Top 5 worst food items in Minecraft for beginners

There are a ton of options in Minecraft when it comes to food, which is very important in the game. Hunger can totally derail a player's goals as it slows them down and eventually causes them to take damage until they have half a heart remaining.

Even in the early going, there are food options available almost immediately. Mobs drop meat, and fish are always in bodies of water, ready to be caught. However, not all of these food sources are worthwhile. Some are pretty awful and pointless to have. Here are a few examples that beginners should avoid in Minecraft.

Note: This article is subjective and reflects the views of the author.

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Minecraft food sources: Which food items should be avoided?

5) Tropical fish

When fishing or swimming through a body of water, tropical fish will be pretty common. Players will end up with several of them in a pretty short amount of time. Though they can be eaten, it's hardly worth it.

Tropical fish are among the worst food sources in terms of how much hunger they restore with just a single point. They also have a minuscule 0.2 saturation, which means players will be hungry again very soon.

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4) Potato

One thing many players like to do when they start a game is find the nearest village. Sometimes that doesn't take a while, and other times it does. When they arrive, they usually find gardens that can have one of four crops growing, among which are potatoes.

Potatoes are great for farming, but they're not a good food source. They also offer just one point of hunger restoration and 0.6 saturation. That said, these vegetables can be worth having for a few reasons, though. For starters, they can often be traded to farmer villagers. Moreover, a baked potato is a very good food item. Potatoes are just not worth eating unless they are baked.

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3) Beetroot

A stunningly large beetroot farm (Image via u/Mcnkyrose on Reddit)

Players might find beetroot in a village. This is also not a good food item. It can't be cooked, either. This entry restores one point of hunger with a 1.2 saturation, so it won't make much of a difference for gamers who need to eat something.

Beetroot can, however, be crafted into a worthwhile food source. Its soup is one of the best in the game, so gamers should collect beetroot only for the sole purpose of crafting the soup. Once again, the item as is is not worth eating, so players shouldn't even consider it.

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2) Poisonous potato

When collecting potatoes, there is a chance that poisonous potatoes can present themselves. These can't be cooked like regular potatoes, and there is no other purpose for them other than to be eaten. However, that would be a very bad idea.

Poisonous potatoes restore a modicum of hunger. Moreover, they poison the player who eats them. Poison II has a 60% chance of being applied in such cases, which will cost players four hearts of health.

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1) Pufferfish

Pufferfish are the worst edible item in Minecraft. They have among the lowest food stats and offer harmful effects when eaten. Eating one gives the user Hunger III for 15 seconds, Nausea for 15 seconds, and Poison II for 60 seconds. This is why it is the most detrimental item a player can consume.

Conversely, Pufferfish are very useful if not eaten. They are the brewing ingredient for a Potion of Water Breathing, so Minecraft players should save them rather than eat them.