What Does Mario Eat? An Expert Gamer Analysis
As any true Nintendo fan knows, the favorite food of iconic hero Mario and his lanky brother Luigi is a big piping plate of pasta! Specifically spaghetti, that Italian cuisine staple with noodles and tomato sauce that makes a perfect power-up meal for busy plumbers. Given the Mario Bros‘ own Italian roots hailed from Nintendo creator Shigeru Miyamoto, this cheesy choice fits perfectly.
But how do Mario‘s actual power-up items from the hit games translate into real-world cuisine? As a passionate gamer and food expert, I decided to explore…
Magical Mushroom Meals
Mushrooms reign supreme as Mario‘s go-to power-up items, imbuing him with special abilities like growth, speed, and pygmy sizes for accessing new areas. Their distinct red caps with white spots clue us in to the real-life mushroom inspiration – the Amanita Muscaria. Found throughout many Northern hemispheric forests, these vibrant fungi pack a hallucinogenic punch.
While Mario‘s magic ‘shrooms grant brawn rather than trips, their sense-heightening qualities translate beautifully for risk-taking platforming adventures. I won‘t be plating these babies for dinner any time soon due to their toxic potential. But other tasty mushroom varieties from markets or forages would pair deliciously with Italian dishes preferred by the Mario Bros:
- Portobello Caprese Stacks – Layers of portobello mushrooms, fresh mozzarella, basil leaves, and balsamic vinegar on toast points
- Mixed Wild Mushroom Risotto – Creamy rice studded with meaty porcini, oyster, shiitake and button mushrooms
- Mushroom & Truffle Pizzas – White or red pies piled high with roasted mushroom medleys and shaved truffles
I‘d chase these ‘shroom sampler platters with a refreshing beverage option inspired by another Mario power-up…
Flower Power Libations
Fiery Flowers like the Ice Flower or Fire Flower imbue our hero with frosty freeze blasts or scorching heat. Their vivid colors and energy-granting properties call to mind tropical cocktails and mocktails. For adults, nitro-spiked floral drinks or chilled hibiscus teas would complement mushroom appetizers. My own recipes include:
Blue Fire Flower
- 2 oz blue curacao
- 1 oz rum
- 1 oz coconut cream
- Pineapple wedge garnish
Frost Flower Freeze
- 1 cup lemonade
- 1 cup cranberry juice
- 1/2 cup blueberries
- Lime wedge garnish
Kids can get in on the fun with fruity Flower power-punches sans alcohol. Set up a bar area with colorful blooms like roses or tulips for decoration to envision a beverage stop in a vibrant new Super Mario level!
What Other Mario Characters Are Eating
Mario isn‘t the only character with distinct dining habits that speak to background stories or homeland flavors. From tropical fruits to stinky vegetables, here‘s what other video game icons love to feast on in their down time:
| Character | Favorite Foods | Reasons/Implications |
|---|---|---|
| Yoshi | Fruit – especially melons | Tropical dino from Dinosaur Land |
| Wario | Garlic, beans, eggs | Smelly breath/gas from protein and sulfurs |
| Waluigi | Eggplant, peppers | Purple produce suits his colors |
| Bowser | Meat, bones | Carnivorous beast |
| Donkey Kong | Bananas | Jungle primate origins |
Yoshi‘s melon mania and DK‘s banana-bread baking definitely point to the warmer habitats these two dinosaurs descended from. Wario and Waluigi‘s preferences for pungent veggie flavors befit their more mischievous palates and penchant for petty misdeeds – though eggs and peppers do bring that heat!
And Bowser‘s barbecue obsession with flame-grilled ribs and rare steaks shows he can never fully cool his inner fire and fury, befitting such a heated hot-head antagonist. At the very least he and Mario would find common ground at a backyard cook-off sharing their beloved recipes!
An Ode To Mario‘s Video Game Feasting
Scenes of Mario excitedly gobbling up restorative dishes after a punishing level trek bring a smile as bright as a bouncing Super Star. The gleeful "Mmmmm!" sounds he makes when chomping a massive mushroom or feasting on fruit make it clear food equals fuel for fun. And passing up tantalizing treats hovering over gaps takes true discipline!
Who wouldn‘t get giddy seeing a gigantic pizza or plump cake replace the usual Super Mushroom or Fire Flower surprise? The running theme of oversized meals provides some wish fulfillment with larger-than-life rewards. Though how Mario‘s overalls stay buttoned up around such an indulgent diet remains an unsolved mystery…
Perhaps all those drained castle moats were once flowing with fattening soda instead of lava causing a Kingdom-wide obesity crisis! At least all the running, jumping, brick bashing and coin collecting keeps the pounds off our portly plumber protagonist. We can live vicariously through his frosted sweet snacks and towering entree plate pick-ups while healthily hydrating with real-life drink ideas.
What Dishes Could Mario‘s Enemies Inspire?
Mario‘s world overflows with unusual creatures from cute to terrifying, but I wondered – how would these wild enemies translate from pipes to plates? Turns out Koopa Troopa shells, Piranha Plants and more could inspire unusual edible creations or garnishes getting gamers talking:
Cheep Cheep Ceviche – Lime-cooked white fish with octopus and seaweed salad representing floating fish foes
Wiggler Waffle Fries – Curly seasoned fries like those furious caterpillars
Piranha Plant Potstickers – Green veggie dumplings with flowering herb garnish
Koopa Troopa Shell Tacos – Ground meat or veggie fillings in fried tortilla ‘shells‘
Paragoomba Poppers – Spicy wings and drums recalling airborne foes
Chain Chomp Cookie Pops – Bark-decorated cookies and cream bites tethered tomini chains
Pokey Pineapple Skewers – Spiked fruit and cheese cubes styled after cactus baddies
Lakitu‘s Cloud Cotton Candy Puffs – Sweet spun sugar tufts shaped like friendly turtle‘s fluffy ride
With a little creativity, we can transform even the strangest Mario items and characters into playful pop culture party foods. Now if only we could snack on actual invincibility stars or an extra life ‘shroom when tackling life‘s toughest levels! At least we can still cook, craft and cider-toast our favorite video game star. Thanks Mario for 35 years of mealtime memories – here‘s to 35 more!
