I would typically be the guy to argue for a "starving" debuff, but I do not think it would fit the mood of this game. Gelatinous Rube nailed it with his criticism: there's no game mechanic that makes food acquisition particularly interesting. I think adding in a long(ish) lasting buff for eating would offer a reason to do it in a non-obtrusive way, and we can hopefully mod in a survival mode later if we want.
