The Origins of 28 Food Pokemon & Why 19 of Them Come From the Last Two Generations

Most Pokemon look like animals or plants, and 28 of them look like something from the kitchen. The food usually explains the type and the moves too.

See all 28 food Pokemon in one list.

Here are the origins of the 28 food Pokemon:

All 28 Food Pokemon

#420

Cherubi

Cherubi, the Cherry Pokemon, is based on a cherry, which is known to grow multiple fruiting heads, and that explains its look.

When the fruit beside its body is large and plump, Cherubi uses the nutrients inside it to evolve, and the fruit then detaches to feed other creatures. Its Chlorophyll ability doubles its Speed in strong sunlight, and Speed decides who attacks first in a turn. It stands 0.4 m tall and weighs 3.3 kg. (We would take the leftover fruit, but nobody has reported how it tastes.)

#582

Vanillite

Vanillite, the Fresh Snow Pokemon, is a soft serve ice cream in a small cup, or a child-size miniature ice cream cone. It also looks a little like a snowball.

It was supposedly born from an icicle, and it spews freezing air at -58 degrees Fahrenheit to make itself more comfortable. Its Ice Body ability heals it for 1/16 of its max HP after each turn during hail (hail is a weather that chips away at Pokemon every turn). It is 0.4 m tall and weighs 5.7 kg. An ice cream that makes itself more comfortable at -58 degrees has the right idea about freezers.

#583

Vanillish

Vanillish, the Icy Snow Pokemon, is soft serve ice cream in a cone, with snow for the scoop and ice for the waffle cone. The cone also looks like an icicle.

It blasts enemies with cold air reaching -148 degrees Fahrenheit and freezes them solid, then spares their lives afterward because it is a kind Pokemon. Its Snow Cloak ability raises its evasion to 1.25× during hail (evasion is how often it dodges attacks). It stands 1.1 m tall and weighs 41 kg.

#584

Vanilluxe

Vanilluxe, the Snowstorm Pokemon, is a soft serve in a cone with a double scoop, and its two heads resemble a double 99 Flake with the chocolate bar replaced by a rolled wafer. The bits of ice on its heads resemble sprinkled nut topping. It may also be a visual pun on cold-hearted, since its silhouette resembles a frozen cartoon heart.

People believe it formed when two Vanillish stuck together, and its body temperature is roughly 21 degrees Fahrenheit. Its Snow Warning ability summons hail that lasts indefinitely when it enters battle. It stands 1.3 m tall and weighs 57.5 kg. (We would take the single scoop, which in this family is Vanillite.)

#684

Swirlix

Swirlix, the Cotton Candy Pokemon, is based on cotton candy, also known as fairy floss, which may be where its Fairy type comes from. The way it entangles foes in sticky threads may refer to European folktales in which eating fairy food traps mortals in the fairy realm. It also has the face of a lap dog, more specifically a Bichon Frisé or poodle.

The sweet smell of cotton candy perfumes its fluffy fur, and it spits out sticky string to tangle up its enemies. Its Sweet Veil ability prevents friendly Pokemon from sleeping. It is 0.4 m tall and weighs 3.5 kg. (We would not eat anything that has been in a Pokemon's fur.)

#685

Slurpuff

Slurpuff, the Meringue Pokemon, is based on meringue, a dessert made from whipped egg whites and sugar. The red sphere on its head resembles a fruit topping such as a strawberry or cherry, which may refer to the phrase "Cherry on top". It may also be based on cupcakes, which are sometimes called fairy cakes and may have inspired its Fairy type.

Its fur contains a lot of air, which makes it soft to the touch and lighter than it looks. It has the same Sweet Veil ability as Swirlix. It stands 0.8 m tall and weighs 5 kg.

#761

Bounsweet

Bounsweet, the Fruit Pokemon, may be based on a purple mangosteen.

When it is under attack, it secretes a sweet and delicious sweat, and the scent only calls more enemies to it. Its Leaf Guard ability protects it from major status ailments in strong sunlight. It stands 0.3 m tall and weighs 3.2 kg. A fruit that sweats syrup when it is scared is asking to be eaten.

#762

Steenee

Steenee is also a Fruit Pokemon, based on a mangosteen and a young girl.

A Corvisquire that pecks at it gets a smack from its sepals followed by a sharp kick. It has the same Leaf Guard ability as Bounsweet. It is 0.7 m tall and weighs 8.2 kg. We have now met a fruit that fights back.

#763

Tsareena

Tsareena, also a Fruit Pokemon, is based on a mangosteen and a queen. The queen may refer to the mangosteen being known as the "Queen of Fruit". Mangosteen trees produce flowers of a single gender, and a male mangosteen tree has never been found, which may be why Tsareena is always female.

A kick from the hardened tips of its legs leaves a wound in the opponent's body and soul that will never heal. Its Queenly Majesty ability stops opposing Pokemon from using priority attacks (a priority move attacks first no matter the Speed). It stands 1.2 m tall and weighs 21.4 kg.

#840

Applin

Applin, the Apple Core Pokemon, is based on the popular image of a worm burrowing into an apple, specifically the moth larvae that burrow into apples and feed on their cores. Its Dragon type may be a pun on the wyrm, a type of dragon.

As soon as it is born, it burrows into an apple, and the flavor of the fruit decides how it evolves. Its Ripen ability doubles the effect of berries. It is 0.2 m tall and weighs 0.5 kg. (We would check the apple before taking a bite.)

#841

Flapple

Flapple, the Apple Wing Pokemon, is the same worm in an apple with wings, and it may also be based on the tale of Newton's apple. In that tale, the English natural philosopher Sir Isaac Newton had his first thought of gravity upon seeing an apple fall from a tree, and Flapple's signature move is Grav Apple.

It flies on wings of apple skin and spits a powerful acid, and it can change its shape into that of an apple. It has the same Ripen ability as Applin. It stands 0.3 m tall and weighs 1 kg.

#842

Appletun

Appletun, the Apple Nectar Pokemon, is the sweet side of the Applin line. Its back resembles desserts like the apple pie or the apple turnover, and its Gigantamax form is based on a caramel apple, a candy apple or a baked apple (a Gigantamax form is a giant battle form).

Its body is covered in sweet nectar, and the skin on its back is especially yummy, so children used to have it as a snack. It stands 0.4 m tall and weighs 13 kg. A dragon you can have for dessert is a rare find.

#854

Sinistea

Sinistea, the Black Tea Pokemon, is a poltergeist, a mischievous ghost that possesses objects, living in a cup of tea. Tea has historical and cultural significance in the United Kingdom, the country Galar is based on. The way it holds its cup references holding a teacup with the pinky finger sticking out, which is commonly and erroneously believed to be part of tea drinking etiquette.

The teacup it lives in is a famous piece of antique tableware, and many forgeries are in circulation. Its forms may be based on porcelain forgeries. It is 0.1 m tall and weighs 0.2 kg. (We would check the stamp on the bottom of the cup before pouring.)

#855

Polteageist

Polteageist is the same idea in a bigger container, a poltergeist possessing a teapot full of tea. It may also be inspired by genies, which are often depicted living in oil lamps that resemble teapots, and by the yokai Morinji-no-okama and Narigama, which both take the form of possessed kettles.

If you leave leftover black tea unattended, it comes along and pours itself in, turning the tea into a new Polteageist. Its Cursed Body ability has a 30% chance of disabling any move that hits it. It stands 0.2 m tall and weighs 0.4 kg.

#868

Milcery

Milcery, the Cream Pokemon, is based on a drop of milk or a blob of cream.

Any patisserie it visits is guaranteed success and good fortune. Its Sweet Veil ability prevents friendly Pokemon from sleeping. It is 0.2 m tall and weighs 0.3 kg. We would also like a patisserie that comes with a mascot.

#869

Alcremie

Alcremie, also the Cream Pokemon, is based on whipped cream, or Eton mess, a British dessert of fruit and meringue folded into whipped cream. Its Gigantamax form may be based on a wedding cake.

When it is content, the cream it secretes from its hands becomes sweeter and richer. It has the same Sweet Veil ability as Milcery. It stands 0.3 m tall and weighs 0.5 kg.

#926

Fidough

Fidough, the Puppy Pokemon, is a puppy made from dessert dough, likely a dachshund given its long body and short legs. The dough may be based on the Mollete de Antequera, a typical Andalusian bread, or the ensaimada, a Spanish pastry shaped like a spiral. Together the dog and the dough make a pun on "purebred", which is pronounced like "pure bread".

The yeast in its breath is useful for cooking, so people have protected it since long ago. Its Own Tempo ability prevents confusion. It is 0.3 m tall and weighs 10.9 kg. A dog that doubles as a sourdough starter is the most useful pet on this list.

#927

Dachsbun

Dachsbun, the Dog Pokemon, is a dachshund baked into bread, with the long body and short legs of the breed. The baked goods it draws on include bread loaves, bread rolls and buns. Its darker colors than Fidough reference the Maillard reaction, the chemical reaction that gives cooked food its brown color and flavor.

The surface of its skin hardens when exposed to intense heat, and its body has an appetizing aroma. Its Well-Baked Body ability makes it immune to Fire-type moves and sharply boosts its Defense. It stands 0.5 m tall and weighs 14.9 kg. (We have seen worse reasons to be fireproof than already being baked.)

#928

Smoliv

Smoliv, the Olive Pokemon, is based on a green olive, and its Shiny coloration is based on a black olive (a Shiny is a rare alternate coloring). That likely refers to Spain, the region Paldea is based on, being the biggest producer of olives in the world.

It converts nutrients into oil, which it stores in the fruit on its head, and it can easily go a whole week without eating or drinking. Its Early Bird ability makes sleep pass twice as quickly. It stands 0.3 m tall and weighs 6.5 kg.

#929

Dolliv

Dolliv is based on a dryad and on a green olive, again a nod to the olive production of Spain. Its Shiny coloration resembles black olives.

It basks in the sun until the fruits on its head ripen, and after that it departs from human settlements. Its Harvest ability has a 50% chance of restoring a used Berry after each turn if it holds no item. It is 0.6 m tall and weighs 11.9 kg.

#930

Arboliva

Arboliva may be based on an olive tree. It sometimes makes a pose resembling the olive wreath in battle, and its calm temperament may come from the olive branch, a traditional symbol of peace.

It drives back enemies by launching its rich, aromatic oil at them with enough force to smash a boulder. Its Seed Sower ability turns the ground into Grassy Terrain when it is hit by an attack (Grassy Terrain is a field effect that heals Pokemon standing on the ground). It stands 1.4 m tall and weighs 48.2 kg. (We prefer our olive oil on bread, at a much lower speed.)

#951

Capsakid

Capsakid, the Spicy Pepper Pokemon, may be based on an immature chili pepper such as the habanero. The splitting flower over the back of its head follows how peppers grow, and there is even a chili pepper called the Scotch bonnet, named for its resemblance to bonnets.

Traditional Paldean dishes can be extremely spicy because they include the shed front teeth of Capsakid. Its Insomnia ability prevents sleep. It is 0.3 m tall and weighs 3 kg. We will take the mild version of that recipe.

#952

Scovillain

Scovillain, also the Spicy Pepper Pokemon, is based on a chili pepper plant. The red head is a ripe, mature chili, and the green head is an immature chili that is not as pungent. The red head being the only one to produce spicy and fire energy may allude to the Padrón pepper, a variety cultivated in Galicia, Spain, where the saying goes "Padrón peppers, some are hot, some are not".

The green head has turned vicious due to the spicy chemicals stimulating its brain, and once it goes on a rampage, there is no stopping it. It stands 0.9 m tall and weighs 15 kg.

#978

Tatsugiri

Tatsugiri, the Mimicry Pokemon, is based on sushi, specifically nigiri, the kind pressed by hand instead of rolled. Its Curly Form resembles shrimp nigiri and its Droopy Form resembles tuna nigiri. The Stretchy Form resembles egg or herring roe nigiri.

It feigns weakness to lure in prey, then orders its partner to attack. Its Commander ability sends it inside the mouth of an ally Dondozo if one is on the field. It is 0.3 m tall and weighs 8 kg. (We have never seen sushi plan an ambush before.)

#1011

Dipplin

Dipplin, the Candy Apple Pokemon, is two wyrms sharing one apple, and it is based on a candy apple, which is made by coating apples with a sugar mixture and is often served at festivals and holidays. Its Shiny coloration may draw inspiration from caramel apples or from golden apples.

The head sticking out belongs to the fore-wyrm and the tail belongs to the core-wyrm, and the two share one apple and help each other out. Its Supersweet Syrup ability lowers the evasion of all adjacent opponents by one stage, once per battle. It stands 0.4 m tall and weighs 9.7 kg.

#1012

Poltchageist

Poltchageist, the Matcha Pokemon, is based on matcha, a green tea that is specially grown, processed and finely ground into powder. It may also be a tsukumogami, an inanimate household object come to life, here from the equipment of a Japanese tea ceremony. The three dots above its left eye resemble the Japanese map symbol for tea plantations.

It looks like a regional form of Sinistea, but it was recently discovered that the two Pokemon are entirely unrelated. Its Hospitality ability restores 25% of an ally's HP when it enters a battle. It is 0.1 m tall and weighs 1.1 kg.

#1013

Sinistcha

Sinistcha is matcha prepared as a drink in the traditional Japanese tea ceremony. Its design includes the chawan, or tea bowl, and the chasen, or tea whisk.

It prefers cool, dark places such as the back of a shelf, and it wanders in search of prey after sunset. It has the same Hospitality ability as Poltchageist. It stands 0.2 m tall and weighs 2.2 kg. We would rather have the black tea ghost over for a visit.

#1019

Hydrapple

Hydrapple, the Apple Hydra Pokemon, ends the Applin line. It is inspired by multiheaded serpent monsters such as the Yamata no Orochi, an eight-headed serpent from Japanese mythology, and by Ladon, the multi-headed dragon that guarded the golden apples of the Garden of the Hesperides. The fact that the moods of its syrpents rarely align may be a reference to the golden Apple of Discord.

Its capricious syrpents have banded together, and on the rare occasion that their moods align, their true power is unleashed. It stands 1.8 m tall and weighs 93 kg, and its base stat total of 540 is the highest on this list.

19 of the 28 Come From the Last Two Generations

Food Pokemon are mostly recent. 19 of the 28 debuted in Generation VIII or IX, and the games drew their menus from the places they are based on. Galar is based on the United Kingdom, so it got a poltergeist in a cup of tea (Sinistea) and Alcremie as an Eton mess. Paldea is based on Spain, the biggest producer of olives in the world. It got the Smoliv line and a chili with a Galician proverb, and Fidough may be a dog made from Andalusian bread. The older ones are plainer, with a cherry for Cherubi and soft serve for Vanillite.

Food Pokemon FAQ

How many food Pokemon are there?

There are 28 food Pokemon, from Cherubi in Generation IV to Hydrapple in Generation IX.

What is the strongest food Pokemon?

Hydrapple, with a base stat total of 540. Vanilluxe follows at 535.

Is Tatsugiri based on sushi?

Yes. Tatsugiri is based on nigiri, a type of sushi pressed by hand.

Is Dachsbun made of bread?

Yes. Dachsbun is based on a dachshund and on baked goods such as bread loaves, bread rolls and buns.

Are Sinistea and Poltchageist related?

No. Poltchageist looks like a regional form of Sinistea, but the two Pokemon are entirely unrelated.

Is Applin an apple?

No. Applin is based on the image of a worm burrowing into an apple, and it burrows into an apple as soon as it is born.