Is there a best ingredient combination in the kitchen?

 

The 'best' combo will vary immensely depending on what boosts and skills you want. I would suggest considering the combinations below. With almost every combination, there is a second skill which changes each in-game day, so you could sometimes your perfect combination if you look at your options! The random skills for combos including Drinks is also different to those without.

 

NOTE: Ultra Lucky Cat may be obtained occasionally via the Drink+Drink combo, but is not guaranteed to appear. This skill improves the number of rewards at the end of a quest more than Lucky Cat.

 

Meat+Fish - Health and Attack boost, and a choice of Polisher / Slugger / Specialist

....................Polisher is a great general Blademaster skill, Slugger is amazing with Hammer/Hunting Horn and Specialist is for status users

Meat+Veg - Health and Attack boost, and your choice of boost to Thunder / Ice / Fire / Water Res

....................Awesome if you want a resistance boost whilst also eating for an attack boost

Meat+Dairy - Health and Attack boost, and a choice of Sharpshooter / Temper / Bombardier / Combiner [Lo]

...................The gunner options - Sharpshooter for Normal shots, generally Temper otherwise. Bombardier for Crag/Clust/stage weapons

Meat+Drink - Health+Attack boost, and options for Pyro or Heroics

...................Pyro boosts bomb damage and helps your slime weapons, Heroics is for the pro-hunters who can survive on no health

Fish+Grain - Health+Defence boost, and Defender [Hi]

...................The best set-up if you want a good boost to defence

Fish+Veg   -  Health+Element Res (your choice which one), and usually Trainer / Swimmer

...................Trainer is a great skill for leveling up the Shakalaka masks, otherwise this meal option is useless

Fish+Dairy - Health+Oxygen boost, and usually Gatherer / Woodsman

...................Useful for those gathering sprees or mining runs

Fish+Drink - Health boost, and a choice between Explorer / Gamechanger

...................Explorer ensures you start in the secret area (great for rare gathers) and gamechanger ensures a guest appearance!

Grain+Veg - Health+Defence boost, and your choice of boost to Thunder / Ice / Fire / Water Res

...................For when you want to boost an elemental resisance whilst also bolstering physical defence

Grain+Drink - Health+Defence, and a chance for Moxie

...................Moxie can prevent dying once per life - can be a literal lifesaver.

Dairy+Drink - Health boost, and a chance for Lucky Cat or Carver [Lo], although these may be accompanied by Unlucky Cat (be warned!)

...................Lucky Cat can improve the number of rewards you get at the end of a quest, and Carver may net you an extra carve!