Magical Food

The FAQ article asks, under Spell Effects:

• Is temporary, magically-created food nourishing?

The current understanding, discussed to some length in the House rules article, is that it is not, although it might have a temporary effect.

It might be possible to make an exception to food created with the expense of Vis, but Vis is usually far more scarce than regular food.

The specifics may need to be house ruled.

The RAW (Rules As Written)

Specifically, page 77 of the Fifth Edition rules says, under discussion of the Creo Technique, that (...) magically created food only nourishes for as long as the duration lasts, and someone who has eaten it becomes extremely hungry when the duration expires. Things washed with magically created water stay clean, but people made drunk with magically created alcohol instantly sober up.

Also, the Creo Aquam guidelines of page 121 state that Water created temporarily quenches thirst but provides no lasting benefits to the drinker. It can be used to wash, and the things washed stay clean.

According to the House Rules article

Check the article for possible updates; this is the June 2014 text.

No Magical Nourishment (Alteration) [p. 77]

Magically created things do not nourish. As per the CrAq guidelines, water created temporarily does can quench thirst but has no lasting benefit. Food created temporarily from Herbam (as per the CrHe guidelines) and Animal has a similar limitation, quenching hunger but offering no lasting benefits. It particular, such food and drink does not stave off deprivation.

While seeds (or cubs, or so on) can be made to magically-grow faster than usual, such magic is delicate and will tend to induce Warping in those who consume the produce. Only relatively minor coaxing, such as that provided by The Bountiful Feast, can circumvent this drawback.

Things created by momentary Creo rituals are mundane, and as such can nourish and do not induce Warping, although they may bear the caster’s sigil.

The RAW says that magically created food is nourishing “for as long as the duration lasts”, which contradicts the Aquam and Herbam guidelines and is difficult to run in-game. Saying it doesn’t nourish is simplest to apply.

The second proviso is required to prevent exploitation of the RAW to create a lot of produce by repeatedly planting seeds, growing them instantly magically (using CrHe guidelines), and then harvesting the produce and repeating the process.