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Food idioms in English
Most languages have idiomatic expressions about food, and English is no exception. There are lots of idioms which feature food in some way. Some of these are quite easily understood, while others are more difficult. Here’s a list of some common food idioms:
be the apple of someone’s eye = be someone’s favorite person: “She’s the apple of her father’s eye.”
in apple-pie order = in perfect order: “Her house was in apple-pie order, with nothing out of place.”
be as nice as pie = be extremely nice and charming, so that you can fool people: “She can be as nice as pie, but don’t trust her!”
eat humble pie = have to take back what you said, because you have been proved wrong: “He’ll have to eat humble pie now. Serve him right – he tried to make us all look bad.”
have your fingers in every pie = be involved in many different things: “You can’t do anything without him knowing – he has his fingers in every pie.”
a piece of cake = be extremely simple: “This program is a piece of cake to use.”
sell like hot cakes = sell quickly in large quantities: “His book is selling like hot cakes.”
full of beans = be full of energy: “You’re full of beans today – it’s nice to see you so lively!”
beef about something = complain about something: “He’s always beefing about the pay.”
beef something up = give something extra appeal: “If we beef up the window display, more people might come into the shop.”
be your bread and butter = be your main source of income: “Although they run a taxi service, car sales are their bread and butter.”
be like chalk and cheese = be completely different: “I don’t know why they got married – they’re like chalk and cheese.”
be like peas in a pod = be identical to someone: “Those two are like peas in a pod.”
cheesy = predictable and unimaginative: “I don’t want to see that film again – it’s really cheesy.”
sour grapes = say something bad because you didn’t get what you wanted: “Don’t listen to him complain – it’s only sour grapes because you got the job and he didn’t.”
a couch-potato = someone who never goes out or exercises: “He watches TV all day – what a couch-potato!”
bring home the bacon = earn money for necessary things, like food: “He brings home the bacon in that family.”
the way the cookie crumbles = the way things are: “I’m sorry I didn’t get the promotion, but that’s the way the cookie crumbles.”
have someone eat out of your hand = have control over someone: “He has her eating out of his hand – it’s sad.”
not your cup of tea = something that you don’t like much: “Football isn’t my cup of tea.”
it smells fishy = something that is suspicious: “He wants to do all the housework for you? That smells fishy to me!”
small fry / small beer = something or someone unimportant: “Sales last year are small fry compared to now – we’re doing really well.”
roll out the barrel = prepare to have a good time: “Roll out the barrel – we’re celebrating our exam results.”
Practice: Fill in the blanks with the correct option:
- She’s the ___________ of his eye.
- Candy b. Apple c. Dessert
Meaning – She is very special to someone.
- He drinks like a_______________.
- Fish b. Horse c .Shark
Meaning – He drinks a lot of alcohol.
- There’s no use crying over spilt_____________.
- Wine b. Tea c. Milk
Meaning – If something bad happens, there’s nothing you can do to change it. There’s no point in dwelling on it.
- I wouldn’t do it for all the _____________ in China.
- Tea b. Silk c. Rice
Meaning – You won’t do something no matter what.
- That kid’s a bad ____________.
- Fruit b. Egg c. Mushroom
Meaning – That person is bad and cannot be trusted.
- They’re like 2 _____________ in a pod.
- Pies b. Beans c. Peas
Meaning – Two people are so similar they are identical.
- It’s the best thing since_________________.
- Chocolate cake b. Sliced bread c. Frozen food
Meaning – Something is excellent.
- They’re like chalk and _____________.
- Salt b. Butter c. Cheese
Meaning – Two people are completely different to each other and have nothing in common.
- She has a ____________ in the oven.
- Loaf b. Pie c. Bun
Meaning – She is expecting a baby.
- I bring home the ___________ in our house.
- Bacon b. Beef c. Pork
Meaning – I earn the money in this household.
- That company has been ____________ the books for years.
- Cremating b. Cooking c. Simmering
Meaning -The company has not been honest about their real income.
- He’s a couch ____________.
- Crepe b. Burger c. Potato
Meaning – He is a lazy slob and doesn’t do much.
- He was no match for her; she ate him_____________.
- Raw b. Alive c. With bread
Meaning – She defeated or overwhelmed him completely.
- That gave us food for_____________.
- Happiness b. Appetite c. Thought
Meaning -It made us think about things carefully.
- That child is full of_____________.
- Beans b. Peas c. Onions
Meaning -The child is full of energy.
- He was left with ______________ on his face.
- Soup b. Spaghetti c. Egg
Meaning – He was embarrassed or humiliated.
- They have their finger in more than 1____________.
- Pie b. Casserole c. Lasagne
Meaning – They have an interest in or are involved in more than one thing.
- You should take whatever he says with a grain of___________
- Chilli b. Salt c. Herbs
Meaning – Don’t believe everything he says.
- People treat that organisation like a ____________train.
- Gravy b. Chocolate c. Condiment
Meaning – People take advantage of something and gain money/benefits from it without making an effort.
- It’s a piece of____________.
- Bread b. Fruit c. Cake
Meaning – Something is very easy.
Answers: A-apple, B-fish, C-milk, D-tea, E-egg, F-peas, G-sliced bread, H-cheese, I-bun, J-bacon, K-cooking, L-potato, M-alive, N-thought, O-beans, P-egg, Q-pie, R-salt, S-gravy train, T-cake.
Part 2 – Using the idioms
After the students have memorized the idioms, read out the sentences below. They need to call out the best expression for each situation.
- I love my new i-phone. It really is….
- I can’t tell the sisters apart. They look the same, speak the same, think the same…
- I wouldn’t want to have an argument with your mom, she’d…
- I really don’t know why they are together, they’ve nothing in common. They’re…
- Don’t worry about that test, I did it before and I found it really easy. It’s a…
- Has Marie put on weight? Oh, haven’t you heard the news? She has a…
- David, I asked you to take out the rubbish while I was gone and you just sat there instead. You’re such a…
- Your little brother keeps running and jumping around. He’s …
- He’s well known for stretching the truth. I’d take everything he says with a….
- I try not to favor any of my grandchildren, but our youngest is so much fun. He’s the…
- Most of the kids in the class are nice and they’ll do what you ask, but there’s always 1… that disrupts everything.
- You sent the wrong email to your boss? Oh well, what’s done is done. There’s no point…
- That business was recently audited and fined by Revenue. It turns out they have been …… for years.
- That’s an interesting perspective, I hadn’t thought of it like that before. You’ve given me…
- It makes me sick to see those bankers earning huge unjustifiable sums of money for doing nothing. They’ve been riding the … for years.
- The wedding crowd has been drinking beer all day. They drink…
- He owns the bakery, the local supermarket, 3 apartments and a pub. Wow! He has his …
- He invited her to a meal at a restaurant, but didn’t show up. Oh no! So she was left there with…
- The parents don’t work because of their disability, but the daughter works 60 hours a week. She’s the one who brings…
- I hated working there. The money was awful and so was the boss. I wouldn’t go back for…
