Scavenging for canned food and drinks gives an essential but scarce resource that doesn’t spoil, so it should be saved in case of emergency while hunting wildlife like rabbits for meat where possible. Thirst is a more manageable necessity a can of snow boiled into water or more unsavory methods like harvesting toilet water will do. Hunger pangs are persistent, and food sources are scarce.
The cold is oppressive, with rolling blizzards on and off throughout, requiring that you find or make shelters to insulate and build fires for a heat source to recover. The name of the game here is managing meters, the four of which are hunger, thirst, body temperature, and rest.