What can't a person live without? Without water ( water) and food ( food). The source of our life is food, so we will pay special attention to the topic “Food in English”. In the article, we provided a list of words with different types of food, compiled a knowledge test for you, and a tablet with useful vocabulary for downloading. Enjoy!

Food and meal - what's the difference?

The word “food” can be translated into English in two words – food And meal. The first is used in the meaning of “food”, “products”, “food”, “food”, that is, exactly what we eat. The second word implies food as a meal or meal in general.

In addition, you need to know that in English “dish” is called words dish(assuming this is a dish served on one plate) or course(used in combination like this: a dinner of three courses– three-course lunch). Each country has its own national cuisine ( cuisine). Please do not confuse with the word kitchen, which is used when talking about the room where food is prepared. That is, a person who prefers French cuisine will say: I prefer French cuisine.

Meals during the day

Everyone knows from school that breakfast is breakfast, dinner - dinner, and dinner - supper. But in modern English something has changed: now they say that lunch is lunch, and dinner - dinner. Phrases related to meals remained unchanged. Eat something for breakfast - to have something for breakfast, for lunch - to have something for lunch, for dinner - to have something for dinner. People sometimes snack between meals - to have a snack or to take a quick bite.

Products in English

You walk into a supermarket and your eyes widen at the wide range of products on the shelves. There are vegetables too ( vegetables), and fruits ( fruit), and meat delicacies ( meat) and fish ( fish), various flour products ( pastry) and other culinary delights. Let's take a closer look at each type of product.

Vegetables - vegetables

Number	Word	Translation
1	Lettuce	Lettuce
2	Cabbage	Cabbage
3	Carrot	Carrot
4	Zucchini	Zucchini
5	Radish	Radish
6	Beets	Beet
7	Sweet pepper	Bell pepper
8	Chili pepper	Hot peppers
9	Celery	Celery
10	Parsley	Parsley
11	Spinach	Spinach
12	Cucumber	Cucumber
13	Squash	Zucchini
14	Turnip	Turnip/Rutabaga
15	Broccoli	Broccoli
16	Cauliflower	Cauliflower
17	Scallion	Green onions
18	Eggplant/aubergine	Eggplant
19	Pea	Peas
20	Artichoke	Artichoke
21	Potato	Potato
22	Yam	Sweet potatoes/yams
23	Tomato	Tomato
24	Asparagus	Asparagus
25	String bean	Green beans
26	Mushroom	Mushroom
27	Corn	Corn
28	Onion	Onion
29	Garlic	Garlic

Fruit - fruit

Number	Word	Translation
1	Grape	Grape
2	Pineapple	A pineapple
3	Banana	Banana
4	Apple	Apple
5	Peach	Peach
6	Pear	Pear
7	Apricot	Apricot
8	Plum	Plum
9	Grapefruit	Grapefruit
10	Orange	Orange
11	Lemon	Lemon
12	Lime	Lime
13	Tangerine	Mandarin
14	Avocado	Avocado
15	Cantaloupe	Cantaloupe/Cantaloupe
16	Cherry	Cherry
17	Strawberry	Strawberry
18	Raspberry	Raspberries
19	Blueberry	Blueberry
20	Papaya	Papaya
21	Mango	Mango
22	Coconut	Coconut
23	Nut	Nut
24	Watermelon	Watermelon
25	Dates	Dates
26	Prunes	Prunes
27	Raisin	Raisin
28	Not ripe	Not mature
29	Ripe	Mature
29	Rotten	Rotten

Meat - meat

Traditionally, we eat three types of meat: beef- beef, pork– pork and mutton– lamb (and a variety of lamb lamb- young lamb meat). You can make many delicious delicacies from beef: roast beef(roast beef), beef-steak(steak), stewing beef(beef stew) ground beef(Ground beef), beef ribs(beef ribs), veal cutlers(veal chops), liver(liver). We love to cook (and eat) ham from pork ( ham), pork chops ( pork chops), bacon ( bacon) and sausages ( sausage).

Poultry meat is called poultry. And here, too, we can distinguish three types of poultry meat that are eaten: chicken- chicken, turkey– turkey and duck- duck.

Deli and seafood – delicacies and seafood

From one type of sausage and cheese delicacies ( deli or fine food) mouth watering ( make smb's mouth water). Smoked turkey(smoked turkey), salami(salami sausage), corned beef(corned beef), cheddar cheese(cheddar cheese) bacon(bacon) – just the thought of these dishes makes my stomach ( stomach) purr in anticipation of the meal!

But what I really can’t imagine my life without is seafood ( seafood). And here I give preference to fish ( fish) and various mollusks ( shellfish). Of the fish, trout should be noted ( trout), salmon ( salmon, pay attention to the pronunciation /ˈ sæmən/), flounder ( sole), halibut ( halibut). Also considered delicacies crab(crab), lobster(lobster), shrimp(shrimp), scallops(scallops), mussels(mussels), oysters(oysters).

• In the articles “” and “Idioms about food in English with translation and examples” you will find the most popular set expressions that native speakers use in their speech.

What does food taste like?

The taste buds of the tongue can distinguish 4 tastes: sweet ( sweet), salty ( salty), sour ( sour) and bitter ( bitter). When describing the taste of dishes, you may come across combinations of these four words: bittersweet- bittersweet, sweet-and-sour– sweet and sour.

In order to give a special piquancy to the dish, we can add seasonings - seasoning or delight. For lovers of spicy ( spicy) food you can add a pinch of pepper ( a pinch of pepper).

If you liked a dish, you can say: It tastes good. And if the taste of the dish left a lasting impression, then choose one of the following phrases:

• Wow, that's delicious! - Wow! It's amazingly delicious!
• That is amazing! - It's great!
• It's so yummy! - So delicious!
• That tastes great! - Great taste!
• The food at that restaurant is “out of this world”. – The food in this restaurant is simply out of this world!

And sometimes the taste of dishes leaves much to be desired: it is too strong ( sharp) or vice versa tasteless ( tasteless or bland). If you don’t like the food, they say this:

• That's disgusting. - It's disgusting.
• Ew, I don't like that. - Ugh, I don't like this.
• This is ok, but I"ve had better. – It’s normal, but I’ve eaten better.
• I"m not crazy about this. - I'm not happy about this.

People and food – people and food

Connoisseur of good wine fine wine) and gourmet food ( exquisite dishes) is called "gourmet" ( gourmet). And the person who stuffs sandwiches into himself while walking ( sandwiches) and buns ( buns), - This fast eater. The biggest picky eaters ( fussy eaters) - these are, as a rule, children: and porridge ( porridge or cereal) they don't want soup for breakfast ( soup) for lunch. Sweet tooth ( sweet tooth) can't imagine his life without cakes ( cakes), chocolate ( chocolate) and pie ( pie), which are prepared from flour ( flour /flaʊə(r)/) and a lot of sugar ( sugar). And those who do not eat meat at all are called vegetarians(vegetarians). People who abuse alcoholic beverages ( alcohol drinks), are called alcoholics. And those who never take a drop of alcohol into their mouth are teetotalers or teetotaler. The word is like tea- tea, that is, teetotalers are those who drink only tea. More teetotalers can drink coffee ( coffee), juice ( juice) or mineral water ( mineral water), carbonated ( fizzy) or without gas ( still water).

Actions when eating

Teacher Alex prepared an excellent video about actions related to food. Swallow, chew, bite – you will find all these verbs in the video.

• To bite (to grab a bite) – bite (snack).
• To chew- chew.
• To nibble (to have a nibble) - to gnaw.
• To drink- drink.
• To sip (to have a sip) – drink in small sips.
• To swallow- to swallow.
• To burp- burp.
• To ask for seconds- ask for more.
• To be full/stuffed- to be full.
• To be hungry/starving- to be hungry, to die of hunger.

Of course, this is not the entire list of words about food and products in English. In order to study each product category in more detail, you will need more than one article! Nevertheless, the material presented will help you navigate the names of different types of products!

In conclusion, I suggest you download a list of words with product names in English and take our test to better remember the materials in the article.

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Test

About food in English

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In English, the use of meal names may vary depending on the country or region.

• Breakfast- this is always breakfast, in any region of any country.
• Lunch- lunch, dinner, that is, a daytime meal.
• Dinner- can be either lunch or dinner. Dinner is also a formal dinner that can take place both during the day and in the evening.
• Supper- usually dinner. Very rarely, supper can mean lunch.

Difference between fruit and fruits

The peculiarity of the word fruit is that, unlike the Russian “fruit\fruit”, it is used mainly as an uncountable noun. The noun fruit has two main meanings in English:

1. Fruits as a type of food, that is, a collective name for all fruits in general. In this case the word is used in the singular form fruit(although it is translated into Russian as “fruit”) without an article.

• We have fresh vegetables and canned fruit. – We have fresh vegetables and canned fruits.
• Do you eat fruit? – You are eating fruits?
• Don’t let Sammy have any fast food. If he's hungry, give him fruit. - Don't give Sammy fast food. If he gets hungry, give it to him fruit.

2. Various types of fruits. The word is used in plural form fruits without article.

• What fruits are good for breakfast? - Which fruits good for breakfast?
• Some fruits are toxic to dogs. - Some fruits toxic to dogs.

If you need to talk about one fruit, that is, about one fruit (for example, one apple), then they usually either call the fruit “by name” or use the expressions: some fruit, a piece of fruit.

• Sammy ate an apple. – Sammy ate an apple.
• Sammy ate some fruit. – Sammy ate the fruit.
• Sammy ate a piece of fruit. – Sammy ate a piece of fruit (not a piece of fruit).
• He always has a piece of fruit with his breakfast. – He always has a fruit (one fruit) for breakfast.

Note: in botany, the words a fruit – fruits can be used to refer to the fruit of plants. But this is in scientific texts.

3. The friuts of something- the fruits of something (figuratively)

• The fruits of your labor. - The fruits of your labor.
• The fruits of learning. - The fruits of teaching.

Difference between fish and fishes

Similar difficulty with words fish / fishes.

1. Fish in the meaning of “fish”, that is, one individual fish, is countable and can be used in the singular and plural, but without changing the form. That is, in the singular – fish, in the plural – fish.

• A fish called Wanda. – Fish named Wanda.
• How to catch a fish. – How to catch fish.
• How many fish did you catch? - How many fish did you catch it? (plural)

2. If we are talking about different types of fish, then this fishes(as fruits – different types of fruits).

• Ichthyology is the study of fishes. – Ichthyology is the science of fish(about types of fish).
• There are a lot fishes in the sea. - There is a lot in the sea fish species(we are not talking about the number of fish, but about the number of species of fish).

3. If we talk about fish in general as a type of food, the singular form is used fish. In this case, this word is used as an uncountable word, respectively, without an article.

• Do you eat fish? – You are eating fish?
• Fish is good for your health. – Fish good for your health.

Difference between drink and beverage

These are synonyms. Both words mean “drink” – both non-alcoholic and alcoholic. The difference is that the noun drink is used in everyday speech, and beverage is a slightly more strict version. For example:

• • What drinks do you like? – Which ones do you like? beverages?
  • Dear passengers, beverages can be purchased in the dining car. - Dear passengers, beverages can be purchased in the dining car.

You can hardly find a more important and discussed topic in life than food. Food is given great importance, both in the media and in everyday life. This topic is multifaceted and inexhaustible. The topic of healthy eating has become relevant these days. People are divided into groups according to taste preferences, endlessly discussing the advantages and disadvantages of vegetarianism, different diets, the benefits and harms of various foods. And in everyday life we ​​cannot do without food and cooking. It is not surprising that when learning English, the topic “Meals and cooking” is very popular and a must-learn. Having in your arsenal a set of words on this topic, you will be able to support any conversation that somehow touches on food, and besides, the rows of price tags in the supermarket in English will no longer be able to confuse you.

Meals in English.

At the very beginning stage of learning, everyone who studies English learns words such as breakfast, lunch, dinner. These words appear in educational materials very often and are usually remembered by themselves, without additional effort. But still, in fairness, let's call these words. Typically, there are four main meals:

Breakfast |ˈbrekfəst| breakfast

Lunch |lʌntʃ| lunch, dinner

Dinner |ˈdɪnər| lunch, dinner

Supper |ˈsʌpər| dinner

In England, there is traditionally another separate meal called:

Tea |tiː| tea

The English tradition of “5 o’clock tea” is known throughout the world and is still observed in many British families. Despite the name, evening tea can be served at any convenient time between lunch and dinner (from one to six in the afternoon). Traditional tea is served on a table by the fireplace in the living room. There must be milk or cream, cookies, jam on the table. Moreover, the British pour tea into milk, and not vice versa.

We buy groceries at the supermarket.

Now let's go buy groceries and English words on the topic "Food" to the supermarket.

Let's go to the meat department - meat section

There we can buy, for example:

Meat |miːt| meat

Pork tenderloin |pɔːrk ˈtendərlɔɪn| pork tenderloin

Stew beef |stuː biːf| beef stew

Turkey |ˈtɜːrki| turkey

Ground turkey |ɡraʊnd ˈtɜːrki| ground turkey

Sausage |ˈsɔːsɪdʒ| sausage

Ham|hæm| ham

Then we go to the dairy department - dairy products and buy:

Butter |ˈbʌtər| oil

Cheese |tʃiːz| cheese

Cream |kriːm| cream

Mayonnaise |ˈmeɪəneɪz| mayonnaise

Milk |mɪlk| milk

Yogurt |ˈjoʊɡərt| yogurt

In the grocery department - grocery section choose:

Bay leaves |beɪ liːvz| Bay leaf

Biscuits |ˈbɪskəts| cookie

Cake |keɪk| cake

Candies |ˈkændiz| candies

Chocolate |ˈtʃɑːklət| chocolate

Coffee |ˈkɔːfi| coffee

Flour |ˈflaʊər| flour

Ground pepper |ɡraʊnd ˈpepər| ground pepper

Olive oil |ˈɑːlɪv ɔɪl| olive oil

Sugar |ˈʃʊɡər| sugar

Tea |tiː| tea

On the way to the checkout we'll grab:

Bread |bred| bread

Eggs |eɡz| eggs

Juice |dʒuːs| juice

Coke |koʊk| Coca Cola

Ice-cream |aɪs ˈkriːm| ice cream

Also in the department of vegetables and fruits - vegetables and fruit we will buy:

Apples |ˈæpəlz| apples

Cucumbers |ˈkjuːkʌmərz| cucumbers

Potatoes |pəˈteɪtoʊz| potato

Tomatoes |təˈmɑːtoʊz| tomatoes

Now, with full packages of products and English words, we move on.

By the way, at the same time we suggest you grab a few verbs that mean what can be done with these products:

Bake |beɪk| bake

Boil |bɔɪl| cook

Cook |kʊk| Cook food)

Roast |roʊst| fry

Names of ready-made dishes in English.

When studying words on the topic “Food in English”, it makes sense to learn words not only meaning the names of products, but also the names of some dishes - dishes. Some of the words that we mentioned above can certainly act as separate dishes and appear on the menu of a cafe or restaurant. But we would like to bring to your attention a few additional familiar and widespread names of ready-made dishes in English.

Beef steak |biːf steɪk| steak

Pancake |ˈpænkeɪk| Crap

Bouillon |ˈbuːjɑːn| bouillon

Fried potatoes |fraɪd pəˈteɪtəʊz| fried potatoes

Mashed potatoes |ˈmæʃt pəˈteɪtəʊz| mashed potatoes

Porridge |ˈpɔːrɪdʒ| porridge

Cutlet |ˈkʌtlət| cutlet

Pork chop |pɔːrk tʃɑːp| pork chop

Pie |paɪ| pie

Scrambled eggs |ˈskræmbəld eɡz| fried eggs

Reinforcing learned words in practice.

Of course, the list of words presented in our article is far from complete. We have touched upon only a small part of this truly inexhaustible topic. Food in English with translation is a topic you will return to again and again as your language proficiency improves.

But at the same time, it should be recognized that, despite the huge number of words on the topic “Food in English,” you don’t have to rack your brains about where and how to practice using them. A variety of training methods are literally on the surface. For example, before your next trip to the supermarket, you can make a list of necessary products in English. Sitting in a cafe, you can take a photo of the proposed menu and, while waiting for your order, see how many names of dishes or products from it you can name at once, and at home, in your free time, try to translate this entire menu. In addition, from the same menu you can choose your favorite dish and break it down into ingredients - write down in English what it is made from. The task can be complicated by not just listing the products, but writing the recipe in complete sentences, using appropriate thematic verbs.

If you want to not only consolidate new words, but also practice using them in speech and do exercises to use them, the online tutorial will help you with this. Short texts, stories and funny stories on various topics will be a good help for replenishing vocabulary and practicing listening and writing.

For example, you can find the names of products on the site in the story about the girl Lima - “A special diet”. Here is an excerpt from this story:

Lima went to the refrigerator and began to get food out of it;
sausage, cheese, meat, vegetables, Greek yogurt, peanut butter, bananas and apples.
Mother came and asked what Lima was doing.
"I decided to go on a diet."

Special diet

Lima went to the refrigerator and began to take food out of it:
sausage, cheese, meat, vegetables, Greek yogurt, peanut butter, bananas and apples.
Mom came in and asked what Lima was doing.
“I decided to go on a diet.”

You can find out what diet Lima follows and listen to many other stories in English with translation on our website. and learn English with us!

All those who study English need to regularly expand their vocabulary. One of the most interesting and simple lexical topics is the topic “Food & Drinks”. Knowing what food sounds like in English is necessary not only for those who travel abroad a lot, or are planning to move there to live. Today on store shelves you can find various food products from overseas countries. Therefore, in order to find out what kind of product this is, how to prepare it and what to eat it with, you need to have certain knowledge.

Food products

Anyone who studied English at school can remember a few words related to food, and almost everyone knows drinks such as tea/tea/coffee. Below, by category, some food products are listed in English with transcription and translation. So, we refresh old knowledge and acquire new ones.

Vegetables - Vegetables

Fruit/berries - Fruits/berries

aubergine - eggplant beans - beans beetroot - beetroot broccoli [ˈbrɒkəlɪ] - broccoli cabbage [ˈkæbɪʤ] - cabbage carrot [ˈkærət] - carrot cauliflower [ˈkɔlɪflaʊə] - cauliflower courgette - zucchini, zucchini cucumber [ˈkjuːkʌmbə] - cucumber green pea (s) - green peas onion [ˈʌnjən] - onion pepper [ˈpepə] - pepper potato - potato pumpkin - pumpkin radish - radish sweetcorn - corn tomato - tomato kohlrabi - kohlrabi lettuce [ˈletɪs] - lettuce dills - dill parsley [ˈpɑːslɪ] - parsley celery [ˈselərɪ] - celery Brussels sprouts [brʌslz] – Brussels sprouts asparagus [əs"pærəgəs] asparagus onion - onion garlic - garlic

apple - apple apricot [ˈeɪprɪkɔt] - apricot avocado [ævəˈkɑːdəʊ] - avocado banana - banana cherry - cherry grapefruit - grapefruit grapes - grapes kiwi [ˈkiːwiː] - kiwi lemon - lemon melon - melon orange - orange peach - peach pear - pear pineapple [ˈpaɪnæpl] - pineapple plum - plum raspberry - raspberry strawberry [ˈstrɔːbərɪ] - strawberry watermelon [ˈwɔːtəmelən] - watermelon pomegranate [ˈpɔmgrænɪt] - pomegranate tangerine - tangerine gooseberry - gooseberry blueberry - blueberry blackberry - blackberry cranberry - cranberry mul-berry [ˈmʌlbərɪ] - mulberry

Meat/Meat dish - Meat/meat dishes

Dairy products - Dairy products

beef - beef pork - pork mutton - lamb lamb - young lamb meat roast beef beef-steak - beefsteak stewing beef - stewed beef ground beef - ground beef beef ribs - beef ribs liver - liver ham - ham pork chops - pork chops bacon |ˈbeɪkən| - bacon sausage ["sɔsɪdʒ] - sausages meat balls - meatballs meat leaf - meatloaf roast - roast beef stroganoff - beef stroganoff escalope [ɪˈskɑː.ləp] - schnitzel poultry |ˈpəʊltri| - bird/game chicken - chicken turkey - turkey duck - duck

milk - milk kefir - kefir ryazhenka - fermented baked milk a bottle/packet of milk - bottle/packet of milk cream - cream sour cream ["saʊə kri: m] - sour cream cheese [ʧi:z] - cheese Dutch cheese - Dutch cheese curds/cottage cheese - cottage cheese yoghurt ["jɔgɜ:t] - yogurt ice cream - ice cream milk - milk sour milk - curdled milk processed cheese - processed cheese butter - butter (butter) boiled butter - melted butter margarine - margarine

Grocery's - Grocery

Sweets

bun - bun puff - rich bun flour - flour semolina - semolina backwheat - buckwheat oats - oats pearl barley - pearl barley mayonnaise - mayonnaise mustard - mustard ketchup - ketchup eggs - eggs pasta/macaroni/noodle/spaghetti - pasta pasta/noodles/spaghetti sunflower oil - sunflower oil olive oil - olive oil canned foods - canned food muesli [ˈmjuːzlɪ] - muesli oatmeal [ˈəʊtmiːl] - oatmeal nuts - nuts cookies [ˈkʊkɪz] - cookies semiproduct - semi-finished products

chocolate [ˈʧɔkəlɪt] - chocolate milk chocolate - milk chocolate nut chocolate - chocolate with nuts bar of chocolate - chocolate bar chocolates - chocolate candies box of chocolates - box of chocolates jam - jam jar of jam - jar of jam marmalade [ˈmɑːməleɪd] - jam (from citrus fruits) honey [ˈhʌnɪ] - honey pudding [ˈpʊdɪŋ] - pudding plum pudding - pudding with raisins

Fish and sea-food - Fish and seafood	Spices
bream - bream carp - carp cod - cod cod liver - cod liver eel - eel herring - herring mackerel - mackerel, mackerel perch - perch pike - pike please |pleɪs| - flounder salmon - salmon, salmon sardine - sardine sprat - sprat, herring sturgeon [ˈstɜːʤən] - sturgeon trout - trout turbot - halibut crab - crab lobster - lobster oyster [ˈɔɪstə] - oyster shrimp (prawn) - shrimp clam - sea mollusk	cinnamon [ˈsɪnəmən] - cinnamon ginger - ginger horse radish - horseradish mustard - mustard pepper - pepper salt - salt sugar - sugar soda - soda pinch of soda - a pinch of soda vanilla - vanilla vinegar [ˈvɪnɪgə] - vinegar yeast - yeast

Beverages

The word “drink” (non-alcoholic or alcoholic) is translated into English as drink and beverage. These nouns are synonyms and differ not only in pronunciation, but also in the fact that we use the first in everyday speech, and the second is more strict. Below is a list of drinks in English with translation.

Of course, this is not all the food and not all the drinks that exist on earth, but we have noted the main components of the usual diet and the most common ones. It's time to move on to the cooking process.

Cooking food

Instructions for household appliances intended for cooking (Cooking) and on product packaging (from foreign manufacturers) often include recipes and cooking methods in English. The following words and expressions will help you decipher them easily.

• cook (food) - cook
• peel - to clean (to peel)
• pare (fruit) - peel
• grate - grate
• clear meat from bones - separate meat from bones
• chop - chop finely
• carve the meat - chop meat
• mince the meat - make minced meat
• dredge smth with flour - sprinkle something with flour
• roll smth in fine breadcrumbs - roll something in breadcrumbs
• beat up - beat (meat)
• drain - let drain, strain
• turn over - turn over
• prick - to pierce, to pierce
• simmer - cook over low heat
• probe - try (with a fork)
• whip - whip
• fry - fry in a frying pan
• stew - stew
• boil - to cook
• roast - fry (on fire) until crusty
• bake - bake
• steam - cook for a couple
• cut - cut
• dice - cut into cubes
• slice - cut into slices
• spread - spread
• stir - interfere
• add - add
• follow a recipe - make/cook according to a recipe
• smoke - to smoke
• mix - mix
• stuff - stuff
• squeeze - squeeze
• pour - pour.

Exercise for consolidation

Now read and translate the recipe and find out how to properly prepare chocolate muffins.

Ingredients

• 3 eggs
• 2 cups white sugar
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom

We can talk endlessly about delicious food and cuisine from different countries of the world. We all love to have a snack somewhere in a cafe or cook something special at home. The topic of food and nutrition is always relevant - talking about food can unite even unfamiliar people and help maintain a conversation. It's not all about the weather :)

Today we’ll talk about vocabulary on the topic of “food” in English. We’ll talk about what food products are called, what the British prefer, how to talk about food correctly, and of course, we’ll learn a lot of new words about food in English with translation.

The British and food. What do the British eat for breakfast, lunch and dinner?

The British are known for their traditions and respect for history. Everyone knows that the British are very polite in communication: they are unlikely to jostle in front of the bus, pushing everyone aside with their elbows in order to catch the boarding. Rather, they will sincerely apologize if they accidentally touch you on the street. The British as a nation honor and respect traditions, follow them with pleasure and instill a love for them in the next generation. So it is with food - it occupies an important place in the life of the British and many customs and everyday habits are associated with it.

What food habit do you think of when we talk about England? Of course, about 5 o’clock tea!

From 4 to 6 pm in Britain it is “tea time”. Usually the British drink black tea with milk and small sandwiches. The British can easily compete with the Chinese in tea drinking culture, because for them tea is not just a drink, but a whole ritual. In Great Britain they love tea and even joke good-naturedly about it.

According to the British, tea must be strong, hot, and sweet like a woman’s kiss - Tea must be strong, hot and sweet, like a woman’s kiss.

A few idioms related to tea:

Not somebody's cup of tea - Not his cup of tea (not to be part of someone’s sphere of interest)

To take tea with somebody - Drink tea with someone (have a relationship with someone, do business)

Нusband's tea - husband's tea (very weakly brewed tea)

At breakfast, the British prefer simple and hearty food: oatmeal, scrambled eggs and bacon, toast with jam and, of course, tea or coffee.

You can often find a meal called brunch - it is formed by combining the words breakfast and lunch. This is a snack between breakfast and lunch, or simply “second breakfast”.

The daily meal is called lunch. The most traditional lunch meal is fish and chips. Fish and chips can be found anywhere in England, be it a fine restaurant or a food truck on the street. British people rarely eat pasta or rice. For dessert, they prefer warm apple pie (apple pie) or pudding (milk pudding).

Dinner (dinner) is in many ways similar to lunch in composition, only lighter. After dinner, before going to bed, the British can drink cocoa with light snacks. This kind of food before bed is called supper.

Expressions about eating in English:

Have breakfast - have breakfast

Have lunch - have lunch

Have dinner - have dinner

Have supper - eat before bed

Have (a) coffee / tea - drink coffee / tea

Have a meal - take food

Have a snack - have a snack

Have a drink - drink

Shopping list: product names in English with translation

Before you go to the store to buy groceries for dinner, you should find out exactly where to go. In addition to the well-known supermarket, minimarket or grocery shop, there are specialized stores. See below for the name of a butcher shop or, for example, a confectionery shop in English:

Butcher's - butcher shop

Sweet / candy shop - confectionery

Bakery - bakery

Dairy - milk store

Fishmonger's - fish store

Greengrocer's - vegetable store

Health food store - health food store

Liquor store - alcohol store

Delicatessen - gastronomic department

Produce - fruit and vegetable department (in a supermarket)

Food and products in English with translation

It doesn’t matter whether you went shopping at a supermarket or the nearest corner shop - you need to know what exactly to buy. How to say different products in English. Let's divide them into subtopics to make it easier to remember.

Meat

• bacon - bacon
• beef - beef
• chicken - chicken
• duck - duck
• ham - ham
• lamb - lamb meat
• liver - liver
• meat - meat
• mutton - lamb
• ox tongue - beef tongue
• patridge - partridge
• pork - pork
• poultry - bird, game
• sausage - sausage
• tenderloin - fillet, tenderloin
• turkey - turkey
• veal - veal
• venison - venison

Fish

• cod – cod
• eel – eel
• grouper – sea bass
• herring - herring
• mackerel – mackerel
• pike - pike
• pikeperch – pike perch
• plaice – flounder
• salmon - salmon
• sardines - sardines
• sole – sea tongue
• sturgeon - sturgeon
• trout - trout

Vegetables

• asparagus - asparagus
• avocado - avocado
• bean sprout - green beans
• beans - beans
• beet - beet
• broccoli - broccoli
• brussels sprout - Brussels sprouts
• cabbage - cabbage
• carrot - carrot
• cauliflower - cauliflower
• chard - chard, Swiss chard
• chick pea - chickpeas, chickpeas
• cucumber - cucumber
• eggplant / aubergine - eggplant
• garlic - garlic
• kohlrabi - kohlrabi
• leek - leek
• lentils - lentils
• onion - onion
• pea - peas
• pepper - capsicum
• potato - potato
• scallion - green onion
• spinach - spinach
• pumpkin / squash - pumpkin
• sweet potato - sweet potato, sweet potato
• turnip - turnip
• zucchini - zucchini

Fruits, berries and nuts

• almond - almond
• apple - apple
• apricot - apricot
• banana - banana
• berry - berry
• blackberry - blackberry
• blueberry - blueberry
• brazil nut - Brazilian nut
• cashew - cashew
• cherry - cherry
• cranberry - cranberry
• grape - grapes
• grapefruit - grapefruit
• hazelnut - hazelnut
• lemon - lemon
• lime - lime
• macadamia - macadamia nut
• melon - melon
• orange - orange
• peach - peach
• peanut - peanut
• pear - pear
• pecan - pecan nut
• pineapple - pineapple
• pistachio - pistachios
• plum - plum
• raspberry - raspberry
• strawberry - strawberry
• tangerine / mandarin - tangerine
• walnut - walnut
• watermelon - watermelon

Cereals

• barley - barley
• buckwheat - buckwheat
• grain - grain
• lentil - lentils
• pea - peas
• pearl barley - pearl barley
• rice - rice
• semolina, manna groats - semolina
• wheat - wheat

Dairy

• butter - butter
• cheese - cheese
• condensed milk - condensed milk
• cottage cheese - cottage cheese
• cream - cream
• cultured milk foods - fermented milk products
• dried milk - powdered milk
• eggs - eggs
• ice cream - ice cream
• kefir - kefir
• lactose - lactose, milk sugar
• milk - milk
• milk shake - milkshake
• sheep cheese - sheep cheese
• sour cream - sour cream
• whey - whey
• yogurt - yogurt

Desserts and sweets

• bagel - bagel (pretzel made from yeast dough)
• biscuit / cookie - cookies
• box of chocolates - box of chocolates
• bun / roll - bun
• butterscotch / toffee - toffee
• cake - cake, cupcake, cake
• sweet / candy - candy
• candy bar - chocolate bar
• caramel - caramel
• carrot cake - carrot pie
• cheesecake - curd cake
• chewing gum - chewing gum
• chocolate - chocolate
• chocolate bar - chocolate bar
• cinnamon - cinnamon
• cinnamon roll - cinnamon roll
• cracker - cracker
• croissant - croissant
• cupcake - cupcake
• custard - sweet custard
• danish pastry - yeast puff pastry
• dessert - dessert
• flan - open pie with berries, fruits
• fritter - deep-fried meat or fruit
• frosting - glaze
• frozen yogurt - frozen yogurt
• gelato, ice cream - ice cream
• gingerbread - gingerbread
• granola - muesli
• honey - honey
• jam - jam; jam
• jelly - jelly
• lollipop - lollipop
• maple syrup - maple syrup
• marmalade - jam, confiture
• marshmallow - marshmallow
• muffin - muffin
• nougat - nougat
• oatmeal cookie - oatmeal cookies
• pancake - pancake, pancake
• peanut butter - peanut butter
• popcorn - popcorn
• canned fruit - canned fruit
• pretzel - pretzel
• pudding - pudding
• pumpkin pie - pumpkin pie
• sponge cake - sponge cake, sponge cake
• strudel - strudel
• sugar - sugar
• toffee - toffee
• vanilla - vanilla
• waffle - waffle

Soft drinks

• coffee - coffee
• juice - juice
• carbonated water / sparkling water / club soda - water with gas
• cream - cream
• hot chocolate - hot cocoa
• iced tea - iced tea
• lemonade - lemonade
• milkshake - milkshake
• mineral water - mineral water
• root beer - root beer, root beer (non-alcoholic carbonated drink with herbs)
• soda - carbonated flavored water
• soft drink - non-alcoholic drink
• still water - water without gas
• tea - tea
• water - water

Alcohol

• red / white / rose wine - white / red / rose wine
• cooler - an alcoholic cocktail, usually based on wine
• beer - beer
• bourbon whiskey - bourbon whiskey
• champagne - champagne
• sparkling wine - sparkling wine
• cocktail - cocktail
• eggnog - alcoholic drink based on beaten eggs
• liqueur - liqueur
• mulled wine - mulled wine
• scotch whiskey - Scotch whiskey

When choosing food products, pay attention to the packaging and the following markings:

• caffeine free - does not contain caffeine
• decaf - decaffeinated (about coffee)
• diet - does not contain sugar (about drinks)
• fat free - low fat (about dairy products)
• lean - low-calorie, lean (about products)
• light - low alcohol content
• low cholesterol - low in cholesterol
• low fat - low-fat (about dairy products)
• no preservatives - without preservatives

Don't forget that in the supermarket you may need a trolley or shopping-cart (grocery cart). After all purchases, go to the cashier's desk (cash desk) to pay for the goods.

Names of dishes in English with translation

Now that we know the basic names of the products, it’s time to talk about what you can prepare from them at home or order in a restaurant.

Common dishes that can be found on the menu:

• chop - meat on the bone
• cutlet - cutlet
• bacon and eggs - bacon with eggs
• baked potatoes / jacket potatoes - baked potatoes in their jackets
• boiled rice - boiled rice
• burger - burger
• eggs over easy - fried eggs fried on both sides
• french fries - french fries
• fried eggs / eggs sunny side up - fried eggs
• fried rice - fried rice
• grill - grilled meat
• goulash - goulash
• hash browns / hash brown potatoes / potato pancakes
• hot dog - hot dog
• lasagne - lasagne
• mashed potatoes - mashed potatoes
• noodles - noodles
• omelette / scrambled eggs - omelette
• onion rings - onion rings
• pasta - pasta
• pizza - pizza
• poached eggs - poached eggs
• porridge - porridge
• roast - meat fried over an open fire
• roast goose - Christmas goose
• roasted vegetables - baked vegetables
• sandwich - sandwich, sandwich
• salad - salad
• soup - soup
• spaghetti bolognese - spaghetti bolognese
• stew - stewed meat
• sirloin steak - boneless steak (large piece)
• spare ribs - ribs
• steak - steak
• tempura - batter

In a restaurant, we study the menu and find out what the restaurant's main course is, what soup of the day is served, and what is offered for dessert.

If you order meat, remember that there are several degrees of readiness: with blood - rare; medium rare with blood – medium rare; fully cooked – well-done.

To go with the meat, you can choose something from the wine list (wine card) or order a soft drink (non-alcoholic drink).

Types of eateries where you can dine:

• all-you-can-eat buffet - buffet-style snack bar
• buffet - buffet
• cafe - cafe
• coffee house - coffee shop
• diner - an inexpensive eatery, often located on the side of the road (found in American language)
• drive-through / drive-thru / drive in - a drive-through diner where visitors place and receive orders without leaving their car
• restaurant - restaurant

Here are some phrases to help you order at a restaurant:

Can I have the menu, please? - Can I have a menu, please?

Can I take your order? - May I take your order?

Would you like something to drink? - Will you have any drinks? / Would you like something to drink?

What would you like for dessert? - What would you like for dessert?

I am not ready yet - I’m not ready yet (in response to the waiter’s question if you are ready to place an order)

What is this dish? - What kind of dish is this?

What do you recommend? - What do you recommend?

What are your specialties? - What are your signature dishes?

I will have... - I will...

I would like... - I would like...

I will take this - I'll take it

Could we have an extra chair, please? - Can we have an extra chair, please?

Could I see the wine list, please? - Can I see the wine list, please?

Do you serve wine by the glass? - Do you have wine by the glass?

Can I change my order? - Can I change my order?

Can I get this to go? - Can I take this with me?

Nothing else, thank you - Nothing else, thank you This is not what I ordered - This is not what I ordered

Can I get/have the bill/check, please? - Could I have the bill, please?

How much is the total? - How much is the total?

Does the bill include the service charge? - Are tips included in the bill?

I am paying for everyone - I pay for everyone

We are paying separately - We pay separately

Can I pay by card? - Can I pay by card?

Keep the change - No change needed / Keep the change for yourself

Everything was great, I’ll come again - Everything was excellent, I’ll come again

Idioms about food in English with translation

And finally, let’s study a few well-established expressions and idioms in English that will help you speak like a native speaker and understand the English even better.

Big cheese - big shot, important person (literally: big cheese)

To bring home the bacon - earn money for a piece of bread (literally: bring home the bacon)

A piece of cake - like twice two, easy (literally: a piece of cake)

To be as cool as a cucumber - calm as a boa constrictor (literally: to be cool as a cucumber)

To be full of beans - energetic, lively, full of strength (literally: to be full of beans)

To buy a lemon - buy something unnecessary (literally: buy a lemon)

Chew the fat - wash the bones (literally: chew fat)

Like two peas in a pod - two boots of a pair, birds of a feather (literally: like two peas in a pod)

To eat a humble pie - humble yourself, swallow the insult (literally: eat a humble pie)

Carrot and stick - carrot and stick (literally: carrot and stick)

To cry over spilled milk - to grieve over trifles (literally: to cry over spilled milk)

For peanuts - very cheap, for pennies (literally: for peanuts)

Go bananas - go crazy (not literally translated)

Meal ticket - something that will provide a comfortable life, a source of income (literally: meat ticket)

Hot potato - a situation that can cause trouble (literally: hot potato)

Be in the soup - to be in a difficult situation (literally: to be in the soup)

To polish the apple - to earn someone’s favor (literally: to polish an apple)

To walk on eggs - be very careful (literally: walk on eggs)

Enjoy your meal!

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