When we started playing original D&D in 1974 it referred you to the Avalon Hill Wilderness Survival game (which we had). In that game lack of food and water could kill you. We packed rations, water skins and kept track. We had rules for hunting / foraging as well. In the beginning there weren't the variety of spells for sustenance and the ones that were available used valuable slots. Even now, spell slots used on food are a slot that could have been used for something else that isn't cheap and readily available (in most environments).
I'm still in the habit of tracking food, water and other necessities (bed rolls, cold weather gear, tents, etc.) as both a player and a GM. My players plan ahead and it grounds them in the game / setting.