How To Get Food in Subnautica

How do you get your food in Subnautica? Read on to find out the methods of obtaining food and which are the best in the game.

Subnautica is like any other survival game where players must sate their hunger. It is a unique survival game wherein players must traverse an ocean instead of land. You crash land on a water-filled planet and traverse its depths, hoping to find your lost crewmates and, ultimately, your way home.

However, dangerous creatures aren’t the only thing that can kill you. Like in real life, players can die of starvation if left unattended. To survive and carry on, players must find reliable food sources to sustain them throughout their playthrough. Learn the best food sources and how to get them in this Subnautica guide.

1. Catching and Cooking Fish as a Food Source

The quickest and easiest way of obtaining food in the game is to catch and cook fish. With Subnautica’s underwater setting, players will never run out of fish to catch. Take note that fish in Subnautica can either be eaten raw, cooked, or cured, depending on what the player chooses to do with it. Eating them raw means consuming one directly after catching it. Fish can also be cooked when used on a Fabricator or killed using a Thermoblade. Curing them through salt deposits means they last longer but at the cost of a slight reduction in your H₂O level.

Peeper: Considered as one of the most iconic fish in the game, Peepers are also one of the best food items for players. It is so common you can find them in almost every biome, making them the perfect go-to food source. Furthermore, Peepers have a decent hunger-alleviation value—restoring +32 in a single consumption.

A screenshot of several Peeper fish swimming about in Subnautica

Oculus: Not to be confused with the Peeper, this eerie-looking fauna can be found within the Jellyshroom Cave. Although quite uncommon, with its high hunger alleviation score, catching them is worth the trip.

A screenshot of the eerie Oculus fish swimming around in Subnautica

Reginald: By far the best fish to consume in the game, the Reginald fish is best consumed when cooked. When cooked or cured, these fish offer a whooping +44 hunger alleviation score.

A screenshot of the player holding a Reginald fish in Subnautica

Hoopfish: Unlike other regular fish, the Hoopfish don’t retreat when the player approaches, making them fairly easy to catch by hand. With its bioluminescent features, the Hoopfish can easily be spotted from afar, allowing players to catch them even at night. And with its moderate food properties, the Hoopfish is not a bad choice of fish for consumption.

A screenshot of a school of Hoopfish swimming in Subnautica

2. Farming Crops as a Food Source

Catching fish is not the only means to obtain food in Subnautica. Players can also grow their crops and harvest them when ready. This method is only available once you reach mid to late game as this requires you to build your base first.

Chinese Potato: One of the best things about the Chinese Potato is that you can plant these underwater or inside your base. Although the Marblemelon provides more hunger alleviation, Chinese Potatoes grow faster and produce more crops in a single harvest.

A screenshot of a grown Chinese Potato plant in Subnautica

Marblemelon: Overall, a great crop for farming, the Marblemelon provides sufficiently high food, H₂O, and energy to the players when consumed.

A screenshot of a grown Marblemelon plant in Subnautica

Lantern Fruit: This plant is one of the most convenient crops to farm. Once planted, Lantern Trees can grow and produce unlimited Lantern Fruits. High output and fast-growing time make these crops the best for farming in Subnautica.

A screenshot of a grown Lantern Plant in Subnautica

3. Other Food Sources

Wrecks in Subnautica contain not only blueprints for equipment but also supply crates. Supply crates contain processed food and H₂O that were part of the rations for the crew aboard the Aurora before it crashed on planet 4546B.

You can only obtain Nutrient Blocks, considered the best food item in the game, as these provide the highest hunger alleviation score inside these supply crates. But as these are limited in supply, it is best to consume them during emergencies only.

Aside from supply crates, you can also obtain snacks from Vending Machines. These snacks are not the best food choice as they deduct the player’s H2O level and provide an extremely low hunger-alleviation score. The only good thing about snacks is that Vending Machines create an unlimited free supply. However, bringing them as your main food source for long exploration trips is not advisable.