Language is often filled with colorful expressions and idioms that add flavor to our conversations. One fascinating category of idioms revolves around food. These food idioms are rooted in culinary experiences and have found their way into everyday conversations, adding spice, humor, and depth to our language.
In this article, we will take a delicious journey through some popular food idioms, exploring their meanings and origins.
| S.No. | Idiom | Meaning | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | apple of one’s eye | a person that is adored by someone | Baby Jessica is the apple of her father’s eye. |
| 2 | (have a) bun in the oven | be pregnant | I don’t think Jan will come to the bar because she has a bun in the oven. |
| 3 | bad egg | a person who is often in trouble | I don’t want my little brother hanging around with the bad eggs on the street. |
| 4 | big cheese | very important person (VIP) | I thought I was just going to interview the secretary, but they let me talk to the big cheese himself. |
| 5 | bread and butter | necessities, the main thing | Just explain the bread and butter of your report. You don’t have to go into details. |
| 6 | bring home the bacon | earn the income | My husband has had to bring home the bacon ever since I broke my leg. |
| 7 | butter someone up | be extra nice to someone (usually for selfish reasons) | We’ll have to butter Angie up before we tell her the news about the broken vase. |
| 8 | (have one’s) cake and eat it too | want more than your fair share or need | Rick wants to have his cake and eat it too. He wants to be single but he doesn’t want me to date anyone else. |
| 9 | carrot top | person with red or orange hair | Simon is the first carrot top I’ve ever gone out with. |
| 10 | cheesy | silly | I love reading cheesy romance novels because I don’t have to think. |
| 11 | cool as a cucumber | very relaxed | I thought I was afraid of flying, but I was cool as a cucumber all the way to England. |
| 12 | cream of the crop | the best | We hired the cream of the crop to entertain us at the Christmas party. |
| 13 | (don’t) cry over spilled milk | get upset over something that has happened and cannot be changed | The mirror is broken and we can’t fix it. There’s no need to cry over spilled milk. |
| 14 | cup of joe | cup of coffee | Let’s stop for a cup of joe before we head to work. |
| 15 | (not my) cup of tea | something you enjoy (usually used negatively) | Opera isn’t exactly my cup of tea. |
| 16 | egg someone on | urge someone to do something | The gang tried to egg us on but we didn’t want to fight. |
| 17 | freeze one’s buns off | be very cold | I froze my buns off at the ice rink. |
| 18 | full of beans | have a lot of (silly) energy | The kids were full of beans after the circus. |
| 19 | gravy train | extremely good pay for minimal work | The unionized grocers have been enjoying the gravy train for twenty years. |
| 20 | (have something) handed to someone on a silver platter. | receive without working for something | The professor’s daughter had her college diploma handed to her on a silver platter |
| 21 | hard nut to crack | difficult to understand (often a person) | Angelo is a hard nut to crack when something is bothering him like this. |
| 22 | hot potato | a controversial or difficult subject | Choosing a location for our new store is a hot potato right now. |
| 23 | in a nutshell | simply | In a nutshell, I’m having a bad day. |
| 24 | nuts about something, someone | like a lot | I’m nuts about classical music these days. |
| 25 | out to lunch | crazy or mad | Harry has been out to lunch ever since he lost his job. |
| 26 | one smart cookie | a very intelligent person | Your daughter is one smart cookie. She reads much higher than her grade level. |
| 27 | peach fuzz | small amount of hair growth | Except for a bit of peach fuzz, the baby came out bald. |
| 28 | piece of cake | very easy | The exam was a piece of cake. |
| 29 | put all of ones eggs in one basket | rely on one single thing | Even though I’m majoring in Art, I’m taking a maths course because my Dad says I shouldn’t put all of my eggs in one basket. |
| 30 | souped up | made more powerful or stylish | The car was souped up with shiny rims and a loud stereo. |
| 31 | sell like hot cakes | bought by many people | The new Harry Potter books sold like hot cakes. |
| 32 | spice things up | make something more exciting | I wanted to spice things up in the office, so I bought some red and gold paint. |
| 33 | spill the beans | reveal the truth | On Monday, I’m going to spill the beans about my travel plans. |
| 34 | take something with a pinch (grain) of salt | don’t consider something 100% accurate | Take Mandy’s advice with a pinch of salt. She doesn’t always do her research. |
| 35 | use your noodle | use your brain | You’re going to have to really use your noodle on this crossword puzzle. It’s an extra difficult one. |
Food idioms are like delectable morsels in our language, seasoning our conversations with a touch of creativity and cultural references. By exploring and using these idioms, we not only add a dash of flavor to our language but also connect with the rich heritage and traditions associated with food. So, the next time you encounter a food idiom, savor its meaning and relish the linguistic feast it offers.
Bon appétit!
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