Food is the primary tool of self-sustenance in Survival Mode in Minecraft, so you need to eat regularly. Thankfully, the game offers an abundance of sources, some even coming from rotten meat harvested from zombies. Though we in no way advise the consumption of this type of flesh, it is indeed possible to do so. Unsurprisingly, players can fetch food in several ways, including hunting, fishing, cattle farming, and agriculture. They can then prepare it, mainly by cooking it in a furnace. However, that still doesn’t answer the question, “How to eat in Minecraft?” To stop you from starving, let us explain.
Things to keep in mind about consuming food in-game
First, know that we won’t go into ways to acquire food, since there are numerous edible items. We already pointed out a few methods of getting food (harvesting, fishing, hunting mobs, farming) to give you an idea. Similarly, we won’t mention specific food item names, since the steps are identical regardless of the name or type. That’s the beauty of Minecraft controls. Furthermore, we want to remind you that consumption of food refills your health bar and your hunger levels, visible above your hotbar and experience bar. If you cannot see that on your screen, it means you’re playing in Creative Mode or Adventure/Peaceful Mode.
Food is irrelevant in those modes because you never get hungry and therefore won’t lose health points. We must mention you can only eat food when the hunger bar is not full. The hunger bar is the list of 10 drumsticks in the upper right corner. More precisely, this represents 20 hunger points since each item can go up or down in increments of half a drumstick. Some foods bypass this restriction, including milk, golden apples, and chorus fruit.
That bar is depleted during activities such as jumping, sprinting, swimming, breaking blocks, or dealing and taking damage. It will shake slightly when it begins going down. We also feel it’s important to point out that food can cause a status effect, both positive (Health Boost, Haste, Luck, Strength, and so on) or negative (Hunger, Poison, Nausea, Slowness, and so forth).
Instructions to eat food from your Minecraft character inventory
Before we give you the specifics, know that you’ll almost always use this procedure, so pay heed and memorize it. The only exception is a single food item, and we’ll tackle its consumption next. With that said, follow these steps to eat Minecraft food from your inventory:
- If you haven’t, open your character’s inventory. Then, drag the food item to an empty box in the hotbar. It is the horizontal group of squares at the bottom of the window.
- Close your inventory, and move through items in your hotbar until the food item is highlighted. You know you did it right when it appears in your character’s hands.
- Use the following game control to consume food depending on your Minecraft version:
- Java Edition (PC/Mac), Windows 10 Edition, and Education Edition: Press and hold the right-click of your computer mouse.
- On PlayStation: Press and hold the L2 button on your PlayStation gamepad.
- On your Xbox console: Press and hold down the LT button on your Xbox controller.
- For Nintendo Switch and Wii U consoles: Use and hold down the ZL button on the respective controllers.
- On Pocket Edition for Android and iOS: Tap and hold the food item.
You’ll notice your character will bring the food closer to its mouth, see an eating animation, and hear the sound of chewing. Afterward, if the food was in a bowl, you’ll see an empty bowl where the original was. Otherwise, the food item will be consumed. You can recognize this by the food item disappearing from the hotbar or going down by one item in a stack, e.g., from 64 to 63. Consequently, your hunger bar will increase by a certain value, or, if full, your hearts will be restored to a degree.
How can I consume a cake on the ground in Minecraft?
We mentioned there’s an exception to the rule. That is Cake, a Minecraft food we taught you to make. As we explained in that guide, it’s the only food item you can place on the ground and share with others on the server. Luckily, the procedure is not complex. Quite the opposite, the game controls are identical to steps 1 through 3 above. The only difference is that you can not consume it directly. Instead, you must place the crosshair of your character on a nearby block, ideally the one in front of you, one block from the one you’re standing on. After you set it on the ground, approach it and do this:
- On Java Edition for PC and Mac or Bedrock Edition (Windows 10, Education): Put your crosshair on the cake, then use the right-click of your mouse.
- For Nintendo Switch and Wii U consoles: Target the cake with your crosshair, then press the ZL button.
- On PlayStation: Utilize the L2 button of your controller after targeting the cake on the ground.
- On Pocket Edition for mobile devices: Approach the cake, then tap on it on your screen.
- For Xbox consoles: Place your crosshair on the cake, then utilize the LT button on your gamepad.
If you did it correctly, the appearance of the cake will change slightly. More specifically, it will have one slice less. Afterward, your hunger will be sated or your health points will go up.