Introduction
Struggling to survive in the Commonwealth because you’re constantly hungry? Finding food is crucial for survival in Fallout 4, providing essential health restoration and various beneficial buffs that can significantly improve your chances of making it through another day in the harsh post-apocalyptic world. Forget stimpaks for a moment; the real wasteland survival skill is knowing exactly where and how to find food in Fallout 4. This comprehensive guide will provide you with the knowledge you need to keep your hunger bar full, whether you’re braving the dangers of Survival Mode or just looking for a little extra edge in the standard game. We’ll cover everything from scavenging for pre-war provisions to establishing your own thriving farm and cooking up delicious and nutritious meals.
The Basics of Hunger and Food in Fallout 4
The impact of food varies depending on whether you are playing in survival or normal mode. In Survival Mode, managing your hunger is a constant and critical challenge. Unlike the standard game mode, food primarily addresses your hunger level; it doesn’t directly heal you. The constant need to find sustenance forces you to make tough choices and carefully manage your resources. Depriving your character of food in Survival Mode gradually increases your Fatigue. As Fatigue worsens, your character’s Action Points (AP) decrease, negatively impacting your ability to sprint, use VATS, and perform other essential actions. Continued starvation can even lead to health penalties and ultimately death.
Outside of Survival Mode, food primarily acts as a method of health restoration. In regular mode, you can consume food to quickly recover lost health during combat or while exploring. Many food items also provide temporary buffs, like increased AP regeneration, improved strength, or enhanced resistances.
However, be aware that many food items in Fallout 4 contain radiation. Consuming irradiated food will increase your character’s Rads, which can negatively impact your maximum health. Balancing the benefits of food with the potential drawbacks of radiation poisoning is a key aspect of survival.
Finally, it is important to be aware that food spoils. As time passes in the game, food items will deteriorate, becoming less effective or even harmful to consume. This emphasizes the importance of cooking food to preserve it and maximize its benefits. Cooked food often provides better health restoration, more potent buffs, and reduced radiation levels compared to its raw counterparts.
Finding Food in the Wasteland: Location Matters
There are various ways to acquire food in the Commonwealth. Scavenging, hunting, foraging, and even completing quests can lead you to your next meal. Understanding the best places to search is the first step in keeping your character well-fed.
Scavenging Common Locations
General Stores
Vendors located in settlements like Diamond City, Goodneighbor, and Vault Eighty-One are excellent sources of pre-packaged food items. These merchants typically stock a variety of canned goods, snacks, and even fresh produce (if you’re lucky). Remember to check their inventories regularly, as they restock their supplies over time.
Homes and Buildings
Always thoroughly search homes, buildings, and other structures you encounter. Refrigerators, cabinets, shelves, and even floors are potential locations for food spawns. Focus on searching kitchens and dining areas in pre-war houses; these rooms often contain multiple food items.
Supermarkets and Ruins
Locations like the Super Duper Mart and other ruined markets are obvious places to scavenge for food. Be prepared to face enemies in these areas, as they are often heavily guarded by raiders, ghouls, or other hostile creatures. Clear the threats, then loot everything you can find.
Abandoned Farms
Dilapidated farms scattered throughout the Commonwealth can still offer valuable food resources. Check for overgrown crops, abandoned livestock (Brahmin), and storage sheds that might contain forgotten supplies.
Hunting Wildlife
Creatures
The Commonwealth is teeming with wildlife, some of which is perfectly edible. Common creatures you can hunt for food include Radroaches, Mole Rats, Bloatflies, Mongrels, and Brahmin.
Hunting Tips
When hunting, use appropriate weapons for the task. A well-placed shot from a rifle or a swift melee attack can quickly take down your prey. Consider investing in perks like Butcher’s Bounty, which increases the amount of meat you harvest from creatures. Avoid getting overwhelmed by multiple enemies; plan your attacks carefully.
Harvesting
After killing an animal, approach its corpse and activate it to harvest meat. The type and amount of meat you obtain will depend on the creature you killed.
Foraging
Wild Plants
The Commonwealth is home to a variety of wild plants that you can harvest for food. Common edible plants include Tato, Corn, Mutfruit, Melon, Carrot, Razorgrain, and Gourd.
Location Specifics
Learn to identify these plants by their visual characteristics. Tato, for example, is a small, potato-like vegetable that grows near water. Corn is a tall, leafy plant with yellow kernels. Pay attention to the environment; certain plants are more abundant in specific areas. Tato tends to grow near rivers and lakes, while Mutfruit thrives in sunny, open fields.
Searching Containers
Containers
Always be diligent in searching containers for food items. Look inside duffle bags, mailboxes, first aid kits, crates, and other containers you encounter. These containers sometimes hold hidden caches of food and other valuable supplies.
Quests and Rewards
Quests
Keep an eye out for quests that reward food items. Many settlers and other non-player characters (NPCs) are willing to offer you food in exchange for your help. Completing these quests can provide a reliable source of sustenance. For example, some farmers might ask you to clear out pests from their crops, rewarding you with a share of the harvest. Some vendors will restock on a timer if you wait long enough.
Growing Your Own Food: Settlement Farming
Establishing a farm in one of your settlements is the most reliable way to ensure a steady supply of food. By growing your own crops, you can eliminate the need to constantly scavenge and hunt for survival.
Setting Up Your Farm
Settlement Requirements
To start a farm, you’ll need a settlement, settlers, and the necessary resources. Choose a settlement with plenty of open space and access to water. Assign settlers to farming duties by selecting them in workshop mode and assigning them to the crops you plant.
Planting
To plant crops, you’ll need seeds or existing plants. You can find seeds by scavenging and exploring the wasteland. Once you have the seeds, select them in workshop mode and plant them in a suitable location within your settlement.
Defense
Defend your crops from raiders and creatures. Build walls, fences, and turrets to protect your farm from attack. Assign settlers to guard duty to patrol the perimeter and defend against threats.
Crops to Grow
Crop Variety
Grow a variety of crops to ensure a balanced diet and a diverse supply of ingredients for cooking. Tato, Corn, Mutfruit, Melon, Carrot, Razorgrain, and Gourd are all excellent choices. Each crop offers unique benefits and uses in recipes. Corn, for example, is a good source of carbohydrates, while Mutfruit provides valuable vitamins and minerals.
Efficiency
For optimal yield, plant crops in rows and space them appropriately. Provide adequate water and fertilizer to promote healthy growth.
Water and Fertilizer
Water
Water is essential for crop growth. Build wells, water pumps, or water purifiers in your settlement to provide a steady supply of water. Assign settlers to maintain these water sources to ensure they remain functional.
Fertilizer
Fertilizer provides essential nutrients to your crops. You can find fertilizer by scavenging or by producing it yourself. Brahmin produce fertilizer, so consider raising a Brahmin in your settlement.
Cooking and Recipes: Level Up Your Meals
Cooking significantly enhances the benefits of food in Fallout 4. Cooked food typically provides better health restoration, more potent buffs, and reduced radiation levels compared to raw food.
Cooking Stations
Cooking stations can be found in many settlements and other locations throughout the Commonwealth. These stations provide a dedicated space for cooking your ingredients.
Basic Cooking
Simply interact with a cooking station and select the recipes you want to cook. The required ingredients will be automatically consumed from your inventory.
Important Recipes
Steak
Radstag Steak, Deathclaw Steak, and other steaks provide significant health restoration and temporary buffs.
Soups and Stews
Vegetable Soup, Mutt Chop, and other soups and stews are excellent for restoring health and providing long-lasting sustenance.
Other Useful Recipes
Noodle Cup and Blamco Mac and Cheese are quick and easy snacks that can provide a small boost of health and energy.
Recipe Locations
Recipes can be found in various locations, such as containers and merchants.
Benefits of Cooking
Improved health restoration, enhanced buffs, removal of radiation.
Perks and Skills that Help with Food
Several perks and skills can significantly enhance your ability to find, grow, and cook food in Fallout 4.
Survival
(If playing in Survival Mode) This perk reduces hunger and thirst.
Cannibal
(If applicable/appropriate) This perk allows you to consume human corpses for sustenance.
Aquaboy/Aquagirl
This perk allows you to breathe underwater and removes radiation from water, making it safer to drink and find food.
Butcher’s Bounty
This perk increases the amount of meat you harvest from creatures.
Wasteland Survival Guide
Finding Wasteland Survival Guide magazines provides bonuses to food finding.
Conclusion
Finding food is a fundamental aspect of survival in Fallout 4. By mastering the art of scavenging, hunting, farming, and cooking, you can ensure a steady supply of sustenance and thrive in the harsh wasteland. Remember to explore thoroughly, experiment with different strategies, and adapt to the ever-changing conditions of the Commonwealth. Food management is not just about surviving; it’s about thriving and conquering the challenges that lie ahead. So, grab your weapons, pack your bags, and get out there to start your quest for sustenance in the wasteland. And feel free to share your own favorite food-finding tips and tricks in the comments below!
