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Our party recently "acquired" wyvern mounts and our DM informed us that wyverns require regular meals of straight meat.

As a cleric, my character has access to the Create Food and Water spell and I'm looking for some clarification on what kind of food this spell creates. Specifically can it create meat to feed a wyvern? I've noticed that the 3.5e version of this spell says that you create food of your choice, but the 5e just says you make bland, yet nourishing food.

The spell casters in our group are a Tempest Cleric and a Wizard. We're currently level 7.

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The spell does not say, so it is up to your DM

You create 45 pounds of food and 30 gallons of water...the food is bland but nourishing...

There is no indication in the spell what the food consists of. As such, you must talk with your DM and decide if it makes sense for the spell to allow for the creation of bland but nourishing meat.

As Jeremy Crawford has said:

A spell's text details the spell's effects—the only thing the spell does. Any additional effects are up to the DM.

In my opinion there is nothing game-breaking about allowing a food-creating spell to create some sort of meat. It is, after all, the purpose of the spell to create things to eat. In other words, I see no reason that would justify restricting player freedom and choice in this case.

"Nourishing" food could even make meat vs not-meat irrelevant

In fact, I think it is even reasonable to read nourishing ("containing substances necessary for growth, health, and good condition") as indicating that it doesn't even matter. If the food is nourishing for anybody that eats it, then even a carnivore would be able to subsist on it no matter what form it takes. (If a carnivore can eat something and find it nourishing isn't it essentially meat?) As a DM, this means that I would see nothing wrong with allowing the player to theme the food/water however they like.

However your DM may disagree. Talk with them and work it out.

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    \$\begingroup\$ Since the created food is nourishing, you should be able to argue it can provide food for carnivores, which clearly has to be meat of some sort. The spell can create food for 5 steeds so this is well within its means. \$\endgroup\$
    – Tenryu
    Feb 13, 2018 at 23:35
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    \$\begingroup\$ Several groups I've played in have found entertainment in having created food be characteristic of the cleric's religion. Thor gives you goat meat, Mithras gives you soldier's rations, and Bacchus is a bit vague on the food front, but there's lots of wine. \$\endgroup\$ Feb 14, 2018 at 0:39
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    \$\begingroup\$ @JohnDallman I have been a devout Bacchanalian for years. If anything, it's taught me that cheese, crackers and pate can be just as nourishing as the most hearty of meals. \$\endgroup\$
    – Luke
    Feb 14, 2018 at 6:52
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    \$\begingroup\$ there is lots of potential for DM added flavor: House cats are obligate carnivores yet many exist on diets of dry kibble few would consider meat. Perhaps the spell creates Magical Purina Wyvern Chow. \$\endgroup\$
    – Kevin
    Feb 15, 2018 at 20:34
  • \$\begingroup\$ I always pictured something like nutraloaf or a nutritionally complete slurry. basically you can live on it but after a month of eating it you would kill your own mother for real food with flavor and texture. \$\endgroup\$
    – John
    Jun 20, 2019 at 15:38

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