Originally posted by texasdktoast:

forcing players into roles doesnt feel good to me. I liked being all-around useful and optimal.

this is the opposite of forcing you into a role. you can choose at whim, what to do.. You can trade one for the other as required and mix and match to your preference.

Previously there was just "the best food" now there is the "best food for this situation". It provides an extra layer of choice and decision making providing value to the cooking and farming / survival system.

It rewards planning and thought put into your gameplay. It provides a boost to you when you prepare. And if you are trying to min max your mining and go 100% stam and then get attacked it does punish your health and block, and likewise a full 100% health build does not give as much stam to deliver as much damage. So it lets you find your own personal balance.

In the old model there was no play style choice from food buffs, they just were what they were.