I went with frisse.

German uses esse “to eat” for people, but frisse “to feed on” for animals.

This is a bear, so “I am eating a potato” should naturally be “Ich frisse eine Kartoffel.”

But it’s an anthropomorphized talking bear, which implies the self-awareness of “Ich esse eine Kartoffel.”

But surely a bear that knows German grammar this well would chafe at the demeaning spectacle of performing for the privilege that humans grant by using the word esse? Wouldn’t a truly self-aware bear want to assert its natural animalness via frisse?

How much am I overthinking?

Curse you, Duo the Duolingo Owl!