It’s surprising how many food idioms we have in the English language! Here is a list of 36 of them, including definitions and examples of how to use them.
Although these expressions all involve food, they aren’t necessarily idioms about food. After all, an idiom is a phrase that means something different to the literal meaning of the words within it.
Idioms with fruits and vegetables
Let’s begin with some fruit idioms – and a few containing vegetables as well:
Apple of someone’s eye
If you are the apple of someone’s eye then you are treasured or very loved by them.
“Ellen is the apple of her grandmother’s eye.”
Bad apple / rotten apple
You might call someone a bad apple, rotten apple or bad egg if they are a bad person, particularly someone who may harm or have a negative influence on others.
“You should stay away from Kyle; he’s a bad apple.”
Conversely, a good person could be described as a good egg but there is no such thing as a good apple.
Compare apples and oranges
To compare apples and oranges means to compare two things that are totally different (and therefore make an invalid comparison).
“Comparing Italian and Chinese cuisine is like comparing apples and oranges.”
Couch potato
A couch potato is someone lazy who spends too much time on the couch (sofa), whether watching TV, gaming, or anything else requiring minimal physical exertion.
“You need to get up and do some exercise! You’re becoming a real couch potato.”
A couch potato may also have a spare tire. Visit our page about health and fitness idioms to learn what that means.
Two peas in a pod
Two peas in a pod are two people who are very similar.
“You can see why they get along so well together – they’re like two peas in a pod.”
Full of beans
To be full of beans can mean two different things. In British English, it means you have a lot of energy, whereas in American English it means you’re talking nonsense. You may have to judge the correct meaning by the context.
“You’re full of beans, what’s got you so excited?”
“He’s so full of beans, I can’t believe he’s saying all those things about me!”
Spill the beans
If you spill the beans, you reveal a secret or surprise.
“You did well not to spill the beans about your new house until the contract was signed!”
We have more speaking and talking idioms on a separate page.
Cake idioms
Who would’ve thought we had enough idioms about cake in English for them to deserve their own section?
Have your cake and eat it
To have your cake and eat it (too) or eat your cake and have it (too) means to have two good (often incompatible) things at the same time or have the best of both worlds. Taken literally, it means that you can’t eat a cake and still have possession of it.
“Did you hear that Mike’s been having an affair with a younger woman? Sounds like he’s been having his cake and eating it!”
Sell like hot cakes
If something sells very quickly and successfully, we can say it is selling like hot cakes.
“I wasn’t sure about the design of those new jackets, but they sold like hot cakes!”
Discover more idioms about heat here.
A slice of the cake / pie
A slice of the cake or pie is a share of something.
“We’ve had a profitable year and I want to make sure every employee gets their slice of the cake.”
A piece of cake
Something that’s a piece of cake is very easy to do.
“Navigating the streets of London is a piece of cake for me.”
The frosting / icing on the cake
The icing on the cake is an extra enhancement to something already good.
“Winning an award was a great achievement for her and the prize money was the icing on the cake.”
The frosting on the cake is the American English version of this cake idiom.
Take the biscuit / cake
If something takes the biscuit (in British English only), it means that it is particularly bad or objectionable.
“I understand that you couldn’t attend the meeting for personal reasons but the fact that you only told me five minutes beforehand really took the biscuit!”
This is not to be confused with the American English take the cake which can have the same meaning, but more often means that something is particularly good.
Bread idioms
Here are some English food idioms which involve bread or baking:
Bread and butter
Someone’s bread and butter is their basic means of support or income. It doesn’t just have to be used for individuals though; for example, you might talk about a company or organization’s bread and butter.
“The family rely on their father for their bread and butter.”
“Online sales are the bread and butter of this company.”
View our list of money idioms to learn what on the breadline means.
Best thing since sliced bread
Referring to something as the best/greatest thing since sliced bread means you think it’s the best invention ever.
“This dishwasher is the best thing since sliced bread; I don’t know what I’d do without it!”
A bun in the oven
Having a bun in the oven is a humorous slang term for being pregnant (more in British than American English).
“Susan’s put on some weight, I wonder if she’s got a bun in the oven?”
You can check out a load more funny English idioms here!
Eat humble pie
To eat humble pie means to admit you’re wrong and have a humble attitude.
“I’m sure we’ll win the game but if not, I guess I’ll have to eat humble pie.”
Salt idioms
Yes, salt also features prominently in English food idioms. Here are some examples.
Rub salt in the wound
To rub salt in the wound is to purposely make someone’s upset or misfortune worse.
“Olly is so upset that his girlfriend dumped him; don’t rub salt in the wound by talking about how in love you are!”
You can imagine the origin of this one; when you get salt in an open wound, it really stings!
Take something with a grain of salt
To take something with a grain/pinch of salt means to assume that it is not completely true or correct.
“Glenda loves to tell stories about her life but I always take them with a grain of salt.”
Check the difference between assume and presume if you’re unsure.
Worth your salt
Someone who is worth their salt is good or competent at their job and is worth whatever they are paid in return.
“We’re going to have a staff review next month and anyone not worth their salt will be given a warning.”
Nut idioms
Hard / tough nut to crack
A hard/tough nut to crack is someone who is difficult to deal with, or a problem that’s hard to solve.
“I can see our new sales rep is going to be a hard nut to crack.”
Nuts about
If you’re nuts about something or someone, you’re crazy about it or them and like it or them very much.
“Roberto is nuts about aliens but I’m sure it’s just a phase he’s going through.”
In a nutshell
In a nutshell is a phrase used to mean in summary or in short:
“It’s a long story but, in a nutshell, we met through our shared love of jazz.”
Nuts, apples and pumpkins are all foods associated with the season of autumn (or fall). You can find more fall idioms and sayings here.
Egg idioms
Egg on
If you egg someone on then you encourage or urge someone to do something, usually something foolish.
“I only stole the chocolate because James kept egging me on.”
Put all your eggs in one basket
If you put all your eggs in one basket, you risk your money or reputation by backing one single plan or idea (if it goes wrong, you lose everything).
“Do you think it’s wise to put all our eggs in one basket after the last negotiation fell through at the last minute?”
Walk on eggshells
If you have to walk on eggshells, you must be very careful and inoffensive in a delicate situation.
“Francois seems to take offense very easily so I always feel like I’m walking on eggshells when I speak to him.”
And some more food idioms
Finally, some miscellaneous idioms about food that didn’t fall into any of the categories above.
Bring home the bacon
A person who brings home the bacon is the main earner in their family.
“It’s becoming more common for women to be bringing home the bacon these days.”
You could also describe this person as the breadwinner. There are lots of other family idioms you can use to describe your relatives.
Butter someone up
If you butter someone up (or butter up to someone), you give them excessive praise or flattery in order to achieve something for yourself.
“Stop buttering up the boss; you’re making it so obvious that you want a pay rise!”
Cheesed off
Cheesed off is another term for annoyed.
“You look a bit cheesed off, what’s up?”
Note that this is a casual term. There are other variants, like pissed off, which are considered rude slang.
There are more useful annoyance and anger idioms listed in our separate article.
Cream of the crop
The cream of the crop is the very best of all.
“We should reward students who are the cream of the crop in each class.”
Food for thought
Food for thought is something to be considered carefully.
“The sermon at church last week really gave me some food for thought.”
Spice up
To spice something up means to make it more exciting or interesting.
“So that you don’t get bored during this training session I’m going to spice it up with a few games.”
There are more exciting idioms for you to check out here.
For peanuts / for chicken feed
If you do something for peanuts, you do it for very little money (also for chicken feed).
“We can’t expect our staff to work for peanuts and do a good job.”
Bigger fish to fry
When someone says they have bigger fish to fry it means they have bigger or more important things to worry about or deal with.
“Don’t let losing that client get you down; we’ve got bigger fish to fry.”
Discover more fun fish idioms to use in everyday English.
In a pickle
Somebody who is in a pickle is in trouble, or in a difficult situation.
“Mum, can you come and help me? I’ve got myself in a pickle trying to follow this recipe.”
This is one of many idioms that originates from the works of Shakespeare.
Make a meal of
If you make a meal of something, you make something more difficult or time-consuming than it needs to be.
“Jasmine really made a meal of that sales report. I hope she handles the next one better.”
Sweet tooth
If someone has a sweet tooth, it means they have a preference for sweet dishes. They may find it hard to resist a dessert at the end of a meal! We less often use the expression savory tooth to mean the opposite.
“I can never seem to lose weight… I blame it on my sweet tooth.”
And as a bonus… some sayings and proverbs involving food:
There are also a few common sayings that relate to food that we wanted to include:
Too many cooks spoil the broth/stew
Too many people getting involved in an activity can make it go wrong or fail.
“I think we should limit the number of people involved in this campaign; after all, too many cooks spoil the broth.”
There are many other idioms about cooking and baking that you may find interesting after reading this list of food idioms and sayings.
Don’t count your chickens until/before they’ve hatched
You shouldn’t take action based on an assumed outcome (something that may not actually happen).
“You’ve only just applied for that job and you’re already shopping for a new car? Don’t count your chickens before they’ve hatched!”
Don’t cry over spilt milk or It’s no use crying over spilt milk
Don’t get upset over something that has already happened and can’t be undone.
“I know you’re sad that you ripped your dress but it’s no use crying over spilt milk.”
Check out more idioms for crying on a separate article.
That’s the way the cookie crumbles
Bad things sometimes happen and can’t be prevented so there’s no point getting upset over them.
“It’s a shame I didn’t get the lead role in the play but that’s the way the cookie crumbles.”
And that concludes our list of English food idioms with examples of how to use them. There’s a lot to digest there (excuse the pun) so if you have any questions or some other expressions to add to the list, feel free to comment below.
Thank you for your educative topics .