Buy Farming tech (level 2 before anything else) -- harvesting crops yields more food per basket than berries do (7 vs. 2). Then get level 3 as soon as you can after that -- fishing doesn't require any waiting time, unlike crops.
[Level 2 Science will help you get more tech points, so that's a good one to get after Level 2 Farming].

While you are harvesting crops/foraging for berries, use as many villagers as you can to farm (I sometimes leave one at the research table, sometimes not). Once the bush/field is empty, switch everyone back to the research table so you can get that next farming tech.

Try not to get distracted by building or breeding until you have a stable supply of around 400 food. And you might want to pause the game if you'll be away for a while -- switching villagers back and forth from farming to research requires a little babysitting.

If you get into real dire straits, hunt for mushrooms.

Additionally, if you have time to babysit/micromanage the game, you can:

1) [If your problem with no food is zero food in the bin, not zero berries to harvest/no crops] Drag villagers to the bush/crops/ocean (depending on what farm tech level you have) to save the time it takes for them to walk there (some villagers don't travel very fast). In other words, when they are completely done unloading their food in the bin, drag them to the bush/crops/ocean immediately so that they can start foraging/harvesting/fishing immediately.

2) Have the children hunt for mushrooms as much as possible. As you may know, some mushrooms are worth more than others. Also, if you're really crafty, there is a trick to picking the mushrooms that yields more food.

Using the above methods, I have been able to save several villages that were otherwise doomed to starvation. Good luck!

Cheers!

fixed,,i threw all the tainted food away ,let them more built it up and now they are all fine.

Quote:

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Also, if you're really crafty, there is a trick to picking the mushrooms that yields more food.

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And what might that be???

You could get food faster by making more people forage, instead of doing other jobs. Then your food should build up more quickly.
Hope that helps, Becky.

I would also like to know the mushroom trick.