Have a player created/gem store purchase Belt/Bandoleer that would have 5 slots for quick access to items.
This would then have 5 slots in your inventory where players could place consumable items (e.g. food, potions, fire elemental powder) Icons could be located above a players skills (could even bind them to F-keys). This would save players from having to open their inventory during a battle (and gives ANet another revenue options if they make it a gem store purchase, as they did with additional and shared bank slots).