts, fat and bones, so nothing goes to waste. You can also craft animal head trophies from your kills.

Every part of a kill has a use beyond the meat. According to the preview data, animal fat becomes oil, candles and Treated Hide, and pelts are the main route to Cloth without looting rags. That makes hunting the backbone of both your food supply and your warm clothing.

Your first hunting weapon is usually a Crude Bow with Wooden Arrows, crafted by hand in the opening quest. Arrows can be picked up again after a shot. Bows are silent, which helps when stalking skittish animals.

The official post on the Woods describes three ways to hunt. Traps can be set along animal paths, bows allow silent and precise kills, and firearms give you raw stopping power when things go wrong. Most players start with the bow and add traps and guns as their workbenches improve.

Which animals to hunt and which to avoid

Animals fall into two groups, according to the official post. Some are skittish and need patience, while others attack on sight. Knowing which is which keeps early hunting trips safe.

Deer are the best early target, because they give good meat and do not fight back. Playtesters also warned that moose and boar keep coming once you anger them. Leave bears and wolves alone until you have a firearm or a strong bow.

A fan datamine of the preview build lists 12 huntable animals, from a rabbit with a single hit point to a boss bear. In that data a Red Deer has 100 HP and never fights back, while bears and wolves both hit hard. These numbers come from a test build, so treat them as a rough guide rather than final values.

The best hunting grounds

The official Steam post on the region calls the Woods the best hunting grounds in the game. Many animals roam there, providing both food and materials. At its center stands Hunter's Glade, home of the hunter known as Skinwalker.

You do not have to travel far at the start. Playtesters often found deer near Horizon and around the first cave exit. When a quest asked for a bear, the official forum account pointed players to the one in the cave where you meet the dog.

One streamer noted that animals respawn, while trees reportedly do not. That makes hunting a reliable long-term food source. See the Permafrost map for where these regions sit.

Traps: let dinner come to you

Traps are one of the six essential tool types in the official tools video, which says that set right, they bring dinner to you. A Rabbit Trap needs only Wood and Rope, according to preview build data. Place traps along animal paths and check them on your way back.

Skinwalker at Hunter's Glade sells traps and bows, so it is worth a visit once you reach the Woods. The preview data also lists an under-snow trap and a trap bow. Traps let you gather food while you spend your time on other tasks.

Scavenging and trading

Containers, houses and bodies across the world hold food. Preview data lists canned food, MREs, granola and chocolate bars, frozen pizza and vegetables, mushrooms, herbs and edible roots. Your dog can sniff out loot, which makes searching faster.

Traders sell supplies for the in-game currency, Bucks. Horizon has a trader, and Mule, the travelling merchant, offers supplies and rare items. Skinwalker and other characters also trade goods as you progress.

The official introduction to Mule describes him as more than a merchant: he is your access to supplies, rare items and crucial information. Visiting traders between trips is a good way to top up food when hunting goes badly. Keep some Bucks in reserve for those moments.

Always cook your food

Cook meat on a lit Campfire, which costs 2 Stone, or later on a Stove. Playtest footage shows a cooking prompt on the fire, and the finished meal appears on the fire for you to pick up. One developer reply reminded a stuck player to collect the cooked meat and check that their inventory was not full.

Cooked dishes restore much more hunger than raw food. Raw meat can also give you Parasites, which damage your health over time. The early quest in Horizon's kitchen exists to teach you this habit.

Combining ingredients creates special dishes, as players and a developer confirmed on the forum. One quest specifically asks for a warming meal, and players got stuck until they added the right side ingredient. These combinations were reported to work.

• Meat + potato — a Warming Dish that also raises Body Warmth.
• Meat + herb — a Healthy Dish.
• Potato + herb — reported by a player as both warming and healthy.

Signs you are starving

Hunger builds up in stages, and the game shows each one as a status effect. It starts with A Bit Hungry, which tells you to look for food, then moves to Famished and finally Starving. Playtest footage shows these warnings next to the survival meters in the bottom-left corner.

Hunger is easy to forget while you focus on the cold. The official forum account warned one player that they might have died of hunger while warming up at a campfire, not of the cold. Glance at the Hunger bar every time you stop to warm up.

Carry a small snack supply for emergencies. Every starting background includes a couple of snacks, such as a granola bar or a chocolate bar. Keep some cooked meat as well, so a long trip never leaves you empty.

Growing food later on

The official feature list mentions cultivating areas to grow food. Preview data shows indoor planters under grow lights for herbs and coffee. This is a later-game system, so do not count on it in your first hours.

Food also ties into staying warm, since warming dishes push Body Warmth back up. There is no thirst meter, and drinks count toward the same Hunger bar. See how to get water and how to stay warm for the full picture.