Food items in Final Fantasy XI boost the stats and abilities of characters, and are chosen to provide bonuses that make a job more powerful. Food effects can raise basic stats such as Vitality or Intelligence, increase Defense or Attack, help regenerate Hit Points or Magic Points, or provide many other bonuses. A character that uses food will tend to have an advantage over one that doesn't. Unlike most items in Final Fantasy XI, food can be used by a character of any level. Certain meals are the most effective at different jobs and levels, which will be explained by this guide. Juice items are a handy type of food that can give MP and HP regeneration over time, and are also detailed below.

If they can afford the FFXI Gil, most players use basic food as they level up solo the first levels of a job. It is considered useful for a character to utilize food that is most helpful to their job as they start to group by levels 10-15. From level 20 on, a character in experience parties should always have food appropriate for their job, to be as useful as possible to their party.

Levels, gear and merits can only take adventurers so far in FFXI. To get that extra stat boost to make even the best fighters and mages more formidable, adventurers turn to food.
When consumed, food in FFXI Gil can have several effects. Food can boost hit points, mana points, attack, vitality, evasion and other stats. Some food lasts for just a few minutes, while other food items can last for several hours. Food in FFXI allows adventurers to customize their stats for specific battles -- such as missions or burning circles or it allows adventurers to amplify their performances in longer, more consistent situations, such as experience or merit parties.
With so many food choices out there, the biggest question is: What to eat? That's the question this guide can help you answer.

Types of Food
There are many types of foods out there, such as drinks, cookies and FFXI Gil sushi. Each food item gives its own set of bonuses, but all foods fall under one of three categories:
Stat Boosts: These food items increase stats such as attack, evasion, defense, mind, strength, etc. Or, these stat boots can give food users an added amount of hit points or manapoints. Food effects can be removed before they're set to expire with the medicine item Antacid, or by trading a Gysahl Green to Parike-Poranke at H-8 in Lower Jeuno.