Gulping down a pie between swings of a sword has always seemed ridiculously artificial to me. Food giving you at least an hour buff would simulate habitual eating, because every once in a while when you saw your buff was gone you'd crunch an apple to put it back up. You might even carry a few pieces of food in your bag to make sure you ate throughout your time in an area. Cooked food could provide a better buff, giving everyone a reason to cook the food they find.
