Do Survivor contestants get food

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Past Survivor Contestants Describe Disappointing Meal Rewards

The smash-hit reality TV series Survivor is now on its 42nd season. The series has taken fans all over the world, from the Australian outback to the Amazon rainforest. One element, however, remains constant regardless of the setting – contestants lose a lot of weight while competing. In fact, the average Survivor contestant loses 20 pounds by the time their adventure is complete.

The main point of Survivor is for contestants to, well, survive. That means doing their best to catch fish and other sea life, as well as foraging for edible fruits and plants in the area. And though previous seasons saw contestants receive the equivalent of a cup of rice a day at the beginning of the show, the “new era” is a bit more strenuous. As contestants have to survive for only 26 days, they’re no longer given any food at all.

So, Survivor contestants do eat – they just have to get the food themselves. Don’t worry, though, Survivor has never allowed a competitor to perish while attempting life in the wilderness on the demanding reality show.

Survivor newcomers have a tougher challenge than contestants of the past in some ways, but Survivor: Africa competitor Ethan Zohn maintains that the old format was far worse. The Survivor star recalls that just getting freshwater required an immense amount of time and energy.

“Now, ‘let’s go to the well,’ just means, ‘let’s go strategize,'” the Survivor star explained to Distractify. “When we said let’s go to the well, it meant we’re walking 45 minutes. We’re encountering a dangerous cape buffalo. We get to the water source. There’s giant piles of elephant feces that we have to move away to fill up our canteens.”

And getting the water into their canteens was only half the challenge. “We go back, we have to filter the water through a buff,” Zohn continued. “We have to boil it for five minutes, we have to wait for it to cool, and then we can drink it. So just to get one sip of water is a three to four-hour experience for us.”

Past Survivor Contestants Describe Disappointing Meal Rewards

At the halfway point in the game, Survivor contestants meet in the “merge,” during which certain players receive immunity, while others are voted off the show. During this portion of the season, at least one tribe is given a “merge feast” where they get something a little more substantial to eat than coconut.

In an interview with The Ringer, however, two past contestants said that the “feasts” were pretty disappointing. David Wright, a contestant from Survivor: Edge of Extinction, recalled a particularly disgusting pizza while on the show. “The worst thing about the food that you get in a reward is when it’s Fijan pizza,” Wright said. “Which doesn’t come anything close to what we know as pizza in the States.”

Survivor veteran Malcolm Freberg, who’s appeared on three separate seasons of the show, agreed with Wright’s assessment. “It’s actually made of cardboard,” Freberg said. “There’s no flavor, there’s no sauce, the cheese… Everything about it was horrid.”

"Survivor" is usually filmed in tropical locations.

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Since May 2000, U.S. television audiences have been captivated by the physical challenges and social maneuvering of the reality series "Survivor." One of the most brutal aspects of the game is the lack of food. The "Survivor" diet typically consists of whatever the contestants can find, pick or catch, which often isn't much. Like most extreme fad diets, a long-term low-calorie diet can be dangerous to your health. With a little ingenuity, you can create your own, healthier version of the "Survivor" diet.

Step 1

Make sure you consume enough calories.

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Make sure you consume between 1,200 and 1,500 calories every day. The contestants on "Survivor" usually don't eat nearly that many, but no one is potentially paying you a million dollars to starve yourself. According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, very-low-calorie diets are meant to be done under a doctor's supervision for short periods in order to lower the health problems of people with severe obesity.

Step 2

Base your diet on tropical foods.

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Base your diet on tropical fruits. Coconuts, bananas and pineapples have all appeared on "Survivor," and they are all good for you. According to the University of Florida Extension, tropical fruits typically contain high levels of vitamin C, potassium and even some calcium.

Step 3

Fill up on rice.

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Fill up on rice. "Survivor" contestants usually win rice at some point in the game. Cook it by boiling 2 cups of water and adding 1 cup of rice. Cover the pot, turn the heat as low as it will go and let it simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, until all of the water is absorbed. Add shredded coconut and chopped pineapple for extra flavor.

Step 4

Eat grilled fish.

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Grill, broil or steam fish and shellfish. According to pediatrician Dr. William Sears, fish is "a good source of protein--most varieties contain around 20 grams of protein per 3-ounce serving, the same as meat." Cold-water fish such as salmon and tuna are higher in omega-3 fatty acids, but all fish contains vitamin B-12 and iron. Mix flaked, cooked fish in with your coconut and pineapple flavored rice for a quick and hearty "Survivor" casserole.

Step 5

Sneak in some greens.

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Cheat a little with greens. "Survivor" contestants have to make do with what they can find, but you need to eat a balanced diet if you want to lose weight and stay healthy. Many kinds of greens grow wild, so pick something you've never tried before, such as kale. Wash it well, and add it to your fruit, rice and seafood casserole, or use it as a wrap for grilled or steamed fish.