In survival situations, in terms of controlling caloric intake and preservation, is gorging and rationing food equivalent?

Let's say I have a food source that amounts to 20,000 calories but I'm worried about protecting it from scavengers, predators, spoilage, etc.

Intuitively, it seems to make more sense to try and risk rationing the food. There might be some loss, but maybe rationing helps curb hunger and maybe the daily dopamine hit from small rations has an unmeasuable positive, psychological impact.

But strictly in terms of caloric intake, is there a quantitative difference between eating 20,000 calories worth of food over four days as opposed to eating 500 or 1000 calories a day (assuming a daily requirement of 2000 calories)?

Does your body spend energy to store the excess calories, and does that amount of energy negate eating more than your daily requirements? That is, how much energy is required to store the excess calories? Would there be an "optimal" amount of over eating?

On the flipside, does your body have to spend energy breaking down fat and muscle in order to supplement the caloric deficient, and does that amount of energy negate the logic of rationing?