Minecraft wiki entry for Survival_in_an_infinite_desert, associated text: Food becomes much easier when you locate a village with a farm. At that point, you can finally move beyond bare subsistence and survival. Given that you still can't afford the fuel to cook your food, the best food item to farm yourself may be carrots. On the other hand, if there is a crafting table in the village you can craft wheat into bread, or if there is a Novice Farmer you can trade 20 wheat for 6 bread - nearly as effective as making your own.