How do you handle food and drink?

[CapnZapp]

The simple answer is that most games ignore it completely and that this is okay.

After all, tabletop role-playing games are a group activity. With limited time together. So for most groups, the focus is on having fun and moving the story along.

As you say yourself, the "simulation" minutae is more appropriate in a single-player experience, when there is no risk of "what interests one might bore another" since you're by yourself.

 

[Sadras]

Daily lifestyle expense easily handwaves all the mundane items such as food, drinking, stabling, maintenance/replenishment of clothing and equipment, general entertainment...etc

 

[amethal]

Hopefully in the last 7 years the OP has managed to come up with something that works for them.

 

[The Green Hermit]

If we are in town, we only role play it if we need to discuss something over a meal, otherwise we just double-check that we paid for it. If we are on the road, we make sure we have enough supplies, but otherwise do the same thing.

 

[the_redbeard]

It depends upon what style of play suits you. I'm running 5e in an old school style with enforced (vastly simplified, but enforced) encumbrance. I've put food and drink requirements on short and long rests (consumption of rations and water in order to benefit from the rest). During city or social encounters, this often doesn't come up and it's all handled with lifestyle costs. But in wilderness, travel, or dungeons, it gets important. How much you bring in supply and equipment limits how long you can stay, how much loot you can bring out, and if you are encumbered or not. It's an aspect of resource management and planning that isn't part of most people's games anymore.

 

[Loren Pechtel]

My approach is that you need to list what you are carrying in food & water in your equipment--realistically only for encumbrance purposes. I note what people are carrying but ignore it unless they are in a situation where there is no resupply to be had for a period longer than what they are carrying.

 

[Imaculata]

I use drinks in my pirate campaign as a means of world building. Whenever the players visit a new region, they may see drinks on the menu named after notorious pirates, and be tempted to give them a try. I use a random alcohol effect listfor when the players fail their con saves, which often results in hilarious bits of roleplaying.