Food
What is you favorite food?
Mentee link:
______________________________________________________________________________
Content:
1. Food Vocabulary
2. Food and Special Occasions
3. Eating Habits (meals together, snacking, comfort eating)
4. Idioms
________________________________________________________________________________
Some Useful Links
Food at Celebrations
https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/healthyliving/food-and-celeb
rations
Food idioms
https://examples.yourdictionary.com/examples-of-food-idioms.html
IELTS Speaking Vocabulary: Food
Common Flavours and Tastes
Here are some common flavours and tastes
● Sour (plums)
● Sweet (carrots, mandarins)
● Juicy (oranges)
● Salty (anchovies)
● Savoury (anything that is not sweet)
● Peppery: (flavour of black pepper)
● Pungent: strong smell, flavor (cardamom)
● Spicy (Thai red curry)
Food riddles
Adjectives to Describe Food
This dish is ______
• delicious
• tasty
• luscious (= rich and sweet)
This dish looks_______
• mouth-watering
• tempting
• appetising
It tastes_____
• scrummy
• succulent (for meat, meaning juicy, tasty, tender = soft)
Tip: ‘Yummy’ - Don’t use this in IELTS, it is a word normally used by
children!
It’s perfect
It’s spot on
It’s top notch
It’s nutritious
It’s healthy
IELTS: Food for Special Occasions
Very often we have special dishes or eat particular food on special
occasions. Such occasions may include,
• Weddings
• Birthdays
• Anniversaries
• National Holidays
• Religious festivals
Here are some different kinds of food we may eat on these special
occasions;
Party food (sausage rolls, pizza, cakes)
Finger food (open sandwiches, tapas, vol au vents, crisps…)
A National dish (fish ’n’ chips - in the UK)
A Signature dish (a dish you like to make and are ‘famous’ for)
You can also use these phrases to talk about favourite or popular
dishes you may have on a special occasion An old family
favourite of mine is ________
A classic for birthdays is _______
Templates for food on special occasions
On birthdays, anniversaries _____
… we tend to eat …
… we often eat …
… we typically eat …
At weddings, Christmas, Easter ____
… we usually to eat …
… we will often eat …
… we like to eat …
Tip: If you are not sure about which preposition to use for different
occasions, then use FOR!
It works for all occasions.
For Christmas, Ramadan, birthdays …
… we tend to eat …
… we often eat …
… we typically eat …
Tip: If the name of the dish is not an English word, or may not be
commonly known, I suggest you also give a short explanation of the
dish.
For example,
In my country for birthdays, we often eat ‘Migoreng' which is a local dish
consisting mainly of fried noodles
Find out about other popular dished for special occasions in different
parts of the world here:
https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/healthyliving/food-and-celeb
rations
It is very common for people to spend a lot of money on food for special
occasions. Here are some useful expressions to talk about that idea.
We forked out more than we should
I forked out a fortune just on drinks.
To fork out (on) = to spend a lot of money on something
We paid over the odds for that meal
To pay over the odds (for) = to pay too much
We spent a fortune on pricy beverages
To spend a fortune on something = to spend a lot of money
We paid through the nose for the catering for this event.
To pay through the nose (for) = to pay a lot / too much
Eating Habits
Eating habits vary from family to family. In some areas, eating with the
family together is really important. For others, just filling up and moving
on to do something else is the goal.
Here are some phrases connected to different ways of eating.
● Binge eating
●
● I am a binge eater
●
● I am guilty of binge-eating
This means I eat lots of food in one go, and often I cannot stop. In
extreme cases, this can be a medical condition.
To have an eating disorder (a medical condition e.g anorexia)
Snacking = when you enjoy eating small amounts of food frequently
(this word normally has a negative connotation)
Comfort eating = eating to feel good, e.g. eating a chocolate cake
My child is a fussy eater or a picky eater
This means the only eat the food they like and won’t try new foods
To go on a diet = to restrict the intake of a certain kind of food
IELTS Question and Answers on Food
Have you ever been on a diet?
Yes, I have actually been on a low-carb diet for a few months.
I follow the Keto diet
I am following the mediterranean diet at the moment I am
a vegetarian, but I consider that a lifestyle, not a diet I
have been a vegan for years now.
Yes, but not always, I like to have a cheat day once a week.
No, I prefer to eat everything, but I eat in moderation.
I wouldn’t say I am on a diet, but I do try to eat the rainbow, and eat a
healthy diet.
IELTS Listening Task: Food
Watch this short video where . talks about people who like to get
everyone around a table to eat together.
Listen and answer the following questions 1)
Who likes to get people around the table to eat?
2) Why?
https://vimeo.com/706479355
Answers at the end of the PDF
Useful Collocations
A socialising / social event
It’s a chance to….
Catch up with others
Having a chinwag (UK) = have a chit chat / conversation
Eating is stuffing your face
It’s different courses for different horses = different people like different
things
Idioms to Talk about Food
The proof is in the pudding = you can only know if something is good
by testing or experiencing it
I am not sure whether I should visit Korea or not. Well I guess there is
only one way to find out, the proof is in the pudding.
To pig out (on) = to eat too much of something
I feel too full, I have just pigged out on too much fast food at KFC
To have a sweet tooth = to like sweet stuff
I can’t resist chocolate, you know I have a sweet tooth
It melts in the mouth = delicious
This steak is so tender and delicious, it just melts in the mouth
It’s the best thing since sliced bread = the best thing ever
This meal is the best thing since sliced bread
To eat like a horse = to eat a lot
After I get home from school, I am so hungry, I eat like a horse
To discover lots more idioms that use food, check out the link below
https://examples.yourdictionary.com/examples-of-food-idioms.html
IELTS Listening Task Answer:
1. Who likes to get people around the table to eat?My
mother
2. Why?
She saw it a socialising event and a catch up with friends and
family.
