Welcome back, survivors! With Chapter 3 bringing new depth to Raft’s cooking system, it’s time to dive into the complete food landscape: from fruits and grilled basics to buff-granting meals and juices. This guide walks you through every food type, their benefits, how to use them efficiently, and which ones are truly worth your time in terms of hunger, thirst, and buffs.

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Base Stats Overview

• Hunger and Thirst bars: Max capacity = 100 each
• Salt Water: -5 thirst (don’t drink it!)
• Fresh Water: +40 thirst

Raft uses a craving system—foods are less effective if your bar is already nearly full. Plan consumption strategically.

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Basic Fruits, Vegetables, and Grilled Food

These don’t require cooking stations.

Low-tier fruits (Strawberries, Bananas, etc.):

• Minimal returns: ~5-10 food or thirst per item

Best farmable fruits:

• Pineapple / Mango: +10 food, +20 water

Vegetables:

• Raw Potato / Beet: +10 food

Raw meats:

• Typically -10 thirst / +10–20 food
• Drumstick (raw): +20 food, 0 thirst penalty (best raw option)

Cooked meats and fish:

• Cooked Shark Meat: +40 hunger (best basic grill item)
• Cooked Mackerel / Tilapia / Drumstick: ~35 hunger (strong early game)
• Cooked Salmon / Catfish: 30 hunger per bite (3 bites = 90 total)

Special Items:

• Honey: +20 food, +15 thirst, +10 bonus food
• Milk: +40 thirst, +10 bonus thirst

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Understanding Bonus Hunger and Thirst

Foods like honey or juicer meals grant bonus bars (max 100). They decay slower than regular bars:

• Bonus Hunger: Lasts ~24 minutes
• Normal Hunger: ~18.5 minutes

Maximizing these bonus bars improves efficiency. Nearly all cooking pot and juicer meals give bonus stats.

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Cooking Pot Meals (10 Main Recipes)

Leftovers: 10 food (equivalent to raw potato – avoid this)

Top Efficient Recipes:

• Simple Fish Stew (2 small fish + 2 potatoes/beets): +40 food, +45 bonus food = 85 total
• Coconut Chicken (2 drumsticks + 1 coconut + 1 mushroom): +55 food, +55 bonus = 110 total
• Sushi (2 mackerel/tilapia + 1 silver algae + 1 egg): +50 food, +65 bonus = 115 total
• Shark Dinner (2 shark meat + 1 mushroom + 1 silver algae): +45 food, +70 bonus = 115 total
• Barbecue (1 meat + 1 mackerel + 1 drumstick + 1 mushroom): +65 food, +75 bonus = 140 total (Best total value)
• Head Broth (2 puffer heads + 1 potato + 1 milk): +20 food, +100 bonus = 120 effective (Most efficient for bonus hunger)

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Juicer Recipes (6 Standard Juices + 2 Buff Juices)

Standard Juices:

• Mango-Nana (1 mango + 2 bananas + 1 milk): +45 thirst, +70 bonus = 115 total (Top pick)
• Red Melon (1 red berry + 1 melon + 1 strawberry + 1 coconut): +70 thirst, +45 bonus = 115 total
• Silver Smoothie: +40 thirst, +65 bonus (requires algae)

Buff Juices (via Trading Posts):

• Red Beet Shot: +10 water, +25 bonus, +HP regen
• Spicy Pineberry: +10 water, +25 bonus, +Swim Speed

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Buff Meals (Trading Post Exclusive)

Catfish Deluxe: +40 food, +55 bonus, Run Speed Buff

Salmon Salad: +40 food, +55 bonus, +10 water, Extended Breath Buff (Top buff)

Hardy Stew: +20 food, +30 bonus, Survive fatal hit once (Undying effect)

Powered Up Achievement: Eat/drink all buff meals/juices at once to unlock this.

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Final Rankings

Best Early Game Food: Cooked Mackerel or Tilapia – easy, reliable, and efficient.

Best Cooking Pot Meal: Barbecue for highest value; Head Broth for efficient sustained bonus.

Best Juice: Mango-Nana – excellent balance and efficient to farm.

Best Buff Meal: Salmon Salad – increased lung capacity helps in underwater exploration.

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With Chapter 3’s additions, food becomes more than just survival—it’s strategic. Choose meals that extend your stamina, boost your recovery, or give you that extra edge in exploration. Use this guide to optimize what you cook and when you eat, and you’ll be well-prepared to conquer even the stormiest seas.

Bon appétit, sailors!