Summary
Part ofStardew Valley’senduring appeal to the cottagecore crowd is down to its cozy vibes, with aspects of domestic life like cooking, dating, and fashion choices adding richness and depth to the homesteading sim. Once the Farmerupgrades their hometo include a kitchen, a world of culinary options is unlocked. A charming part of the game is receiving recipes as gifts from Valleyresidents as the player befriends them, with some arriving in the Mail and others appearing through the Heart Events themselves.
While some gifted recipes offer impressive buffs like increased luck, immunity to damage, or higher walking speed, others aren’t worth the ingredients they’re crafted from. This offers a look at the less impressive options to come out of the Farm Kitchen, which are probably most useful when tossed in the Shipping Bin.
Taro Root x 4
Stats
+75 Energy, +33 Health
Ginger Island-Dwellingorphan Leo is one ofStardew Valley’ssweetest characters, tugging on the player’s heartstrings with his tragic backstory and confusion whether he belongs in the world of exotic birds or people. His recipe for island specialtyPoireflects the local ingredients around him.
While not providing a great deal of Energy or Health when consumed, Poi has one major use: it sells for 400g. This makes it the most profitable food item which costs the least ingredients to craft, making it ideal (alongside other items like Pink Cake and Triple Shot Espresso) for late-game quests from Mr Qi.
+125 Energy, +56 Health
Arriving in the mail from Stardrop Saloon proprietor Gus is the recipe forSalmon Dinner, which offers the Farmer a decent increase in Energy and Health, considering its potential to arrive pretty early in-game.
However, the seasonal nature of the necessary ingredients complicates things. While Salmon and Amaranth are both available in Fall (and both are needed to complete other quests), Kale can only be grown in the Spring. Players are better off making thisfor completionist’s sakeor to sell, as it goes for a relatively hefty 300g.
+115 Energy, +51 Health
Valley grandmother Evelyn becomes an increasingly maternal and caring figure to the Farmer the more they get to know her, and her love of sharing family recipes reflects that growing relationship.
Unfortunately, the relatively late-game arrival of the recipe forRice Pudding(delivered once the player reaches 7 Friendship Hearts) and its relatively small Health and Energy benefits make it a likely miss for many gamers. It sells for a middling 260g, which many will decide isn’t worth using Milk, Sugar, and Rice which could gotowards other disheswith better buffs.
White Algae x 2
One thingPale Brothhas in its favor is that it makes use of the otherwise fairly useless White Algae. Dropped by several Monsters and Slimes or caught via a Fishing Pole in dank environments, its only other use is crafting a dyeable collared shirt.
So, while Pale Broth is described as being ‘delicate’ (which is somewhat undercut by its ‘hint of sulfur’), it doesn’t offer any special buffs or particularly impressive healing stats for the Farmer. It may suit those with a ‘waste not, want not’ mentality to craft it and sell it on for 150g, though.
+80 Energy, +36 Health
Busy wife and mother Jodi is anotherStardew Valleycharacter who expresses her increasing affection for the Farmer through food, and she sends a couple of recipes their way as their Friendship level increases. The least beneficial of these isFried Calamari.
Providing little in terms of Energy and Health increases upon consumption and selling for considerably less than its separate ingredients (it sells for 150g, while Oil and Squid even at a base level sell for 180g), this is one for those players trying to achieve a 100% score. Or there’s always the possibility ofgifting it to Pierre, who loves it even more than the Farmer’s precious gold.
+90 Energy, +40 Health
Cookieshold a special place in the hearts of many players, as the recipe usually comes from fan favorite NPC Evelyn as her 4 Heart Event. Some may also experience a bit of narrative favoritism, as if the Farmer character is male, then they’ll receive Cookies in the mail ‘From Mom’ after earning 5,000g.
Despite these positive attributes, Cookies give back little in comparison to other cookies available at a similar point in the game. Wheat Flour, Sugar, and Egg can all either be used in Recipes which provide better buffs or turned into more profitable products, and Cookies are probably most useful when put in the Shipping Bin for 140g.
+85 Energy, +38 Health
‘Fresh and hearty’Parsnip Soupis available from the Stardrop Saloon or Krobus’s shop on Saturdays, but players can also craft it themselves… if they really want to. The Recipe comes from Caroline, after the Farmer has made it past 3 Friendship Hearts with her.
Unfortunately, there are a few factors which make it unlikely to be worth the hassle. Many players no longer plant Parsnips after their first Spring (and are unlikely to save many during that tough first month), Milk can be used for better Recipes, and Vinegar is more expensive (200g) than the Soup itself (120g). It’s also not used in any Bundles, for any Quests, and only one villager (Pam) counts it as a Loved Gift.
+113 Energy, +50 Health
If players choose to focus on upping their Friendship points with theStardew Valleyresidents, thenSaladis another recipe that arrives fairly early in the game after reaching 3 Hearts with Emily. It can be a useful crafting item for those trying to court Leah as a Marriage prospect, as it sits on her list of Favorite Gifts.
The healthy bowl of greens gets some plus points for using Foraging ingredients, which rarely make an appearance in recipes. However, Salad doesn’t make any appearances in Bundles, Quests, or other Recipes, and sells for just 110g a pop if placed in the Shipping Bin. As soon as players have enough gold, they’re better off buying from the Stardrop Saloon for convenience’s sake.
As the Recipe comes from Lewis, one of the more controversially loved-hatedStardew ValleyNPCs, it may not be surprising thatSpaghettiis a pretty underwhelming dish to craft.
Using only a couple of ingredients is a point in favor of this noodly concoction, but it offers low healing abilities, isn’t used in Bundles or Quests, and sells for a paltry 120g. While those aiming for the coveted 100% completion rate will need it, andfashion lovers may be interestedin crafting a Sauce-Stained Shirt with it, only players trying to become Robin’s best friend really need this in their regular inventory.
Green Algae x 4
The Recipe forAlgae Soupcomes from Clint, whose ‘nice guy’ attitude towards Emily and overall mopey behavior mean some players may be put off from channeling much effort into upping their Friendship Hearts to the necessary level.
While it’s nice to have a use for Green Algae, theFishing by-productis better saved for crafting Fish Ponds. Since Algae Soup has a low Health and Energy increase, gives the player no other special buffs, and is at best a Liked Gift… selling it for a measly 100g is likely to feel like more effort than the associated gold is worth.
