PEAK: What Counts as Packaged Food? (Naturalist Badge 2026)

So you’ve conquered PEAK a few times and now you’re eyeing that sweet Flower Garland hat? Well, buckle up, because the Naturalist Badge is about to test your foraging skills like never before. After helping dozens of scouts earn this achievement (and watching countless others accidentally munch on a lollipop and ruin their run), I’m here to share everything you need to know about surviving on nature’s bounty alone.

The Naturalist Badge requires you to escape the island without eating ANY packaged food – and trust me, the game’s definition of “packaged” might surprise you. This isn’t just about avoiding obvious junk food; even items that seem natural might disqualify your run. But don’t worry, I’ve got you covered with a complete breakdown of what’s safe, what’s not, and how to keep your belly full while earning this prestigious badge.

Quick Reference: Packaged vs. Natural Foods

Before we dive deep, here’s a handy table to keep you on track:

Packaged Foods (AVOID)	Natural Foods (SAFE)
Trail Mix	All Fruits (cooked/raw)
Airline Food	All Berries (non-toxic)
Energy Drinks	All Mushrooms (non-toxic)
Sports Drinks	Honeycomb
Lollipops	Eggs
Scout Cookies	Marshmallows (campfire only)
Granola Bar	Pandora’s Lunchbox
Water*	Cure-all

*Yes, even water counts as packaged! Only drink from natural sources if needed.

What is the Naturalist Badge in PEAK?

The Naturalist Badge challenges you to become one with nature by completing an entire PEAK run without consuming any packaged food items. This means you’ll need to survive exclusively on foraged foods found growing throughout the island – no luggage snacks allowed!

Badge Requirements:

• Complete the game (reach the helicopter and escape)
• Don’t eat ANY packaged food from start to finish
• Other players can’t feed you packaged items either
• Solo or multiplayer – both work for this achievement

Your Reward:

Successfully completing this challenge earns you the Flower Garland cosmetic hat – a beautiful crown of flowers that shows everyone you’re a true nature scout who doesn’t need processed snacks to conquer mountains.

What Counts as Packaged Food in PEAK? (The Complete List)

Here’s where things get tricky. The game considers many items “packaged” that you might not expect. I’ve compiled this list through extensive testing (and many failed runs):

Definitely Packaged (Will Ruin Your Run):

1. Trail Mix – The classic hiking snack is off-limits
2. Airline Food – Those sad plane meals won’t help you here
3. Energy Drinks – Despite not affecting hunger, these count as packaged
4. Sports Drinks – Same as energy drinks, avoid at all costs
5. Lollipops – That sugar rush isn’t worth losing your badge
6. Scout Cookies – Sorry, no thin mints on this mountain
7. Granola Bar – Another obvious packaged item
8. Water – Surprisingly, bottled water counts as packaged!

Safe to Consume:

1. All fruits found growing (Coconuts, Berrynanas, etc.)
2. Non-toxic berries (check your guidebook!)
3. Non-toxic mushrooms (varies by color and shape)
4. Honeycomb – Fresh from the hive
5. Eggs – Nature’s perfect protein
6. Marshmallows – ONLY the ones at campfires
7. Pandora’s Lunchbox – Despite being a “lunchbox,” it’s allowed
8. Cure-all – Medicine doesn’t count as food

Best Natural Food Sources by Biome

Success with the Naturalist Badge requires knowing where to find the best natural foods. Here’s my biome-by-biome breakdown:

Shore

• Coconuts – Your best friend in early game (crack them for two meals)
• Basic berries – Abundant but watch for green ones (poisonous)
• Starter mushrooms – Generally safe, cook for better effects

Tropics

The food paradise of PEAK:

• Berrynanas – Excellent hunger restoration
• Purple Kingberries – Restore 30 hunger (60 cooked) + 35% extra stamina
• Honeycomb – The MVP food item (10 hunger + 50% stamina, doubles when cooked)
• Various tropical fruits – Hanging from vines and trees

Alpine

Resources become scarce here:

• Yellow Winterberries – Essential for this biome (heals injury + restores heat)
• Mountain mushrooms – Less common but valuable
• Eggs – Sometimes found in nests

Caldera

Limited options:

• Scorchberries – Help with heat management
• Volcanic mushrooms – Rare but nutritious
• Leftover fruits – Whatever you brought with you

The Kiln

CRITICAL WARNING: There is NO natural food in The Kiln! You MUST stock up before entering this final biome. Fill your inventory with cooked foods from previous areas.

Pro Strategies for the Naturalist Run

After countless attempts, here are my top strategies for success:

1. The Backpack Dilemma

In multiplayer, designate ONE person as the “food mule” with the backpack. They carry extra supplies while others stay mobile. In solo, you’ll need the backpack despite the stamina penalty – the extra slots are crucial.

2. Cook Everything

Always cook your food when possible. A raw honeycomb gives 10 hunger + 50% stamina, but cooked? That’s 20 hunger + 75% stamina! Even mushrooms benefit from a quick roast.

3. The Alpine Preparation

Before leaving Tropics, ensure you have:

• At least 3-4 cooked honeycombs
• Several cooked berries
• 1-2 Yellow Winterberries (save for Alpine)

4. Kiln Stockpile Strategy

Before entering The Kiln, you need:

• Minimum 6-8 cooked food items
• Mix of high-hunger and stamina-boosting foods
• Save your best items for the final climb

5. Poison Management

Without packaged antidotes, you’ll rely on:

• Medicinal roots (heals poison + injury + small hunger)
• Cure-all (allowed despite being from luggage)
• Time (poison wears off eventually)

6. Marshmallow Timing

Those campfire marshmallows are free food! Always grab them, but consider saving them for later biomes when natural food becomes scarce.

Common Mistakes That Ruin Naturalist Runs

Learn from my failures:

1. Accidentally drinking water – It’s so easy to forget water counts as packaged
2. Emergency lollipop usage – That panic moment when you need stamina… resist!
3. Teammate sabotage – Make sure everyone knows not to feed you packaged items
4. Poor Alpine planning – Running out of food here means certain failure
5. Forgetting The Kiln has no food – This kills more runs than anything else

Best Difficulty for Naturalist Badge

While you can earn this badge on any difficulty, I recommend:

• First Attempt: Tenderfoot (less hunger drain, more time to forage)
• Experienced Players: Normal (balanced challenge)
• Masochists: Higher difficulties (why make it harder than necessary?)

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I eat marshmallows from campfires?

Yes! Despite being manufactured, campfire marshmallows are specifically allowed for the Naturalist Badge.

Does Pandora’s Lunchbox count as packaged?

Surprisingly no! Despite literally being a lunchbox, it’s considered safe for this achievement. The random effects can be risky though.

Can I use medicine items?

Yes, medical items like bandages, medkits, and even Cure-all don’t count as food and won’t affect your badge.

What if another player accidentally feeds me packaged food?

Unfortunately, this will ruin your run. Make sure your team knows about your challenge before starting.

Is the Naturalist Badge harder solo or multiplayer?

It’s actually easier in multiplayer if your team coordinates well. You can share natural foods and have more inventory space collectively.

Can I still use items like rope launchers and pitons?

Absolutely! The Naturalist Badge only restricts food consumption. Use whatever tools you need to climb.

Final Tips for Success

The Naturalist Badge transformed how I play PEAK. Instead of mindlessly grabbing every luggage item, I became an expert forager, learning every berry bush location and mushroom spawn. It’s challenging but incredibly rewarding.

Remember: preparation is everything. The Tropics is your grocery store – stock up like your life depends on it (because it does). Cook everything, avoid the temptation of that energy drink, and whatever you do, don’t enter The Kiln without enough food to feed a small army.

With these strategies and a bit of practice, you’ll be sporting that Flower Garland hat in no time. The mountain might be unforgiving, but nature provides for those who know where to look.

Now get out there and show everyone that processed foods are for quitters! And hey, if you’re looking for more PEAK challenges, check out our guides on all biomes and survival strategies or our collection of essential beginner tips.

Good luck, scout – may your foraging be fruitful and your stomach never empty!