History Main / PowerupFood

* Eigetsu from ''LightNovel/SaiunkokuMonogatari'' turns into Yougetsu when he drinks sake. At first it seems he's just a CrouchingMoronHiddenBadass with a side-order of DrunkenMaster, but it eventually becomes clear that Yougetsu, in addition to badass Kung-Fu skills, has inhuman strength, reflexes, stamina, and rapid regeneration. At one point, Eigetsu reverts into Yougetsu after having spent weeks being starved and tortured to the point where he can't stand unsupported, and in addition to being strong enough to sprint on the spot, when he's seen a brief while later, all his wounds are healed... It's eventually revealed that Yougetsu is [[spoiler:one of eight immortal sages, specifically the Sage of White; he possessed Eigetsu to save his life. Sake brings him out because he really likes sake.]]

** Devil Fruits in general, eating one gives you a super power but takes your ability to swim. Also, eating more than one will cause you to explode. It's worth noting that the rarity of Devil Fruits varies a lot geographically: In the Four Blues and Red Line regions, Devil Fruits are a once-in-a-lifetime chance, and few people even get that chance. In Paradise, the first half of the Grand Line, Devil Fruits are still once-in-a-lifetime chances, but one can expect to eventually come across one if one stays in Paradise for long enough. In the New World, the second half of the Grand Line, Devil Fruits are pretty common (though very valuable) and seem to be casually given out as prizes.

** Apparently Sanji has learned how to make "Attack Cuisine" over the timeskip. One such recipe from the whole cuisine, Hormone Soup with Sea pork, is revival type of food that will warm one up and ease a tired body.

->''"SARDINE!'' You want to know the secret to my power? It's the ''sardines.'' Eat them, and you will grow stronger as well."

Differs from SuperSerum and [[HealingPotion various]] [[ManaPotion types]] of magical potions in that the PowerUpFood does not seem rare, unusual, or hard to produce. As a general rule of thumb, a Power Up Food should not look out of place if it appears at a grocery store. This power up is often [[EatingSolvesEverything the solution to whatever problem the character is having]].

A very popular PowerUp item in VideoGames. Many times, the Power Up Food is also the TrademarkFavoriteFood for the character, for obvious reasons.

* Subverted in an episode of ''WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy'' when Peter tries to open a can of spinach via ''ComicStrip/{{Popeye}}'' to get the strength to fight the thugs who took his booth. After a minute of trying to open it (cutting his thumb in the process), he swallows it and [[SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome it does nothing for him]].

** Berries grant a variety of effects when eaten by a Pokémon. Some of these effects range from restoring [[HitPoints HP]] or [[ManaMeter PP]], curing [[StandardStatusEffects status effects]], or boosting the Pokémon's stats.

* The ''WesternAnimation/BugsBunny'' cartoon "Super-Rabbit" has Bugs (temporarily) gaining {{Superman}}-like [[FlyingBrick powers]] by eating experimental "super carrots". When Bugs loses his carrots, the villain (a CaptainErsatz of Lyndon Johnson, a US Representative at the time) eats them and gets super powers as well.

* In WesternAnimation/MightyMouse's first appearance (when he was called [[{{Superman}} Super Mouse]]) he gained his powers after going into a Supermarket and eating various Super-named foods. It was a one-time thing though - the Power Up was permanant.

* The spinach from ''WesternAnimation/{{Popeye}}'' is probably the [[TropeMaker first and]] [[TropeCodifier most well-known example]]. Most of the time, Popeye himself is the beneficiary, but several cartoons have shown other characters eating spinach and powering up as well, such as two hilarious episodes where Popeye and Bluto are trying to get injured so that Nurse Olive can take care of them, culminating in Popeye ''force feeding'' Bluto Spinach.
** In the cartoon "Greek Mirthology", Popeye's ancestor Hercules got his strength from sniffing garlic and later found that spinach made him ten times stronger.
** In the 1980 live-action movie, Popeye hates spinach. Only in the climax does he learn about it as a power-up food.
* ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'':
** Parodied in an episode with Homer and a can of beer.
** Parodied again at the end of the episode where Bart is put on Focusyn. He even sings a parody of the Popeye theme when he's put back on Ritalin;
--->When I start fiddlin'\\
I take ma Ritalin,\\
I'm poppin' and sailin' man!
* Parodied in ''WesternAnimation/SouthPark'' with Towelie and weed. It doesn't work for him.
* Lampshaded in two [[WesternAnimation/LooneyTunes Warner Bros.]] cartoons, "Porky's Garden" (a baby chick eats some and turns into a tiny yellow Popeye--"I'll lays 'im among the sweet peas!") and "The Major Lied Till Dawn" (a bombast eats a can of spinach--or so he says--to battle a herd of wild jungle animals: "If it's good enough for that sailor man, it's good enough for me!").
* Goofy temporarily transforms into Super Goof by eating a Super Goober. Other characters have consumed Super Goobers and become temporarily super as well.
%%* Franchise/{{Scooby|Doo}} Snacks, sometimes.
* ''WesternAnimation/GeorgeOfTheJungle'': Super Chicken's super sauce falls under this trope, especially since he typically drinks it from a martini glass. Although since the recipe varies with each episode, it's most likely just a MagicFeather for his own powers. (Emphasized by a RunningGag on the show that made taking the sauce different each time; One time Fred adds too much corn starch, and the sauce has to be eaten with a spoon. Another time, it's 'instant super sauce,' which needs water added ("I forgot to mention: boiling water"). Still another time, Fred gives him steak sauce by accident, and the hero hurts himself trying to break through a wall.)
* ''WesternAnimation/PacMan'':
** As expected, the Creator/HannaBarbera cartoon showed Pac-Man and Ms. Pac-Man eating power pellets to fight Mezmaron's ghosts. The power pellets are grown in a forest.
** One episode also had special power pellets that gave the characters superpowers.
** In the Christmas episode, power pellets help Santa recover from crashing his sleigh, and give his reindeer the ability to fly fast enough to save Christmas at literally the last minute.
* The ''WesternAnimation/BugsBunny'' cartoon "Super-Rabbit" has Bugs (temporarily) gaining {{Superman}}-like [[FlyingBrick powers]] by eating experimental "super carrots". When Bugs loses his carrots, the villain (a CaptainErsatz of Lyndon Johnson, a US Representative at the time) eats them and gets super powers as well.

* ''WesternAnimation/TheMightyHeroes'' has Diaper Man's milk bottle, which provides extra strength in emergencies.

* One episode of ''Series/TheSuperMarioBrosSuperShow'' had Mario gain a boost of strength from eating a hamburger he'd stored in his pocket. Technically, it was a meatball sub... and it didn't make him stronger... he just got fatter and caused the ropes to break.

* In one episode of ''WesternAnimation/FairlyOddParents'', Timmy's grandpa shows him an old cartoon in which a Popeye {{Expy}} gains one by eating beets before knocking seven bells out of the villain. The main plot involves Timmy wishing himself and his grandpa into a similar cartoon world, and in the climax [[ChekhovsSkill he repeats the same trick]] to lay the smackdown on a DastardlyWhiplash version of Vicky.
* ''WesternAnimation/TheAdventuresOfTeddyRuxpin'' has [=VitaminZ=], which makes most species slightly stronger, but is addictive. If an illiper eats it, however, they become an armored giant with super strength and go into a berserker rage until they come in contact with enough water.
* ''WesternAnimation/TazMania'': In "We'll Always Have Taz-Mania", Hugh gets a Popeye-style burst of strength from orange juice, allowing him to swim up a 2000 foot waterfall pushing a boat.
* ''WesternAnimation/PacManAndTheGhostlyAdventures'': The iconic power pellets from the games are now berries and come in many colors and surface designs in this adaptation. Incidentally, Pac-Man here doesn't need to eat one beforehand in order to eat ghosts. However, he does need to eat them in order to access a wide range of powers which differ with each berry type.
* ''WesternAnimation/StevenUniverse'': Parodied in the first episode "Gem Glow", when Steven is briefly convinced that Cookie Cat ice cream sandwiches can power up his Gem and summon his weapon. [[spoiler: [[SubvertedTrope Later episodes show]] that Steven's powers are tied to his emotional state; it was the love and support Steven felt from the Crystal Gems, and his desire to help and protect them, that summoned his shield.]]

* ''WesternAnimation/{{Fangbone}}'' has the episode "The Kat of Munching", where Fangbone and Bill eat fudge made from the pixels of Munchie-Kat. The fudge was supposed to give you a magical nice sweet feel and scent.
* ''WesternAnimation/MarthaSpeaks'': Alphabet soup grants Martha the ability to speak.
* ''WesternAnimation/HenrysWorld'': Mashed carrots cause Henry's wishes to come true.
* In the surfing episode of ''WesternAnimation/DuckDodgers'', Dodgers gets a Popeye-style powerup from canned pineapple. "Everyone knows the freshest pineapple comes in cans!"
* ''WesternAnimation/GlitchTechs'': Miko learns that Ally has these, which not only restore her life-points but also give her a fire form (not only that it's revealed that there are several variants that give additional power-ups).

* In ''WesternAnimation/CostumeQuest'', the Repugnians take on more monstrous forms from eating nougat. Unfortunately, the town that the show takes place in happens to have a lot.
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** Congalala is a Fanged Beast that can eat mushrooms to gain a BreathWeapon; Nitroshrooms give it fire breath, Parashrooms give it paralyzing gas, and Toadstools give it poison gas.

* Subverted in an episode of ''WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy'' when Peter tries to open a can of spinach via ''Franchise/{{Popeye}}'' to get the strength to fight the thugs who took his booth. After a minute of trying to open it (cutting his thumb in the process), he swallows it and [[SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome it does nothing for him]].

* Subverted in an episode of ''WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy'' when Peter tries to open a can of spinach via Franchise/{{Popeye}} to get the strength to fight the thugs who took his booth. After a minute of trying to open it (and cutting his thumb in the process), he swallows it and [[SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome it does nothing for him]].
-->'''Peter:''' Oh god, it's all watery.

Quite simply, this is a foodstuff PowerSource that bestows some benefit when eaten. The powers may be temporary or permanent, the food might work only for one specific character, it may even be [[PlacebotinumEffect just a placebo]], but the result is the same -- ingesting it gives the eater positive results, often granting [[StockSuperpowers super powers]] or turning him into a badass.

* The same neurosis (among others) is also available in their Superhero genre game ''Heroes Unlimited''.

* In the bootleg game VideoGame/FelixTheCatByDragonCo, there are also milk bottles floating around, but they just serve as coins here—they don't recharge your power-ups or give you points. However, the Eggs floating around are worth 10 bottles, which makes it easier to get 1-ups.

*** Many, ''many'' years later, it came back as Superspicy Curry in ''Videogame/SuperSmashBros Brawl'' with the same effect.

* ''Videogame/WorldOfWarcraft'' has many food items that grant a temporary buff when consumed. Most give a 15, 30, or 60-minute buff that increases stamina and another stat depending on the food, but a few have other effects, like allowing you to burp fire or shoot lightning at nearby enemies or harmless critters), detect other players on the minimap (useful for [[PlayerVersusPlayer PvP]]) or change in size (a solely cosmetic effect).

* ''Videogame/EarthBound'':

* In ''Videogame/RuneFactory: A Fantasy Harvest Moon'', some foods provide stat changes, such as eating cheesecake to boost your intelligence. Additionally, you eat "Recipe Bread" to learn new cooking and ItemCrafting recipes.

** In ''[[VideoGame/{{Persona2}} Persona 2]]'', you can visit restaurants for temporary stat buffs. There's no telling what a menu item will boost until you try it, with no real correspondence between cost and effectiveness - a super-cheap item might provide a huge bonus. The buff wears off after running around a dungeon for a while, then you can eat again. Characters [[TrademarkFavoriteFood have specific requests]] when they get hungry, such as fast food for Lisa or coffee for Yukino, and there's usually something of that type which gives a large boost to that character's favored stat (such as a burger that gives +8 Agility to anyone who eats it, which is Lisa's favored stat). Luck is the only stat that no food raises.
** Played with in ''VideoGame/{{Persona 4}}''. Inspecting the refrigerator at home may turn up something to snack upon, ranging from mundane things like cold coffee to weird stuff like leftover miso soup that gives off a weird scent. Eating the weird stuff can increase your Courage stat, at the cost of having to go to bed early. Sometimes, you may find ingredients to cook lunch for school the following day, which can help increase RelationshipValues.

* In ''Videogame/{{Summit}}'', there are endurance fruit that increase how much [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin endurance the main character has.]]

* In ''VideoGame/{{Touhou}}'', the MoonRabbit Ringo has the stated ability to get stronger by eating dango. ''Touhou'' can be kind of weird.

* ''VideoGame/{{Postal}} 2: Paradise Lost'' adds "Habib's Power Station" soda, which when consumed allows the Postal Dude to go GunsAkimbo for a minute or so.
* ''VideoGame/{{World Of Tanks}}'': Nation-specific food items are available as consumables on a per-match basis, boosting the player's stats for one match.

* Demons in the ''Videogame/DevilMayCry'' series gain power from human blood. ''Videogame/DevilMayCry5'' introduces the Qliphoth, a tree in the underworld that produces a special fruit that condenses the blood of humans it drains which grants any demon who eats it a '''massive''' power boost. Mundus became the ruler of the underworld after he ate a Qliphoth fruit. The BigBad Urizen [[spoiler:aka Vergil's split off demonic nature]] seeks to do the same.

[[folder:Web Comics]]

** In ''VideoGame/{{Disgaea 5|Alliance Of Vengeance'', Valvatorez now has the Evility "Sardine Supremacy", which gives him full HP/SP recovery and a 50% ATK buff whenever he eats a Sardine in battle.

* ''Franchise/FinalFantasy'':
** ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyIV'' had Silver and Golden Apples, which provided a permanent boost to HitPoints.
** ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVI'' had Dried Meat, which gave you 150 HP, but its real use was as a PlotCoupon to recruit [[GameBreaker Gau]].
** ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXI'''s food is powerful enough that it can equal the effect of several expensive pieces of equipment. For instance, many melee characters use equipment that boosts strength and attack, but leave most of the accuracy buffs to sushi.
** ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIV'' has a plethora of cookable foods, all of which boost EXP gain for half an hour and most of which also boost up to three of your stats. Hardcore raiders tend to treat food as an equivalent to an extra equipment slot.
* Much like Juliet, ''VideoGame/{{Bayonetta}}'''s powerups all come in lollipop form (but just lollipops in her case) and when she uses them, [[MsFanservice given the type of woman she is]], it borders on EroticEating.

* In the bootleg game VideoGame/FelixTheCatByDragonCo, there are also milk bottles floating around, but they just serve as coins here—they don't recharge your power-ups or give you points. However, the Eggs floating around are worth 10 bottles, which make it easier to get 1-ups.

* ''Videogame/WorldOfWarcraft'' has many food items that grant a temporary buff when consumed. Most give a 15, 30 or 60-minute buff that increases stamina and another stat depending on the food, but a few have other effects, like allowing you to burp fire or shoot lightning at nearby enemies or harmless critters), detect other players on the minimap (useful for [[PlayerVersusPlayer PvP]]) or change in size (a solely cosmetic effect).
** Power Up Food is essential for near-endgame and endgame gameplay; there's a reason why most guilds have a dedicated Chef.

** There's also the Buffalo Steak Sandvich, another Power Up Food for the Heavy which, when eaten, gives him a speed boost and (like Crit-a-Cola) turns all damage he gives and receives into mini-crits. However, the user is restricted to using melee weapons for the duration of the powerup.

** Wario's first solo outing, ''VideoGame/WarioLandSuperMarioLand3'', parodies the traditional Mario power up system by having Wario eat comically oversized heads of Garlic, which grant him [[HatOfPower hat powers]] in turn.

** In some of the ''VideoGame/WarioLand'' games, eating too much turns Wario into "Fat Wario," who can defeat any enemy by touching it and break through hard blocks.

* The UsefulNotes/GameBoyColor game "WesternAnimation/LooneyTunes: Carrot Crazy" let Bugs and Lola Bunny eat different types of carrots to get assorted powers, including flight and invincibility.
* ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyIV'' had the Silver and Golden Apples, which provided a permanent boost to HitPoints.

* ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXI'''s food is powerful enough that it can equal the effect of several expensive pieces of equipment. For instance, many melee characters use equipment that boosts strength and attack, but leave most of the accuracy buffs to sushi.
* ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIV'' has a plethora of cookable foods, all of which boost EXP gain for half an hour, and most of which also boost up to three of your stats. Hardcore raiders tend to treat food as equivalent to an extra equipment slot.

* ''VideoGame/EverQuest'' offers this through the baking and brewing tradeskills - smoked Wood Elf, anyone? The stat boosts are usually very minor, however, and the best food tends to be an ''utter'' pain in the ass to produce, due to the rarity of the ingredients and the zillion subcombines required to make the final product. Want to make a baker cry? Ask them about the Misty Thicket Picnic (24 unique ingredients; and the recipe requires several of each to make up the 23 subcombines).
* In ''Trog'', eating a pineapple causes your dino to temporarily transform into a fully grown T-rex who can eat all those cavemen. There is also hot tamale powerup which allows your dinos to [[FireBreathingDiner spit out]] {{fireballs}}.

* In ''[[VideoGame/{{Persona2}} Persona 2]]'', you can visit restaurants for temporary stat buffs. There's no telling what a menu item will boost until you try it, with no real correspondence between cost and effectiveness - a super-cheap item might provide a huge bonus. The buff wears off after running around a dungeon for a while, then you can eat again. Characters [[TrademarkFavoriteFood have specific requests]] when they get hungry, such as fast food for Lisa or coffee for Yukino, and there's usually something of that type which gives a large boost to that character's favored stat (such as a burger that gives +8 Agility to anyone who eats it, which is Lisa's favored stat). Luck is the only stat that no food raises.
* Played with in ''VideoGame/{{Persona 4}}''. Inspecting the refrigerator at home may turn up something to snack upon, ranging from mundane things like cold coffee to weird stuff like leftover miso soup that gives off a weird scent. Eating the weird stuff can increase your Courage stat, at the cost of having to go to bed early. Sometimes, you may find ingredients to cook lunch for school the following day, which can help increase RelationshipValues.
* There are a few Power Ups like this in ''VideoGame/AmericanMcGeesAlice'' and [[VideoGame/AliceMadnessReturns the sequel]]. In addition to the well-known bottle labeled "Drink Me" and the cake labeled "Eat Me" (which make Alice small and big, respectively) there's Grasshopper Tea, which makes Alice green with bug-like eyes and antennae, and gives her enhanced jumping abilities for the duration of the effect.

* A [[DownplayedTrope Downplayed]] example happens in Part 7 of ''[[Manga/JojosBizarreAdventure JoJo's Bizarre Adventure]]''. The main protagonist of the Part, Johnny, has the Stand ability to shoot his fingernails like bullets. They grow back up quickly, in a matter of minutes, but Johnny finds out the process is faster if he munches herbs or drinks tea, though this is mostly used out of combat.

[[quoteright:272:[[WesternAnimation/{{Popeye}} https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/popeye_spinach_9.png]]]]
[[caption-width-right:272:"[[LetsGetDangerous That's all I can stands, and I can't stands no more!]]"]]

* Used in a disturbing fashion in ''Manga/TokyoGhoul'', via CannibalismSuperpower. Eating another ghoul will strengthen the cannibal, at the risk of developing a mutation that drives the user insane.

->"SARDINE!'' You want to know the secret to my power? It's the ''sardines.'' Eat them, and you will grow stronger as well."''

* ''That Man From Rio'': Adrian has pursued his girlfriend's kidnappers to a bar in a floating village deep in the Amazon. He sees them departing as he's stuck in a full-scale bar brawl. After repeated failed attempts to get to the door, he grabs a big glass of liquor and downs it, perks up, and fights his way through the melee like a booze-driven Popeye.