Introduction
Ever found yourself staring at a gray screen after a close encounter with a powerful monster, wondering what you could have done differently? Often, the answer isn’t about better gear or higher stats, but about the food you’re using. Choosing the right food in Old School RuneScape can be the difference between a triumphant victory and a frustrating defeat. Whether you’re battling dragons, skilling in remote areas, or simply exploring Gielinor, understanding the best foods is crucial for survival and efficiency.
This guide will break down the best foods in OSRS for players of all levels, considering factors such as cost, availability, healing power, and special effects, empowering you to choose the optimal sustenance for your adventures. We’ll explore options from the very start of your journey to the most challenging end-game content. Get ready to level up your culinary knowledge!
Sustenance for Starting Adventures
When you’re just beginning your Old School RuneScape journey, the focus is on accessibility and affordability. You need food that’s easy to obtain and won’t break the bank. Early game combat training often involves simple tasks and goals. You might want to train on chickens or cows, perhaps splashing magic or training ranged on spiders. In any case, keeping a stack of food with you will save you time running back and forth to the bank.
Shrimps are the quintessential beginner food. They’re incredibly easy to fish, require no cooking level to consume, and can be purchased from general stores for a pittance. While their healing is minimal, they’re perfect for low-level tasks and situations where you just need a little bit of extra HP.
Trout offer a step up in healing compared to shrimps. They’re readily available through fishing, and are often sold in bulk by players. For a slight increase in cost, you’ll get a noticeable improvement in your survivability.
Salmon is another good option. Fishing Salmon requires a higher level than Trout, however they heal slightly more than Trout. Consider training fishing and cooking alongside combat to prepare some food for yourself!
Baked potatoes are another classic beginner option. These can be purchased from the Grand Exchange for low cost, or cooked if you have Cooking leveled.
Cooked meat like chicken or beef is a viable option for players who prefer to hunt their own food. By killing chickens and cows, you can obtain raw meat, which, when cooked, provides a source of sustenance. This method is free and can be a good way to gain early cooking experience.
Mid-Game Nourishment
As you progress in Old School RuneScape and tackle more challenging content, you’ll need food that provides a better balance between healing power and cost-effectiveness. The best mid-game foods offer a significant upgrade in healing without being prohibitively expensive.
Lobsters are a popular choice for mid-level players. They offer a substantial amount of healing and can be obtained through fishing or purchased on the Grand Exchange. Many players choose lobsters as a source of sustenance for training on monsters like rock crabs.
Swordfish are slightly more potent than lobsters. With a higher healing value, swordfish will keep you sustained for a longer amount of time.
Monkfish are another solid mid-game food option. These are a good choice for players who have a high enough fishing level to catch them efficiently. You can also purchase monkfish in bulk on the Grand Exchange.
Potato with butter is an effective alternative to fishing. With a modest cooking level, players are able to combine baked potatoes with butter to create an affordable healing food. This option is often slightly cheaper than fishing.
High-Tier Sustenance for Demanding Content
When you reach the late game and start taking on the most challenging bosses and activities in Old School RuneScape, you need food that offers the highest possible healing and, in some cases, special effects. Cost becomes less of a concern as survivability becomes paramount.
Sharks are a reliable choice for high-level players. They provide excellent healing and are relatively easy to obtain through fishing or purchasing on the Grand Exchange.
Anglerfish offer a unique advantage: they overheal by ten percent of your maximum Hitpoints. This can be incredibly useful in situations where you need to quickly replenish your health and potentially withstand a large hit. However, they require a high fishing level to catch and are quite expensive to buy.
Dark crab is a rare type of healing food that can be fished from the Deep Sea Fishing area. This healing food has the added bonus of boosting the defence skill.
Manta rays are a top-tier food option, offering exceptional healing. They’re highly sought after for challenging boss fights and other dangerous activities. However, their high cost can make them prohibitive for some players.
Tuna potato is a cookable option that offers significant healing at a low cost. Tuna potatoes can easily be crafted with a cooking level, tuna, and baked potatoes.
Saradomin brews are not technically food, but they play a crucial role in high-level gameplay. They heal a significant amount, boost your defense level, and temporarily increase your maximum Hitpoints. However, they also lower your attack, strength, and magic levels, so they must be used strategically.
Cooked karambwan is unique in that it can be eaten quickly. This makes it ideal for “combo eating,” where you consume a karambwan and another food item in rapid succession to maximize your healing output. Mastering this technique is essential for many high-level boss fights.
Guthix rest is a brewed consumable with the unique ability to restore prayer points alongside health. This makes it an invaluable item for many activities where prayer is vital.
Prayer Restoration Provisions
Maintaining your prayer points is crucial for many activities in Old School RuneScape, and certain foods can help you do just that.
Guthix rest restores both health and prayer points. This is exceptionally useful in situations where prayer drain is high, such as certain boss fights or slayer tasks.
Monkfish provide a small prayer restoration effect along with their healing properties. While the amount is relatively small, it can be enough to make a difference in certain situations.
Specialized Sustenance: Foods with Unique Effects
Some foods in Old School RuneScape offer unique benefits beyond simply restoring Hitpoints. These can be incredibly useful in specific situations.
Admiral pies provide a temporary boost to your fishing level, making them ideal for those looking to quickly level up their fishing skill or catch specific fish.
Wild pies offer a random boost to various stats. While the randomness can be unpredictable, they can be useful for temporarily boosting a skill required for a specific task.
Summer pies restore run energy with each bite. This makes them incredibly useful for long periods of running and traversing the map.
Jubbly and cave eel are examples of healing foods that slowly regenerate hitpoints over time.
Ugthanki kebab provides resistance to the desert heat effect, found in Al Kharid and the Kharidian desert.
Optimizing Your Sustenance Arsenal
Efficient food storage and inventory management are essential for maximizing your survivability and efficiency in Old School RuneScape.
Organize your bank to easily access your favorite foods. Create dedicated tabs for different types of food, such as early-game, mid-game, and late-game options.
Develop specific inventory loadouts for different activities. For example, a bossing loadout might include high-healing foods, Saradomin brews, and karambwans, while a training loadout might prioritize cost-effective options.
Utilize RuneLite plugins to streamline your inventory management. Plugins like “Inventory Tags” can help you quickly identify and organize your food items.
The Final Course: Mastering Your Dietary Choices
Choosing the best foods in Old School RuneScape is not a one-size-fits-all proposition. The “best” food depends on a variety of factors, including your combat level, your budget, the activity you’re undertaking, and your personal preferences. By understanding the different options available and their respective strengths and weaknesses, you can make informed decisions that will significantly improve your survivability and efficiency.
Don’t be afraid to experiment with different foods and find what works best for you. Every player has unique playstyles, preferences, and financial situations. What works for one player may not work for another.
What are your favorite foods to bring on adventures? Share your tips and tricks in the comments below! And be sure to check out our other guides for more helpful information about Old School RuneScape.
