10 English Food idioms 

Have you ever heard something described as “a piece of cake” or “spilt milk”? These are both food idioms, and there is a surprising amount of them in the English language! 

This lesson will help you understand the most popular food idioms in English, what they mean, and how to use them naturally in conversation. 

A lemon 

A lemon is something that you buy which turns out to have problems; it is defective / it doesn’t work well. 

‘That second-hand car I bought was a real lemon. It broke down a week after I bought it.’ 

A piece of cake 

When something is a piece of cake, it is very easy to do. 

‘I was worried about taking the test, but it was a piece of cake. I got 100%.’ 

Bread and butter 

Things which are one’s bread and butter are the basic things you need to survive e.g. food and shelter. It is also used to describe the job or activity that provides you with the money you need to live. 

‘Teaching is my bread and butter.’ 

Bring home the bacon 

Like the idiom above, this also means to earn money to live. 

‘I’m looking for a job. I need to do something to bring home the bacon.’ 

Cheap as chips 

When something is as cheap as chips it is very cheap. 

‘I didn’t pay much for these shoes. In fact, they were as cheap as chips.’ 

Cry over spilt milk 

When we cry over spilt milk we are upset, sad or complaining over something bad that happened in the past. It is usually used in this phrase: ‘There’s no use crying over spilt milk.’ 

 ‘Stop complaining about your lost pen – there’s no use crying over spilt milk.’ 

Cup of tea 

This expression is used in the negative: ‘It’s not my cup of tea’. It means something is not to your interests or tastes. Basically, you don’t like it. 

‘Rap music is not my cup of tea; I prefer rock.’ 

Finger in every pie 

When someone has a finger in every pie they are involved in many activities and have a lot of influence or power. It usually has a negative meaning. 

‘He’s very controlling – he has a finger in every pie.’ 

Have one’s own cake and eat it 

To want more than someone can handle or deserves; to try to have two incompatible things: you cannot eat the cake and still have it. 

‘She doesn’t want to work hard, but she wants a pay rise. You can’t have your cake and eat it!’ 

Take with a pinch of salt 

To take something with a pinch of salt means that you should not completely believe what you are told. Someone is telling you something which may not be true, or it is exaggerated. 

‘Take everything you read in that newspaper with a pinch of salt.’