Ive noticed piper go nearly invisible in combat while using her as my companion and so I check her inventory, then mine, and then a few other places. Yet I couldn't find even one of my 7 stealth boys I was probably pointlessly hoarding. So I decided to keep better track of my items. I noticed her drinking from a cup and was curious so I checked her inventory again to see two pieces of my death claw meat was gone now as well.
Am I just really bad at keeping track of things or does piper think just because ive done a little flirting that she can eat my meat?
Is this a piper problem or is it normal for companions to consume items in their inventory.

I don't know I never used her, but it would be a nice touch that your companions get hungry from time to time. I prefer codsworth to piper because codsworth gives you purified water and piper only gives you a cheap cake or something.

I haven't tested it but in past games companions would use aid that was in their inventory so I don't see why this one would be different. BTW don't ever give them explosives lol.

I'm experiencing a weird thing with Cait in that stuff keeps appearing in her inventory that I didn't put there. This never happen with Piper. So she's either picking stuff up before I do or she's pickpocketing me.

Oh and drinking or eating animation isn't an indication they are using something in their inventory. Piper did it all the time, drinking or eating noodles, and she never had any aid in her inventory.

Companions will use stuff in their inventory, yes.

Guns if they also have the ammo for it and when they run out of ammo on the gun you equipped them with, aid items (stimpaks, mainly), stealthboys, explosives, etc.

Be careful what you make them carry.

Afaik, companions sometimes loot items from the ground or from fallen enemies as well. Dogmeat will, for example, on occasions pick up weapons from the ground, and carry it in his mouth to my location and drop it in front of me.

Yes even settlers pick up weapons to use from battlefield, but it has to be in ongoing combat and they will take weapons and power armour to use... i love that bit though.

I knew the drinking was an irrelevant action because I could tell she got the cup from the current room. It just made me think about what else she might have consumed recently. thanks for all the info and now that I think about it, does codsworth not consume my meats because he's a robot and can't? I didn't have a problem with him and my stealth boys either

No correct he does not eat

ya she hands out sweet rolls and bubble gum like a vending machine, wish I could load them in my junk jet and shoot them at her face and say [concerned] your sweet rolls.

About companions with explosives and missile launchers and such: there is a Charisma (8) Perk called Inspirational that disables damage to and from companions, as well as boosting their carrying capacity. Not sure exactly by how much.

So yeah, you can sit back and watch Nick Valentine shoot Molerats with a missile launcher without fear!