I've found them fun.
Sometimes ends up a bit forgotten of a mechanic at times maybe.
Early game, struggle to acquire food, late game you acquire food production source.
Same way stamina in some games matters at start, but after enough levels you never run out of stamina.
Still, some games with said mechanic, you go on expeditions.
Kenshi for example, or Minecraft traveling far distances.
Fallout New Vegas, had a bit interesting mechanic,
Of some food and water being radiated, creating a 'want for 'quality food.
Lot of games, do you really care if you drink fine wine with flavor text or dirty water?
Third element of radiation, allowed a bit of variation.
. .
Money's also a problem sometimes, lot of games you end up with basically infinite money at a certain point.
. . .
Be kind of cool if one needed to defend cities from certain events maybe, or lose the city and resource of farmlands and merchants.
Minecraft has done that in the past with Illager Raids, zombie attacks I suppose, though I've not played with that too much.