Once Human: How To Make Food Last Longer

You find yourself in a post-apocalytic world in the survival-horror MMORPG, Once Human. As you explore the world solo or in a team, you will encounter plenty of hostile creatures and polluted environments. Different areas hold various secrets and quests that will make you stronger and better equipped when completed or uncovered.

While you're tasked with hunting Deviations and uncovering the mysteries of the region, you'll also need to keep yourself in top shape in order to survive. Hunger is an important stat to keep track of, and the most nutritious food doesn't last forever.

Food Spoilage Explained

Going hungry in Once Human will take a toll on your health. You won't be able to recover health points over time if you reach the point of starvation. That being said, it's good to have food in your bag when you're out exploring.

Canned goods are great for a quick snack, but they're not as nutritious as cooked food. Meals that you cook on a stove will restore more of your hunger, and they can give you points to restore other stats.

The problem with cooked meals is that they don't last forever. This is also the same for fresh food, such as meats, fish, and produce.

Hovering over them in your inventory will reveal how long you have left before they spoil. After 24 hours, they will turn into Spoiled Food in your bag.

It's best if you only prepare enough food to last you for the day. You may not be able to consume everything you acquire or cook in time before it spoils. They'll end up as added weight to your inventory, possibly encumbering you and making you sluggish .

Thankfully, there are ways to keep food fresh for longer and to make your various meats last forever.

How To Dry Meat

The earliest method you can rely on to make your food last longer is to dry your meat. You can do this using a Meat Drier, and this is something that you will need to unlock in your Memetics menu.

You can access the Memetics menu by pressing "K" and then opening your Memetics — Cradle tab .

You'll find all the cooking-related Memetics under the Logistics tab of your Memetics menu.

Air Drying is the third ability to unlock under its branch. You'll first need to unlock the Stoves and Cooking I Memetics.

You will need Meme Points or Ciphers in addition to Energy Links in order to unlock new Memetics branches.

You can earn Ciphers by leveling up your character, completing season challenges, and capturing new Deviations . Various amounts of Energy Links can be acquired when you complete commissions, clear dungeons, and fulfill tasks .

A great way to earn EXP and Energy Links is by completing the different tasks under your Journey menu , which is accessible by pressing "J" .

Once you've unlocked Air Drying and obtained the schematics for the Meat Drier, you can place one on your territory.

To craft one, you'll need several materials:

To use the Meat Drier, you'll need your meat and salt. Salt can be crafted on a Campsite or a Stove using seawater. You'll need to place the salt into the Salt Input slot, and then add your meat to the Raw Materials slots.

After several minutes, your meat will turn into Preserved Meat. This will not spoil no matter how long it stays in your inventory, making it a decent snack to take along with you on your journey.

While Preserved Meat fills your Hunger bar, it will also reduce the points in your Hydration bar . Make sure to keep stocked on drinkable water if jerky will be your go-to meal in your bag.

How To Get A Fridge

After unlocking Cooking II and Electric Stoves Memetics, you'll have access to the branch that introduces the Refrigeration Memetic. Unlocking this branch will give you the schematic for crafting a Fridge.

A Fridge can be placed on your territory, and storing food here will make it last for six days. This is an essential appliance to have in order to minimize the amount of time you'll need to spend gathering food every time you go out exploring.

You will need several materials to craft a Fridge:

Once you have a Fridge, you will need to supply it with electricity. Wire it to a source of energy in order to power it up. Only then will you be able to store food inside and lengthen its freshness.