DayZ is another open-world zombie survival game that will challenge players in many different ways. Set in a post-apocalyptic world, DayZ takes place in the unforgiving land of post-soviet Chernarus. Most of this country's population has been infected by an unknown virus that turns people into frenzied cannibals.
But the infected are only one of many problems, as players have to find a way to survive in a world with limited resources and the mentality of everyone being out for themselves. Just like in real life, food is needed to keep one alive and to give them the energy they need to carry out tasks. There's a lot of different food out there and each one gives a player a certain amount of energy and water.
8 Strawberry Jam
Strawberry Jam is usually considered a condiment, used to make other food better. But in the world of DayZ, it's one of the best food items to come across. Strawberry Jam is one of the canned foods that players can find if they search through houses.
It takes up 4 slots in a player's inventory, but it provides a lot of energy, giving 150kcal, and it also gives a bit of water, 50mL. As a canned food, if a player doesn't open their Strawberry Jam it will never spoil, making it a great food item to hold onto and save for when things get dire.
7 Canned Baked Beans
Beans, beans the magical fruit, the more the player eats them the longer their chances of not dying from starvation are. Beans are another canned food item and a very common one, meaning that players should come across at least a few cans in their playthroughs, without the need to craft the beans themselves.
It takes up 4 slots in a player's inventory, and it gives 200kcal of energy when eaten and 50mL of water. It won't spoil if it's left unopened, and it doesn't have to be cooked. The only downside is that a player will need to either find a can opener or a knife to be able to get inside the can.
6 Honey
Some think that honey is the nectar of the gods, and players will too if they can get this food item. Honey is an Uncommon item, so it might be a bit difficult to find, especially for players joining a server with a lot of people on it. Honey can be found in all civilian locations, like towns, schools, farms, etc.
It takes up 4 slots in a player's inventory and when eaten it will give 250kcal, but it won't give the player any water. Just like all other canned food, if honey is left unopened it will never spoil. It's also another food that doesn't need to be cooked to be able to eat it safely.
5 Mackerel Fillet
Fishing is one of the ways that players can acquire food. There are two ways that a player can fish, they can either use a fishing rod or use a fish trap. With either option, players have to first craft a few items before they can fish. When it comes to making fish traps, players won't need to craft a fishing hook or use bait as they have to when using a fishing rod. It's best to keep the best weapon attachments on hand in case a hostile player seeks this bounty of the sea.
One of the best fish that can be caught for food is a mackerel. Mackerels can be found in the Green Sea that's off the coast of Chernarus. Before players can eat a mackerel they have to have a knife to gut and prepare the mackerel into fillets. Players should not eat the mackerel fillets raw as it will make them sick, and it won't offer the most amount of energy. If a player makes a baked Mackerel Fillet it will give them 240kcal of energy and 40mL of water.
4 Canned Bacon
Out of all the canned foods that a player can get, the best one is probably Canned Bacon. Bacon in general is delicious, and it can be life-saving for a player if they haven't found anything else to eat. Canned Bacon is a rare food item, and it can only be found in Military camps and bases, making it very difficult food to get.
But for players who are brave, or players who are desperate, risking their lives for Canned Bacon will earn them 300kcal and 50mL of water. It won't spoil if its never opened and players either need a knife or can opener to open it.
3 Cereals
Cereals are one of the food items that are categorized as Dry Food. Most of the items here are some type of snack like chips, cookies, crackers, and more. Out of the dry foods Cereal is one of the best ones to come upon in this zombie wasteland. They're uncommon and can be found in all locations. The box does take up 9 slots of inventory, but it gives 400kcal worth of energy, so sacrificing a little extra space might be worth it.
It doesn't need to be cooked and like canned foods, it will not spoil if it is not left open. Extremely lucky players might find themselves finding a compass as a 'prize' in their cereal box. Though the chance of that happening is very rare.
2 Powdered Milk
Eating Powdered Milk might not sound the most appetizing, but in a post apocalyptic setting like DayZ, beggars can't be choosers. Besides, powdered milk is one of the best dry foods that a player can find.
It gives the same amount of energy that a box of cereal gives, 400kcal, but it doesn't take up nearly as much space, only 2 slots. It doesn't offer any water, and it's a bit dehydrating, but it can be found in all locations.
1 Venison Steak
Hunting is another way of obtaining food in DayZ. There are several different animals that players can hunt for food and other resources. One of the best animals for a player to hunt is deer. There are several different deer that a player can hunt; they can hunt stags, does, roebucks and hinds. Hunting and killing a dear won't just award the player with meat, but they'll also get bones, fat, guts and a deer pelt, all of which have their own uses.
Before claiming the meat, players have to skin the deer and turn it into Venison steaks. The best version of the Venison Steak to get the most energy out of it is to bake it. A baked Venison Steak will give 350kcal worth of energy and 50mL of water.