Best Food For Luck In Stardew Valley

Summary

• Magic Rock Candy offers +5 Luck without requiring cooking, is available in multiple locations, and is ideal for Skull Cavern trips.
• Lucky Lunch, with +3 Luck and long duration, is easily accessible and is one of the top choices for luck buffs in Stardew Valley.
• Pumpkin Soup has a simple recipe, offers +2 Luck, and is great for early-game mining due to its luck and defense boosts.

In Stardew Valley, base luck can be checked through the Fortune Teller on the farmhouse’s television. Each day, players are assigned a random luck number from -0.1 (unlucky) to 0.1 (lucky), and this predetermines the quality and frequency of item drops.

There are several ways players can influence luck in the game, such as receiving a Blessing of Luck from the Statue Of Blessings or wearing the Lucky Ring. This topic will highlight the best foods in Stardew Valley to boost luck, considering additional buffs, durations, and ease of acquisition.

1 Magic Rock Candy

The Ultimate Multi-Purpose Snack

• Buff(s): +5 Luck, +5 Defense, +5 Attack, +2 Mining, +1 Speed
• Duration: 8m 24s

Magic Rock Candy is the only food item on this list that cannot be cooked. However, it is available to buy or as a reward in several locations throughout the game. With its powerful stat buffs, including a unique +5 luck boost, it stands as one of the best foods in the game.

Every Thursday, the Desert Trader offers a single Magic Rock Candy for three Prismatic Shard. While expensive, it’s a worthwhile investment for a trip into the Skull Cavern. Players can also receive one as a gift after donating 90 items to the Museum, or as the 22nd prize from the Prize Machine in Lewis’ house. Additionally, it has a rare chance of appearing in a Mystery Box or Golden Mystery Boxor being dropped by Haunted Skulls.

2 Lucky Lunch

​​​​​​A Great Duration And Luck Boost

Players unlock the recipe for Lucky Lunch from the Queen of Sauce on Spring 28 of Year 2, though the dish can be obtained earlier from various locations in Stardew Valley. It appears randomly in the Stardrop Saloon’s stock, Krobus‘ shop on Saturdays, and the Traveling Cart, with a small chance of being found in the Garbage Can outside the Saloon.

Additionally, one or two Lucky Lunches can be found in both the Mystery Box and Golden Mystery Box, with one given as a reward for completing the Treasure Hunter’s Bundle in the Community Center. Thanks to its long duration and powerful buff, Lucky Lunch is one of the best food choices to boost luck in Stardew Valley.

3 Pumpkin Soup

Simple To Make And Offers +2 Luck

• Buff(s): +2 Luck, +2 Defense
• Duration: 7m 41s
• Recipe: 1 Pumpkin, 1 Milk

Like Lucky Lunch, Pumpkin Soup has a random chance of appearing in the Saloon’s rotating stock, Krobus‘ shop on a Saturday, and in the Garbage Can outside the Saloon. Players can also find 5 Pumpkin Soup occasionally as part of Treasure Rooms in the Skull Cavern.

The recipe for Pumpkin Soup is sent via mail by Robin at 7 hearts, but the dish can usually be accessed before then as part of the Traveling Merchant’s booth at the Festival of Ice for 250g. Pumpkin Soup is a great option for mining, particularly early in the game when the health stat is at its lowest, as it boosts both luck and defense.

4 Banana Pudding

A Good Option For The Mines

• Buff(s): +1 Luck, +1 Mining, +1 Defense
• Duration: 5m 1s
• Recipe: 1 Banana, 1 Milk, 1 Sugar

Banana Pudding is rare in Stardew Valley, with its only source—aside from cooking—being occasional appearances in Supply Crate on the Beach Farm after the Farmhouse has been upgraded twice.

The recipe for Banana Pudding can be purchased from the Island Trader on Ginger Island for 30 Bone Fragment, a reasonable price considering its valuable stat boosts. While it may take some time to access the Island Trader, the simplicity of the recipe makes it easy to cook in bulk once unlocked.

5 Spicy Eel

Lasts A Long Time And Is Easy To Find

• Buff(s): +1 Luck, +1 Speed
• Duration: 7m
• Recipe: 1 Eel, 1 Hot Pepper

Spicy Eel is a readily available food item that offers a valuable boost to both luck and speed, making it an excellent choice for trips to the mines or Skull Cavern. Up to 5 Spicy Eels can be bought at the Desert Festival from the Calico Egg Merchant for 10 Calico Egg each. The recipe for the dish is sent via mail when players have reached 7 hearts with George.

In the Skull Cavern, Spicy Eel has a 6% chance of dropping from slain serpents, making it relatively easy to find during a run through the notoriously challenging mines. Moreover, 5 Spicy Eels can be obtained as a prize from the Prize Machine and may also be rewarded by Lava Eel Fish Ponds.

6 Fried Eel

An Easy Recipe And Good Duration

• Buff(s): +1 Luck
• Duration: 7m
• Recipe: 1 Eel, 1 Oil

The recipe for Fried Eel is available earlier than Spicy Eel, as it can be obtained from George at 3 hearts instead of 7. With its simple ingredients and long-lasting effects, Fried Eel is an excellent choice for a luck boost in Stardew Valley, lasting about half a day in-game.

As for the dish itself, it may randomly appear as part of Krobus‘ shop on a Saturday, in the Garbage Can outside the Saloon, or the Saloon’s rotating stock. Like many other food items, one Fried Eel can be found in a Mystery Box.

7 Ginger Ale

Provides A Quick Boost

• Buff(s): +1 Luck
• Duration: 5m
• Recipe: 3 Ginger, 1 Sugar

Ginger Ale is only available via cooking, and the recipe can be found in the Dwarf Shop at the Volcano Dungeon for 1,000g. With the abundance of Ginger found on Ginger Island, this recipe is hugely accessible and simple, meaning players can craft an abundance of these for a quick boost of luck throughout the game.

As Ginger Ale is classed as a drink, its buffs can stack with those from food items. For example, when paired with Magic Rock Candy, it boosts luck from +5 to +6, a significant increase that can be very helpful in Stardew Valley.