Ranking Minecraft food based on saturation

Saturation is a game mechanic in Minecraft which determines how quickly a player’s hunger level depletes. A level-based system, saturation can be influenced by a variety of factors, the most important of which are the kinds of food that the player eats. Saturation levels can be replenished if the player eats something, but the amount of saturation restored depends on the types of food that the player has eaten.

Players can check their Minecraft hunger levels by viewing the hunger bar on the bottom right of their screen. If the hunger bar is shaking or starting to deplete, it means that the player’s saturation is being used up. This means it’s time for the player to eat something. But what should they eat?

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Food saturation values in Minecraft: From worst to best

Various Minecraft foods which a player may consume. Image via Minecraft.

5) The worst

While some of these Minecraft foods may be easily obtainable, they leave a lot to be desired when it comes to saturation value. With a saturation level between 0.2 and 0.8, the Minecraft foods with the lowest saturation values are:

• Pufferfish (0.2)
• Tropical fish (0.2)
• Cake (slice) (0.4)
• Cookies (0.4)
• Sweet berries (0.4)
• Glow berries (0.4)
• Raw Salmon (0.4)
• Raw cod (0.4)
• Dried kelp (0.6)
• Potatoes (0.6)
• Rotten flesh (0.8)

4) The mediocre

With a saturation value between 1.2 and 1.8, players are probably better off saving these to cook or use later as crafting ingredients:

• Beetroot (1.2)
• Raw Mutton (1.2)
• Poisonous Potato (1.2)
• Honey Bottle (1.2)
• Melon Slice (1.2)
• Raw Chicken (1.2)
• Raw Beef (1.8)
• Raw Rabbit (1.8)
• Raw Porkchop (1.8)

3) The good

It might not hurt to have some of these foods on hand. With saturation values between 2.4 and 6.0, these Minecraft foods are a bit more difficult to acquire but are worth the extra work:

• Apple (2.4)
• Chorus Fruit (2.4)
• Spider Eye (3.2)
• Carrot (3.6)
• Pumpkin Pie (4.8)
• Baked potato (6.0)
• Bread (6.0)
• Cooked Rabbit (6.0)
• Cooked Cod (6.0)

2) The great

Consisting of mainly stews and cooked meats, these foods are excellent sources of saturation:

• Beetroot Soup (7.2)
• Mushroom Stew (7.2)
• Suspicious Stew without Saturation status effect (7.2)
• Cooked Chicken (7.2)
• Cooked Mutton (9.6)
• Cooked Salmon (9.6)
• Enchanted Golden Apple (9.6)
• Golden Apple (9.6)
• Rabbit Stew (12)

1) The best

These items can be much more difficult for a player to get their hands on than lower-tier foods. With a saturation level between 12.8 and 21.2, these are the best food items in terms of in-game saturation value:

• Cooked Porkchop (12.8)
• Cooked Steak (12.8)
• Golden Carrot (14.4)
• Suspicious Stew with Saturation status effect (21.2)