I have died multiple times from what I think has to be hunger, while I was looking at the list of things to build and pondering what to do next. That's not super fun.
Possible fixes:
Much more obvious visual cues when you're dying of hunger; maybe force-close windows when it gets bad? (and then let the player re-open them to eat, I don't mean keep them closed)
Pause the game when in the selection menus for building / inventory
