Best Food for Ironman OSRS A Comprehensive Guide
In Old School RuneScape (OSRS), Ironman mode challenges players to be self-sufficient, making food sourcing a critical aspect of gameplay. Whether you’re tackling Slayer tasks, bossing, or questing, having the right food is essential for survival, especially since Ironmen can’t rely on the Grand Exchange for quick supplies. This guide explores the best food options for Ironman accounts, focusing on accessibility, healing potential, and efficiency. We’ll cover early-game to end-game food sources, combo-eating strategies, and tips to maximize your Cooking and Fishing skills.
Ironman mode restricts trading and Grand Exchange usage, meaning all food must be gathered and prepared by the player. Food is vital for healing during combat, and efficient sourcing can save time and resources. Cooking and Fishing are often trained together, as they provide both experience and sustenance. Choosing the right food depends on your skill levels, quest completions, and the content you’re tackling.
Key Considerations for Food Selection
- Healing Points: Higher-healing foods are better for tough content like bossing.
- Accessibility: Early-game foods should be easy to gather with low skill requirements.
- Combo-Eating Potential: Foods like karambwans allow quick healing in high-damage situations.
- Burn Rates: Lower burn rates reduce food waste, critical for Ironmen.
Early-Game Food Options for Ironman
New Ironmen need food that’s easy to obtain with minimal skills and quest requirements. Early-game food focuses on low-level Fishing and Cooking, supplemented by shop purchases or thieving.
Cakes and Bakery Goods
Cakes are a fantastic early-game option, healing 12 hitpoints over three bites (4 per bite). They can be stolen from Ardougne‘s bakery stalls with low Thieving levels, making them ideal for Ironmen without Fishing skills. Alternatively, buy cakes from the Ardougne market or the Grand Tree restaurant for convenience.
Trout and Salmon
Starting at level 15 Cooking, Ironmen can cook trout (heals 7) and salmon (heals 9) caught with Fishing levels 20 and 30, respectively. Shilo Village is a prime spot due to its nearby bank, allowing efficient fishing and cooking. These fish are sustainable and provide decent Cooking experience.
Sardines
Raw sardines, available from fishing shops like Gerrant’s Fishy Business in Port Sarim, can be cooked at level 1 Cooking, healing 4 hitpoints. They’re a quick start for Ironmen but less efficient due to low healing and high burn rates at low levels.
Mid-Game Food Sources for Ironman Progression
As Ironmen progress to mid-game (levels 40–70 in skills), better food becomes accessible through quests and higher Fishing/Cooking levels. These foods support Slayer tasks and early bossing.
Lobsters
Lobsters heal 12 hitpoints and require level 40 Cooking and 40 Fishing to catch and cook. They’re a staple for mid-game Ironmen and can be fished in Catherby or the Fishing Guild. Cooking gauntlets from the Family Crest quest reduce burn rates, making lobsters more efficient.
Monkfish
Monkfish, unlocked after completing Swan Song, heal 16 hitpoints and require 62 Fishing and 62 Cooking. They stop burning at level 90 on a range, making them reliable for mid-game content like Slayer or Barrows. Piscatoris Fishing Colony is the best spot to catch them.
Pineapple Pizza
Pineapple pizza heals 22 hitpoints over two bites (11 per bite) and is craftable at level 65 Cooking. Ironmen can make servery pineapple pizzas in the Hosidius Mess after the Kourend & Kebos Diary, yielding 150,000–200,000 Cooking experience per hour. Pineapples are bought from charter ship traders, and plain pizzas from the Warriors’ Guild.
End-Game Food for Bossing and Raids
End-game Ironmen tackling bosses like Zulrah, Vorkath, or Chambers of Xeric need high-healing foods and combo-eating options to survive intense combat.
Karambwans
Cooked karambwans are the gold standard for Ironmen, healing 18 hitpoints combo-eating with other foods like sharks. They require 65 Fishing and 30 Cooking, plus completion of Tai Bwo Wannai Trio. Karambwans can be fished or bought from Tiadeche’s stall, and their fast eating animation (1 tick faster than standard foods) makes them ideal for PvM. Fish them in Karamja or buy and 1-tick cook them for up to 800,000 Cooking experience per hour.
Sharks
Sharks heal 20 hitpoints and are excellent for bossing. They require 76 Fishing and 80 Cooking, and cooking gauntlets are essential since they can burn even at level 99 without a Cooking Cape. Minnow fishing is the fastest way to gather sharks, offering 273,000 Cooking experience per hour when cooked.
Manta Rays
Manta rays heal 22 hitpoints, making them top-tier for raids and high-level PvM. They’re primarily obtained as drops from Zulrah or Vorkath, not fished, so they’re a passive food source for end-game Ironmen. Their high healing makes them perfect for extended boss fights.
Efficient Food Sourcing and Cooking Tips
Maximizing food efficiency involves smart sourcing and cooking strategies to reduce waste and boost experience rates.
Questing for Early Cooking Levels
Complete quests like Cook’s Assistant, Gertrude’s Cat, and Recipe for Disaster subquests for 3,825 Cooking experience, reaching level 18 instantly. This skips early grind and unlocks better food options.
Reducing Burn Rates
Use cooking ranges (e.g., Lumbridge Castle or Hosidius Kitchen) to lower burn chances. The Hosidius Kitchen, after the easy Kourend & Kebos Diary, reduces burn rates by 5%. Cooking gauntlets from Family Crest are a must for high-level fish like sharks and monkfish.
AFK and High-Experience Methods
For AFK food, fish karambwans or monkfish. For Cooking experience, 1-tick cooking karambwans in Hosidius or Myths’ Guild is the meta, banking food for PvM. Servery pineapple pizzas offer up to 200,000 experience per hour for Ultimate Ironmen with limited inventory.
Food Comparison Table
| Food | Healing (HP) | Fishing Level | Cooking Level | Best Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cake | 12 (3 bites) | – | – | Ardougne stalls |
| Trout | 7 | 20 | 15 | Shilo Village |
| Lobster | 12 | 40 | 40 | Catherby |
| Monkfish | 16 | 62 | 62 | Piscatoris |
| Karambwan | 18 | 65 | 30 | Karamja/Tiadeche’s Stall |
| Shark | 20 | 76 | 80 | Minnows |
| Manta Ray | 22 | – | 91 | Zulrah/Vorkath drops |
Choosing the best food for your Ironman in OSRS depends on your current skill levels, quest progress, and the content you’re tackling. Start with cakes and trout for early-game sustainability, progress to lobsters and monkfish for mid-game Slayer, and aim for karambwans, sharks, and manta rays for end-game bossing. Efficient sourcing and cooking techniques, like using Hosidius ranges and gauntlets, will keep your food stocks high and your burn rates low. With these strategies, you’ll be well-equipped to conquer Gielinor’s toughest challenges as a self-sufficient Ironman.