Food idioms are common expressions that use food words to describe situations, feelings, or behaviors in a figurative way. For example, calling something a “piece of cake” means it is very easy, while describing someone as the “big cheese” means they are important. These idioms make your English more natural, vivid, and expressive.
In this article, you’ll learn the meanings of popular food idioms along with clear examples to help you use them confidently in everyday conversations.
What Are Food Idioms?
Food idioms are phrases in English that use food words to express ideas in a figurative way. Instead of talking about actual food, they describe feelings, situations, or actions. For example:
- Piece of cake means something is very easy, not a dessert.
- Spill the beans means to share a secret, not to drop beans.
These idioms appear often in everyday speech, movies, books, and media. They can make your English sound more natural and engaging. Understanding food idioms will also help you follow conversations with native speakers and express yourself more creatively.
25 Food Idioms with Meanings and Examples
Here are some of the most popular food idioms in English, along with their meanings and example sentences:
1. Piece of cake – Something very easy.
The exam was a piece of cake.
2. Spill the beans – To reveal a secret.
Who spilled the beans about the surprise party?
3. Big cheese – An important person.
He’s the big cheese in the company.
4. Bad egg – A dishonest or untrustworthy person.
Watch out—he’s a bad egg.
5. Hard nut to crack – A difficult problem or person.
The negotiations were a hard nut to crack.
6. Take it with a grain of salt – Don’t take it too seriously.
I’d take his story with a grain of salt.
7. Couch potato – Someone who is lazy and inactive.
Stop being a couch potato and go for a walk.
8. Sell like hot cakes – To sell very quickly.
The new phones are selling like hot cakes.
9. Butter someone up – To flatter someone to gain favor.
She’s trying to butter up her boss before the meeting.
10. Have bigger fish to fry – To have more important things to do.
I can’t deal with this now—I have bigger fish to fry.
11. Cry over spilled milk – To be upset about something you can’t change.
Don’t cry over spilled milk—just fix the problem.
12. Apple of my eye – Someone you love very much.
His daughter is the apple of his eye.
13. In a nutshell – In summary or briefly.
In a nutshell, the project was a success.
14. Egg on your face – To be embarrassed.
He had egg on his face after forgetting his lines.
15. Full of beans – Very energetic and lively.
The kids are full of beans today.
16. Chew the fat – To have a casual conversation.
We sat by the fire and chewed the fat.
17. Spill the tea – To share gossip or reveal juicy information.
Come on, spill the tea. What did he say about the meeting?
18. Salt of the earth – A good, honest person.
They’re the salt of the earth—kind and dependable.
19. Cool as a cucumber – Very calm, especially under pressure.
She was cool as a cucumber during the interview.
20. Hot potato – A sensitive or difficult issue.
The topic of taxes is a political hot potato.
21. Easy as pie – Very easy.
Setting up the new app was easy as pie.
22. Bread and butter – Your main source of income.
Freelance graphic design is her bread and butter.
23. Cherry on top – Something extra that makes a good thing even better.
The bonus was the cherry on top of a great year.
24. Out to lunch – Not paying attention or being unaware.
He’s always out to lunch during meetings.
25. Bring home the bacon – To earn money to support the family.
She works hard to bring home the bacon.
Food Idioms Quiz
Choose the correct food idiom to complete each sentence.
1. She was so nervous during the meeting, but she stayed ____ the whole time.
a) cool as a cucumber
b) hot potato
c) cherry on top
2. The exam was ____; everyone finished early.
a) hard nut to crack
b) a piece of cake
c) apple of my eye
3. He’s the ____ in the company. Everyone reports to him.
a) bread and butter
b) big cheese
c) couch potato
4. Don’t ____ about the mistake. Just fix it and move on.
a) cry over spilled milk
b) butter up
c) chew the fat
5. She tried to ____ her boss before asking for a raise.
a) take it with a grain of salt
b) butter up
c) spill the beans
6. He is always ____ and can’t sit still for a minute.
a) full of beans
b) egg on his face
c) bad egg
7. The new phones are ____. Everyone wants one.
a) hot potato
b) selling like hot cakes
c) bread and butter
8. He had ____ after forgetting his lines on stage.
a) egg on his face
b) apple of my eye
c) couch potato
9. She loves to ____ about everyone in the office.
a) spill the tea
b) cherry on top
c) cool as a cucumber
10. He works long hours to ____ for his family.
a) bring home the bacon
b) spill the beans
c) cry over spilled milk
Quiz Answers
1) cool as a cucumber
2) a piece of cake
3) big cheese
4) cry over spilled milk
5) butter up
6) full of beans
7) selling like hot cakes
8) egg on his face
9) spill the tea
10) bring home the bacon
