The reason I dont use NoM is that it forces you to eat or have consequences. I think in this case, it would be more about making food just more useful rather then a you need it or die type of thing.
That's exactly my concern about it. I want it to be(implemented as) rewards. That's why I offered putting a threshold and (semi-automatic) preemptive eating with regeneration. I don't want to be hungry, I don't want to go through the stages of being hungry. I feel more energetic and alert when I'm slightly hungry. I want to see the penalties of eating too much. I want to be fat! No, that's not right. I don't want to get fat.
You see in above comment, Taddeus still thinks it as a series of penalties(the regeneration is a welcome addition)... THE GROWING HUNGER WILL KILL YOU, BEWARE OF HUNGER'S COLD CLAWS. HUNGER WILL SLOWLY EAT YOU AWAY. Yeah, it has traumatic effects on me. It is like Thinner
In the upcoming version of NoM, if you're satiated you'll recover health at a higher pace and you'll have also a good increase fatigue effect (both these rewards get better as long as you're fit). So in the new NoM food has a noticeable rewarding effect on your health and stamina.
;)