Rework consumables like food and potions to have unique effects not just flat stat increases.

Ex: Spicy curry gives fire spikes, or refresh, hp or tp regen, hp/tp/mp stolen per hit, etc... Don't make them over powered effects just different to justify people wanting, not needing, to use consumables.

I have a full post on the current condition of food mostly here at this link. My post is a bit wordy but its mostly backed by hard calculation and well thought out sentences. http://forum.square-enix.com/ffxiv/t...rt-this-cause.