Best Food in OSRS for Every Player and Playstyle

Best Food in OSRS for Every Player and Playstyle

In Old School RuneScape (OSRS), food is your lifeline, whether you’re battling bosses, slaying monsters, or grinding skills. Choosing the right food can mean the difference between victory and a quick trip back to Lumbridge. This guide dives into the best foods in OSRS, covering options for free-to-play (F2P) and pay-to-play (P2P) players, budget-friendly choices, and high-end healing items for intense PvM encounters. Let’s explore the top foods to keep your hitpoints topped up and your adventures thriving.

Food in OSRS restores hitpoints (HP), with some offering additional effects like stat boosts or overhealing. You can obtain food through Cooking, Farming, monster drops, or the Grand Exchange. With so many options, from fish to pies, selecting the best food depends on your goals, budget, and activity. Whether you’re a low-level player or a maxed-out PvMer, understanding food mechanics—like eat delays and combo eating—can optimize your gameplay.

Understanding Food Mechanics

Most foods have a standard three-tick eat delay (1.8 seconds), but some “fast foods” like Karambwan take only one tick (0.6 seconds). Combo eating, pairing standard foods with fast foods, allows rapid healing, crucial for surviving tough bosses. For example, eating a Shark followed by a Karambwan can heal 42 HP in under a second.

Food for Different Scenarios

Your food choice varies by activity:

  • PvM: High-healing foods like Anglerfish for bossing.
  • Slayer: Budget options like Tuna Potatoes for extended tasks.
  • Skilling: Low-cost foods like Cakes for safe activities.
  • PvP: Fast foods like Karambwan for quick combos.

Top Foods for Free-to-Play Players

Old School RuneScape Food Tier List Guide Navigating the Edible Ecosystem

F2P players have fewer options, but there are still solid choices for training, questing, or PvP. These foods are accessible, affordable, and effective for low-to-mid-level players.

Swordfish

Swordfish is the king of F2P foods, healing 14 HP per bite. At 45 Fishing and 50 Cooking, you can catch and cook them, or buy them for around 300-400 GP each on the Grand Exchange.

  • Pros: High healing, widely available.
  • Cons: Slower to obtain than lower-tier fish.

Anchovy Pizza

Anchovy Pizza heals 18 HP over two bites (9 HP each), making it ideal for prolonged fights. It requires 55 Cooking to make or can be bought for ~600 GP.

  • Pros: Efficient for inventory space, decent healing.
  • Cons: Two bites slow down healing in emergencies.

Tuna

Tuna heals 10 HP and is a budget-friendly option at ~100 GP each. It’s great for early-game players with 35 Fishing and 30 Cooking.

  • Pros: Cheap, easy to fish.
  • Cons: Lower healing limits its use in tougher content.

Best Foods for Pay-to-Play Players

P2P opens up a vast array of foods, from high-healing fish to complex dishes with unique effects. These are the go-to options for Slayer, bossing, and endgame content.

Anglerfish

Anglerfish is the ultimate food for high-level players, healing up to 22 HP at 93+ Constitution and offering overhealing (up to 121 HP). It requires 82 Fishing and 84 Cooking or costs ~1,500 GP each.

  • Pros: Massive healing, overheal ability.
  • Cons: Expensive, high skill requirements.

Cooked Karambwan

Karambwan heals 18 HP and is a “fast food” with a one-tick eat delay, perfect for combo eating. Catch them at 65 Fishing, cook at 30 Cooking, or buy for ~400 GP.

  • Pros: Fast eating, great for PvP and bossing.
  • Cons: Requires Tai Bwo Wannai Trio quest.

Tuna Potato

Tuna Potatoes heal 22 HP in one bite, matching Anglerfish at a lower cost (~800 GP). They require 68 Cooking and multiple steps to make.

  • Pros: High healing, cost-effective.
  • Cons: Complex to craft for Ironmen.

Saradomin Brew

Saradomin Brews heal 16 HP per dose (64 HP total) and boost Defence, but lower other combat stats. They cost ~13,000 GP per potion and require 81 Herblore to make.

  • Pros: High total healing, stackable.
  • Cons: Stat reduction requires Super Restores.

Budget-Friendly Food Options

Not everyone can afford Anglerfish or Brews. These foods offer solid healing without breaking the bank, ideal for Slayer or mid-level grinding.

Monkfish

Monkfish heal 16 HP and cost ~300 GP each. They’re accessible at 62 Fishing and 62 Cooking, making them a staple for mid-level players.

  • Pros: Balanced cost and healing.
  • Cons: Outclassed by higher-tier foods.

Shark

Sharks heal 20 HP and are a classic choice at ~900 GP each. They require 80 Fishing and 76 Cooking.

  • Pros: Reliable healing, decent availability.
  • Cons: Pricey for their healing output.

Summer Pie

Summer Pies heal 22 HP over two bites (11 HP each), boost Agility by 5, and restore 10% run energy. They cost ~700 GP and need 95 Cooking.

  • Pros: Multi-purpose, affordable.
  • Cons: Two bites slow healing.

Specialty Foods and Combo Eating

For advanced players, specialty foods and combo eating strategies maximize survival in high-stakes scenarios like the Inferno or Theatre of Blood.

Combo Eating Explained

Combo eating pairs a standard food (e.g., Shark, 3 ticks) with a fast food (e.g., Karambwan, 1 tick) to heal massive HP quickly. A common combo is Shark + Karambwan + Saradomin Brew dose, healing up to 54 HP in ~1.2 seconds.

Guthix Rest

Guthix Rest heals 5 HP per dose (20 HP total), cures poison, and restores run energy. It’s stackable and costs ~3,000 GP per potion, requiring 18 Herblore.

  • Pros: Versatile, great for combos.
  • Cons: Low healing per dose.

Purple Sweets

Purple Sweets heal 1-3 HP and restore 10% run energy per sweet. They’re stackable, ideal for skilling, and cost ~10,000 GP each from clue scrolls.

  • Pros: Infinite inventory healing.
  • Cons: Expensive, low healing per sweet.
Comparison of Top OSRS Foods
Food Healing (HP) Cost (GP) Requirements Best Use
Swordfish 14 300-400 45 Fishing, 50 Cooking F2P Combat
Anchovy Pizza 18 (9×2) 600 55 Cooking F2P Prolonged Fights
Anglerfish Up to 22 1,500 82 Fishing, 84 Cooking P2P Bossing
Cooked Karambwan 18 400 65 Fishing, 30 Cooking Combo Eating
Tuna Potato 22 800 68 Cooking Slayer, Budget PvM
Saradomin Brew 64 (16×4) 13,000 81 Herblore High-Level PvM
Monkfish 16 300 62 Fishing, 62 Cooking Mid-Level Grinding

Key Takeaways: For F2P, Swordfish and Anchovy Pizza are top picks. P2P players should prioritize Anglerfish for bossing, Karambwan for combos, and Tuna Potatoes for cost-effective Slayer tasks. Budget players can rely on Monkfish or Sharks, while specialty items like Saradomin Brews and Guthix Rest shine in specific scenarios. Always match your food to your activity and budget for maximum efficiency.