100 Tasty Food Idioms with Meanings and Examples

Ever wondered why we say a piece of cake for something easy or spill the beans to reveal a secret? Food idioms make English fun, flavorful, and expressive! In this article, we’ll explore 100 tasty food idioms with meanings and examples to help you sound more natural and fluent. Let’s dig in!

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Food idioms with meanings and examples

Food idioms exercises.

Exercise 1: Fill in the Blanks

Exercise 2: Match the Idioms with Their Meanings

Exercise 3: Choose the Correct food idioms.

Answers to the exercises:Food idioms.

Exercise 1: Fill in the Blanks (Answers)

Exercise 2: Match the Idioms with Their Meanings (Answers)

Exercise 3: Choose the Correct Idiom (Answers)

Feast on These Food Idioms and Enrich Your English!

Food idioms with meanings and examples

Piece of Cake
Meaning: Something very easy to do.
Example: The exam was a piece of cake; I finished it in 10 minutes.
Cool as a Cucumber
Meaning: Very calm and composed.
Example: Even under pressure, she remained cool as a cucumber.
Apple of My Eye
Meaning: Someone very special and loved.
Example: My daughter is the apple of my eye.
An Apple a Day Keeps the Doctor Away
Meaning: Eating healthy keeps you fit.
Example: He eats fruit daily because he believes an apple a day keeps the doctor away.
Bad Egg
Meaning: A dishonest or unreliable person.
Example: He was a bad egg, always getting into trouble.
Bigger Fish to Fry
Meaning: More important matters to deal with.
Example: I can’t waste time on this; I have bigger fish to fry.
Bread and Butter
Meaning: A person’s main source of income.
Example: Writing articles is my bread and butter.
Bring Home the Bacon
Meaning: To earn money for the family.
Example: He works hard to bring home the bacon.
Burnt to a Crisp
Meaning: Completely burned.
Example: I forgot the toast in the oven, and now it’s burnt to a crisp.
Butter Someone Up
Meaning: To flatter someone for personal gain.
Example: He’s buttering up the manager to get a promotion.
Chew the Fat
Meaning: To chat casually.
Example: We stayed up late chewing the fat about old times.
Cherry-Pick
Meaning: To choose only the best things.
Example: He cherry-picked the best players for his team.
Couch Potato
Meaning: A lazy person who sits around watching TV.
Example: He’s a couch potato on weekends, never leaving the sofa.
Cup of Tea
Meaning: Something you enjoy.
Example: Horror movies aren’t my cup of tea.
Cry Over Spilled Milk
Meaning: To be upset about something that cannot be changed.
Example: There’s no use crying over spilled milk; just move on.
Cook Up a Storm
Meaning: To prepare a large amount of food.
Example: My grandmother cooked up a storm for Thanksgiving.
Cut the Mustard
Meaning: To meet expectations or standards.
Example: His performance didn’t cut the mustard for the job.
Cream of the Crop
Meaning: The best of something.
Example: This university accepts only the cream of the crop.
Cool Beans
Meaning: Awesome or great.
Example: You got tickets to the concert? Cool beans!
Don’t Put All Your Eggs in One Basket
Meaning: Don’t risk everything on one thing.
Example: Invest in multiple stocks; don’t put all your eggs in one basket.
Drop Like a Hot Potato
Meaning: To quickly stop being involved with something.
Example: As soon as the scandal broke, the company dropped him like a hot potato.
Drink Like a Fish
Meaning: To drink excessive alcohol.
Example: He drinks like a fish at every party.
Eat Like a Bird
Meaning: To eat very little.
Example: She eats like a bird, just a few bites here and there.
Eat Like a Horse
Meaning: To eat a lot.
Example: After the marathon, he ate like a horse.
Easy as Pie
Meaning: Very simple.
Example: The math test was easy as pie.
Full of Beans
Meaning: Energetic and lively.
Example: The kids were full of beans after eating candy.
Food for Thought
Meaning: Something to think about seriously.
Example: His advice gave me a lot of food for thought.
Go Bananas
Meaning: To act crazy or excited.
Example: The crowd went bananas when their team won.
Have a Bun in the Oven
Meaning: To be pregnant.
Example: She just announced that she has a bun in the oven!
Half-Baked Idea
Meaning: A poorly thought-out plan.
Example: His business proposal was a half-baked idea.
In a Nutshell
Meaning: Summarized in a few words.
Example: In a nutshell, the project was a success.
Juicy Gossip
Meaning: Exciting or scandalous gossip.
Example: She always has some juicy gossip to share.
Jump from the Frying Pan into the Fire
Meaning: To go from a bad situation to a worse one.
Example: Leaving this job without a backup plan is like jumping from the frying pan into the fire.
Lemon
Meaning: A product that is defective.
Example: The car he bought was a lemon; it broke down in a week.
Let’s Spice Things Up
Meaning: To make something more exciting.
Example: Let’s spice things up and go on an adventure!
Like Two Peas in a Pod
Meaning: Very similar or close.
Example: Those two are like two peas in a pod.
Meat and Potatoes
Meaning: The essential part of something.
Example: Let’s focus on the meat and potatoes of this issue.
Nutty as a Fruitcake
Meaning: Crazy or eccentric.
Example: That guy is nutty as a fruitcake!
Not Worth a Hill of Beans
Meaning: Something with little or no value.
Example: His argument wasn’t worth a hill of beans.
Pie in the Sky
Meaning: An unrealistic or impractical idea.
Example: His plan to become a millionaire overnight is just pie in the sky.
Sell Like Hotcakes
Meaning: To sell quickly and in large amounts.
Example: These new shoes are selling like hotcakes!
Stew in One’s Own Juice
Meaning: To suffer the consequences of one’s actions.
Example: He ignored my advice, so now he has to stew in his own juice.
Sweet Tooth
Meaning: A strong liking for sweet foods.
Example: I have a sweet tooth, so I love desserts.
Take It with a Grain of Salt
Meaning: Don’t believe everything completely.
Example: Take his stories with a grain of salt; he exaggerates.
The Icing on the Cake
Meaning: Something extra that makes a good thing even better.
Example: Winning the trophy was the icing on the cake.
Salt of the Earth
Meaning: A very honest and good person.
Example: He’s the salt of the earth—always willing to help.
Sour Grapes
Meaning: Pretending to dislike something you can’t have.
Example: She said she didn’t want the promotion, but it sounded like sour grapes.
Go Together Like Peas and Carrots
Meaning: Two things or people that go well together.
Example: They are best friends and go together like peas and carrots.
Small Potatoes
Meaning: Something insignificant.
Example: The money he lost is small potatoes compared to his wealth.
Spill the Beans
Meaning: To reveal a secret.
Example: He spilled the beans about the surprise party.
Stick to Your Ribs
Meaning: Food that is filling and satisfying.
Example: This stew will stick to your ribs on a cold day.
Sugarcoat
Meaning: To make something seem more pleasant than it is.
Example: Don’t sugarcoat the truth; just tell me.
Sweet as Honey
Meaning: Very kind or nice.
Example: She’s sweet as honey to everyone.
Sweeten the Deal
Meaning: To add something to make an offer better.
Example: They sweetened the deal by offering free delivery.
Take the Cake
Meaning: To be the best or worst example of something.
Example: His excuse for being late takes the cake!
Tough Cookie
Meaning: A strong, determined person.
Example: She’s a tough cookie, never giving up easily.
That’s the Way the Cookie Crumbles
Meaning: That’s just how things happen, even if it’s unfair.
Example: I didn’t win, but that’s the way the cookie crumbles.
The Proof Is in the Pudding
Meaning: The true value of something can only be judged when tested.
Example: He says he’s a great cook, but the proof is in the pudding.
A Tough Nut to Crack
Meaning: A difficult problem or person to deal with.
Example: Convincing her to change her mind will be a tough nut to crack.
Thick as Pea Soup
Meaning: Very thick fog or atmosphere.
Example: The fog outside is as thick as pea soup.
Too Many Cooks Spoil the Broth
Meaning: Too many people working on something can ruin it.
Example: The project failed because everyone had different ideas—too many cooks spoil the broth.
Turn Sour
Meaning: To become unpleasant.
Example: Their friendship turned sour after the argument.
Under One’s Belt
Meaning: To have experience in something.
Example: With years of teaching under his belt, he is an expert.
Variety Is the Spice of Life
Meaning: Trying new things makes life interesting.
Example: I love traveling to new places—variety is the spice of life.
Walk on Eggshells
Meaning: To be very careful not to upset someone.
Example: Since the argument, I’ve been walking on eggshells around him.
Warm as Toast
Meaning: Very warm and cozy.
Example: The house was warm as toast during winter.
You Can’t Have Your Cake and Eat It Too
Meaning: You can’t have everything.
Example: You want freedom but don’t want to leave home—you can’t have your cake and eat it too!
You Are What You Eat
Meaning: Your health depends on your diet.
Example: He eats healthy because he believes you are what you eat.
Your Goose Is Cooked
Meaning: You’re in serious trouble.
Example: If the boss finds out, your goose is cooked.
Full of Hot Air
Meaning: Talking nonsense or exaggerating.
Example: Don’t listen to him; he’s full of hot air.
As Red as a Cherry
Meaning: Very red in color.
Example: Her face turned as red as a cherry when she was embarrassed.
A Hard Nut to Crack
Meaning: A difficult problem or person.
Example: Understanding quantum physics is a hard nut to crack.
Like Hot Butter on Toast
Meaning: Something that goes smoothly.
Example: The plan worked like hot butter on toast.
A Watery Grave
Meaning: Death by drowning.
Example: The shipwreck led many to a watery grave.
Don’t Sugarcoat It
Meaning: Tell the truth without making it sound better than it is.
Example: Don’t sugarcoat it—just tell me how bad it is.
As Flat as a Pancake
Meaning: Very flat.
Example: The road through the desert was as flat as a pancake.
As Slow as Molasses
Meaning: Extremely slow.
Example: The internet is as slow as molasses today.
Cool Your Beans
Meaning: Calm down.
Example: Cool your beans! There’s no need to get so angry.
As Sweet as Sugar
Meaning: Very kind or nice.
Example: She’s as sweet as sugar to everyone she meets.
Hot Off the Grill
Meaning: Something very new or fresh.
Example: The latest edition of the magazine is hot off the grill.
Not My Cup of Tea
Meaning: Something you don’t enjoy.
Example: Horror movies are not my cup of tea.
Eat Humble Pie
Meaning: Admit you were wrong.
Example: After losing the bet, he had to eat humble pie.
As Busy as Popcorn on a Stove
Meaning: Very active or busy.
Example: The store was as busy as popcorn on a stove during the sale.
All the Tea in China
Meaning: A great amount of something.
Example: I wouldn’t do that for all the tea in China.
Egg on Your Face
Meaning: Embarrassed after a mistake.
Example: He had egg on his face after mispronouncing the winner’s name.
Go Nuts
Meaning: To become crazy or overly excited.
Example: The fans went nuts when the team won.
Eat One’s Words
Meaning: To admit being wrong.
Example: He had to eat his words after the truth came out.
A Fork in the Road
Meaning: A point where a decision must be made.
Example: He reached a fork in the road in his career.
Like Taking Candy from a Baby
Meaning: Something very easy.
Example: Winning that game was like taking candy from a baby.
Hot and Sour
Meaning: A mix of emotions, both good and bad.
Example: His farewell speech was hot and sour.

Make Mince Meat of Someone
Meaning: To defeat or beat someone easily.
Example: Our team made mince meat of the opponents in the finals.
Like Butter Wouldn’t Melt in Their Mouth
Meaning: Someone who looks innocent but isn’t.
Example: She looks like butter wouldn’t melt in her mouth, but she’s very clever.
Like a Knife Through Butter
Meaning: Something very easy to do.
Example: The car moved through the snow like a knife through butter.
Gravy Train
Meaning: An easy way to make a lot of money.
Example: He got a government contract and is now riding the gravy train.
A Recipe for Disaster
Meaning: A plan that will likely go wrong.
Example: Ignoring safety measures is a recipe for disaster.
Eat the Elephant One Bite at a Time
Meaning: Take a big task step by step.
Example: Writing a book is tough, but just eat the elephant one bite at a time.
Put Meat on the Bones
Meaning: To add more details or substance.
Example: Your idea is great, but you need to put more meat on the bones.
Eat Crow
Meaning: Admit you were wrong and accept humiliation.
Example: After doubting my skills, he had to eat crow when I won the competition.
Dangle a Carrot
Meaning: To offer an incentive to get someone to do something.
Example: The boss dangled a carrot by offering bonuses for extra work.
Don’t Count Your Chickens Before They Hatch
Meaning: Don’t assume something will happen before it does.
Example: I haven’t got the job yet, so I won’t count my chickens before they hatch.

Food idioms exercises.

Exercise 1: Fill in the Blanks

Choose the correct idiom from the list below to complete each sentence:

(Like two peas in a pod – Bite off more than you can chew – A tough nut to crack – Piece of cake – Spill the beans – Bread and butter – Cool as a cucumber – Cry over spilled milk – The icing on the cake – Full of beans)

After getting a promotion at work, buying a new house was ____________.
He accidentally ____________ about the surprise party, and now she knows everything.
These twins look exactly the same and act the same—they are ____________.
The final exam was so easy; it was a ____________.
Starting a new business seemed exciting, but now he realizes he has ____________.
When he faced a tough interview question, he remained ____________ and answered confidently.
Losing the match was disappointing, but there’s no use in ____________.
This mystery is so difficult to solve—it’s ____________.
My job as a graphic designer is my ____________; it pays the bills.
Winning the championship was amazing, but getting a cash prize was ____________.