For Students: Food

Food, food, food, we can't escape it, it's everywhere and with so many choices now we can have whatever tickles our fancy. Looking for something healthy? Have a salad. Special occasion? Try the new fancy restaurant in town. Do you have a craving for some junk food? Head to McDonald's. After all Ukraine does have the best tasting McDonald's in the world. Or maybe, you have a sweet tooth and you'd like to try some ice-cream, a nice piece of cake, or just something from Roshen. Nowadays we are spoilt for choice.

But, if I said to you, name me 5 different types of potato, could you? If I asked you to tell me 5 different types of meat, could you? How about if I asked you to tell me an idiom or phrase with a food or drink word in it, I'm sure you could. That would be a piece of cake, right? ;)

As someone who is a foodie, and greedy, I like to know and think it's important to know which potato is which, and the different names of meat in foreign languages to be able to enjoy your meal. So earlier did you say...

Potatoes: Mashed / boiled / roast / jacket / chips*

Meat: Beef / pork / lamb / chicken / turkey / veal / rabbit

Which is your favourite?

*chips are fried potato in the UK. They are NOT French fries. French fries are thinly cut fried potato like the ones in McDonald's. Chips are a thicker cut.

I'm always on the lookout for new places to eat, especially spicy food. If we look at Lviv, let's have a think about some places in town.

Which restaurant is/has......

always packed – a lot of people

pricey – the prices are a bit higher than other places, but not high-end

fancy – expensive and fashionable

value for money – a good balance between price and quality

Miserly portions - very small sizes of food

the best <food name> in <city> is <restaurant> - to give a strong recommendation

Food Expressions

As I said, food is everywhere, and also in some very commonly used idioms and phrases in English. There are actually loads, but I've chosen 8 I use personally and think are quite useful.

1. To go nuts – to get angry and start shouting

2. To feel like a fish out of water - to feel uncomfortable in an unfamiliar situation

3. To be my cup of tea - something you like

4. A sugar daddy - an older man who has lots of money and likes to buy things for his much younger 'girlfriend'

5. To spill the beans - to give information on a secret or closed topic.

6. To be a few sandwiches short of a picnic - someone who is crazy

7. To spice things up - to make things more interesting and try a something different

8. A piece of cake - something that is easy

extra: to be in a pickle - to be in a difficult situation (I'm in a pickle, I forgot my mobile at home) / My legs turn to jelly- when your legs feel weak (Every time I walk near the window of our office, my legs turn to jelly)

Practice

Use one of the expressions above to complete the conversation

#1

a: So, did you tell her?

b: Yeah, I did. She _______ but after an hour she calmed down and said yes

a: Great. Are you coming to the cinema tomorrow to see Killer?

b: Isn't that a horror?

a: Yeah

b: No, thanks. Horror films _______________ Didn't you go to the cinema two days ago as well?

a: Yeah, Sarah said I need to _______ when we go out. She's getting bored of just going to the same restaurant every time we go out. You should come out with us. I can bring Sarah's sister and we can double date.

b: You can't be serious. I've met her before and she's ____________________

a: Come on, she's alright

--

#2

a: Come one, tell me, how was it? ____________

b: It was amazing. He paid for everything and then drove me home in his Ferrari

a: Ferrari!! How old was he?

b: 60

a: 60!!! I thought you'd we were looking for a boyfriend not a ________

--

#3

a: How was the exam?

b: It was ____________ but after the exam I met some of the guys. I ______________ because they were all from very rich families and we didn't have anything in common.

Answers: went nuts / aren't my cup of tea / spice things up / a few sandwiches short of picnic / spill the beans / sugar daddy / a piece of cake / felt like a fish out of water

Key

whatever tickles your fancy - something you like

fancy - expensive and fashionable

a craving - when you really want something

junk food - unhealthy food

a sweet tooth - someone who likes sugary food and sweets

spoilt for choice - when you have lots choices

a foodie - a person who likes to eat and try different types of food. to be greedy - someone who doesn't like to share, especially food

on the lookout for (s/t) - searching

spicy - 'hot' food. Usually with lots of chillies

loads - many

double date - when two sets of couples go out together

Cheers

www.luke.lv

#food #foodvocabulary #foodexpressions #englishlesson