Obsidian Entertainment's Grounded is an action-adventure survival game that sees players exploring a garden on a massive scale as they themselves are shrunken down to miniature size. Throughout the world, players will encounter many obstacles from the terrains to the various insects and arachnids that stalk the tall grasses and beyond. In addition to this, players also need to be alert for toxic and poisonous foods, since they can be equally if not more harmful than some of the game's more malignant insect enemies.
Crafting and consumption are important gameplay mechanics in Grounded and players will need to construct bases in order to survive for a lengthy timeframe. In addition to this, there are many good foods and smoothies that can also be crafted to ensure that players are helped rather than hindered by their in-game diets.
8 Muscle Sprout
Muscle Sprouts are a genetically mutated Brussels sprout with a carnivorous modification. Their fleshy, vascular appearance is rather unsightly, and for good reason, since eating this item raw will cause the player around -20 health.
These sprouts do, however, alleviate a marginal amount of hunger, and can be used as a base for Beefy Smoothies, which will significantly increase player health. Muscle Sprouts can be found in the Pond Lab, Black Anthill Lab, and JavaMatic Storage Facility. Alternatively, players can use the Garden Patch in order to cultivate them.
7 Raw Tadpole Meat
Another food to be avoided that is considerably more common is Raw Tadpole Meat. Harvested from the bodies of dead tadpoles, this snack will provide a minor boost to thirst but at the cost of 37 Health.
It is best used for sample analysis, where it can contribute to unlocking Decoy Bait, the Tadpole Mount, and the Stuffed Tadpole trophy. If left without fresh storage for more than 30 days in the game world, it will decay and turn into Spoiled Meat.
6 Raw Weevil Meat
Weevils are a passive grassland creature in Grounded that can be killed in order to harvest Weevil Meat. If eaten raw, however, this meat can be poisonous, inflicting -37 Health and replenishing only 7 Hunger.
The damage will take effect over a period of 15 seconds and much like many of the other raw meats, will decay over time in-game and eventually turn into Spoiled Meat unless kept in sufficient storage. Analyzing the Raw Weevil Meat sample will unlock the Stuffed Weevil, the Weevil Shield, and Weevil Mount.
5 Raw Grub Meat
Grubs are a relatively common underground insect frequently found in caves that can be harvested for its meat much like many others. This relatively useless resource will provide little in the way of food unless cooked and combined with other elements. In its raw form, it will simply cause the player damage and only marginally mitigate hunger.
Eating this will give the player a "Sick" Status Effect and will degrade into Spoiled Meat unless stored or cooked in a timely manner. Analysis will unlock the Grub Mount and Stuffed Grub Trophy.
4 Raw Gnat Meat
Much like the other raw insect meats, the Gnat similarly cannot be eaten raw, but will provide a fatty, nutritious meal when cooked. Consuming it raw will cause the player -37 Health damage and only restore 7 Hunger, just as the other raw meats will.
Raw Gnat Meat can be dropped by fallen Gnats, Infected Gnats, and Meaty Gnats, but all meats will provide the same effects when consumed regardless of the species. Analysis of this specimen will unlock the Stuffed Gnat and Gnat Mount. Gnats are flying insects that can be found throughout most of the central regions of the Backyard.
3 Raw Aphid Meat
The final raw insect meat players must be wary of is Raw Aphid Meat. Aphids are small, passive insects found in various grassy areas throughout the Backyard.
Identified by their bright green bodies, Aphids can be killed in order to gain meat, but consuming it raw will once again hit the player with -37 damage to Health and only a minor +7 boost to Hunger. Analysis of the Raw Aphid Meat will unlock Stuffed Aphid, Aphid Mount, and Aphid Slippers.
2 Rotten Food
Rotten Food is a resource that, if consumed, will grant the "Sick" status effect to players and will drain health every 3 seconds for up to 15 seconds. Many foods will become rotten if left alone for too long and thus will be irreversibly converted into this largely useless and inedible substance.
It is possible, however, to use Rotten Food as a fertilizer in the player-constructed Garden Patch, and this will grant the "Green Thumb" effect, providing higher yields of crops and consumables, so long as they are within the category of Natural Resources.
1 Spoiled Meat
By far the most toxic food to be avoided at all costs by players wishing to survive is Spoiled Meat. This unfortunate food item will be the result of any meat that is not first properly cooked or stored in time within the game world. Spoiled meat can be used to lure in other creatures since they will investigate the smell when it is present in a storage container or player's inventory.
Consuming this item will deliver 62 Health damage, which is considerably more than any other of these inedible food items. Even roasted meats can become spoiled if not consumed or stored correctly. Spoiled Meat can be found as a natural resource at Billy Hogs and Rotten Billy Hogs throughout the Backyard. Much like Rotten Food, it can also be applied as a fertilizer for the Garden Patch.
Grounded is available to play on PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.