The food itself works the same, they are now more geared towards one stat or the other but it's mostly just numbers rising as you progress. The new mechanic is max health counting towards what you can efficiently block/parry without getting staggered yourself, so to break it down easily:
if you plan on relying on shields, prioritize health (cooked meats will suffice until you hit metal)
if you are confident in your dodging and kiting, go for stamina (berries, carrot, honey, glowing shrooms)
A very balanced early combo could be cooked deer for hp, honey for stamina, red mushroom for both