Exercise 1
Choose the correct word to complete each sentence about food, cooking, and eating habits.
Example: She always ______ her vegetables before adding them to the soup. (chops / grills / boils)
Answer: She always chops her vegetables before adding them to the soup.
Food, Cooking and Eating Habits
Food is one of the most universal topics in everyday life. Whether you are describing your favourite meal, talking about how you prepare dinner, or discussing your daily eating habits with a friend, knowing the right vocabulary makes a huge difference. In this lesson, you will learn key words and phrases connected to food, cooking and eating habits at an intermediate level.
Mini Situation: A Conversation About Food
Imagine you are chatting with a colleague at work during your lunch break. She says:
"I've been trying to eat more healthily lately. I used to skip breakfast and just grab a snack in the morning, but now I always have a proper meal. I've also started cooking from scratch instead of buying ready-made food. Last night I made a vegetable stew — it was really nourishing!"
Notice how naturally the food and cooking vocabulary fits into real conversation. Let's break down all the important words you need to know.
Key Vocabulary and Meaning Breakdown
1. Food Types and Ingredients
| Word / Phrase | Part of Speech and Meaning | Example Sentence | Collocations / Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| ingredient | noun — one of the items of food that you use to make a dish | The main ingredient in this soup is tomato. | fresh / key / secret ingredient; list of ingredients |
| staple food | noun phrase — a basic food that people eat regularly and in large amounts | Rice is a staple food in many Asian countries. | staple diet; a staple of someone's diet |
| processed food | noun phrase — food that has been changed from its natural state using chemicals or additives | She tries to avoid processed food and cooks everything herself. | highly processed; processed vs fresh food |
| dairy product | noun phrase — food made from milk, such as cheese, butter, or yoghurt | He doesn't eat dairy products because he is lactose intolerant. | dairy-free; full-fat / low-fat dairy |
| wholegrain | adjective — made using the whole grain of wheat or other cereals, not processed | The doctor advised her to switch to wholegrain bread. | wholegrain rice / pasta / cereal |
| portion | noun — the amount of food served to one person | The portions at that restaurant are enormous — I couldn't finish mine! | a large / small portion; portion size; control your portions |
| flavour | noun — the particular taste of a food or drink | This sauce has a rich, spicy flavour. | strong / mild / subtle flavour; full of flavour |
| texture | noun — the way food feels in your mouth when you eat it | I love the smooth texture of this ice cream. | creamy / crunchy / soft texture |
2. Cooking Methods and Actions
| Word / Phrase | Part of Speech and Meaning | Example Sentence | Collocations / Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| boil | verb — to cook food in very hot water (100°C) | Boil the eggs for ten minutes if you want them hard-boiled. | boil water; bring to the boil; boiled vegetables |
| fry | verb — to cook food in hot oil or fat in a pan | He fried the onions until they turned golden brown. | fry in oil / butter; stir-fry; deep-fry |
| roast | verb — to cook food in an oven using dry heat, often meat or vegetables | We always roast a chicken on Sundays. | roast in the oven; roasted vegetables; a Sunday roast |
| steam | verb — to cook food using steam from boiling water, without putting it directly in the water | Steaming vegetables is a healthy way to cook them. | steam over boiling water; steamed fish / broccoli |
| simmer | verb — to cook food gently in liquid at a temperature just below boiling | Let the sauce simmer for 20 minutes on a low heat. | simmer on a low / gentle heat; leave to simmer |
| grill | verb — to cook food on or under direct, strong heat | I prefer grilled fish to fried fish — it's much lighter. | grill on a barbecue; grilled chicken / steak |
| chop | verb — to cut food into small pieces using a knife | Chop the onion finely before adding it to the pan. | chop finely / roughly; chop up vegetables |
| marinate | verb — to soak food in a liquid mixture (usually oil, spices, lemon juice) before cooking to add flavour | You should marinate the chicken overnight to make it more flavourful. | marinate in lemon juice / soy sauce / spices; leave to marinate |
| season | verb — to add salt, pepper, or spices to food to improve its taste | Don't forget to season the soup before serving. | season with salt and pepper; well-seasoned |
| recipe | noun — a set of instructions for preparing a particular dish | She found a great recipe for chocolate cake online. | follow a recipe; a recipe for...; recipe book |
3. Eating Habits and Meal Vocabulary
| Word / Phrase | Part of Speech and Meaning | Example Sentence | Collocations / Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| balanced diet | noun phrase — eating a variety of different foods in the right amounts to stay healthy | A balanced diet includes fruit, vegetables, protein, and carbohydrates. | follow / maintain a balanced diet; a well-balanced diet |
| skip a meal | verb phrase — to not eat a meal that you normally would | She often skips lunch when she is busy at work. | skip breakfast / lunch / dinner; never skip meals |
| snack | noun / verb — a small amount of food eaten between main meals; to eat small amounts between meals | I had a snack of fruit and nuts mid-morning. / I often snack on biscuits in the afternoon. | have a snack; snack on something; healthy / unhealthy snack |
| eat out | phrasal verb — to eat at a restaurant rather than at home | We eat out about twice a month, usually at the Italian place nearby. | eat out at a restaurant; eat out vs cook at home |
| takeaway | noun — a meal cooked and bought at a restaurant but eaten somewhere else, usually at home | I was too tired to cook, so I ordered a takeaway. | order a takeaway; get a takeaway; takeaway food |
| nourishing | adjective — containing substances that your body needs to be healthy and grow | A bowl of vegetable soup is simple but very nourishing. | a nourishing meal / diet; nourishing food |
| appetite | noun — the feeling of wanting to eat food | I had a big appetite after my long walk. | lose your appetite; have a good / poor appetite; work up an appetite |
| cook from scratch | phrase — to make a meal using fresh, basic ingredients rather than ready-made products | My grandmother always cooks from scratch — she never uses packets or tins. | make something from scratch; cook from scratch |
| diet | noun — the food that a person or animal usually eats; or a special plan of eating to lose weight or for health | Her diet is mostly plant-based. / He went on a diet before his holiday. | go on a diet; follow a diet; vegetarian / vegan diet; balanced diet |
| portion control | noun phrase — managing and limiting the amount of food you eat at one time | Portion control is important if you want to maintain a healthy weight. | practise portion control; portion size |
Collocations and Useful Expressions
Learning words on their own is useful, but learning how words naturally combine with other words will help you sound much more natural in English. Here are key collocations related to food, cooking and eating habits.
have + a meal / a snack / breakfast / lunch / dinner
We had a lovely meal at an Italian restaurant last night.
I usually have a snack around 3 o'clock in the afternoon.
follow + a recipe / a diet / a meal plan
I followed an online recipe and the dish turned out perfectly.
She is following a vegetarian diet for health reasons.
lose / gain + weight
He lost weight by eating more vegetables and exercising regularly.
I tend to gain weight in winter because I eat more comfort food.
eat + healthily / well / badly / on the go
It can be difficult to eat healthily when you are very busy.
He often eats on the go because he doesn't have time to sit down for a meal.
cook + from scratch / a meal / for someone / in advance
She cooked a three-course meal for her parents' anniversary.
I often cook in advance and freeze meals for the week.
be + full / hungry / starving / stuffed
I'm absolutely starving — I haven't eaten since this morning!
No more for me, thank you — I'm completely stuffed.
go off + food / milk / cheese
This milk has gone off — it smells terrible.
She went off meat completely after watching a documentary about farming.
cut down on + sugar / salt / fat / caffeine
My doctor told me to cut down on salt to help my blood pressure.
give up + meat / sugar / alcohol / junk food
He gave up junk food last January and feels much better for it.
be allergic to + nuts / gluten / shellfish / dairy
She is allergic to shellfish, so she always checks the menu carefully.
Important Differences and Confusing Words
Cook, Make, or Prepare?
These three verbs are often used when talking about food, but they are not always interchangeable.
Cook means to use heat to prepare food.
She cooks dinner every evening.
Use cook when heat is involved — boiling, frying, baking, etc.
Make is more general. You can make food with or without heat.
He made a salad for lunch. (no heat needed)
She made a cake. (heat involved, but "make" focuses on the result)
Prepare is slightly more formal and means to get food ready to eat or cook. It can include chopping, mixing, and organising ingredients.
She prepared the vegetables while he set the table.
✅ You can say: cook a meal / make a meal / prepare a meal — all are correct.
❌ But do NOT say: cook a salad (unless you are heating it). Say make a salad.
Dish, Meal, or Course?
Dish refers to a specific food item that has been prepared, often one type of food or recipe.
This pasta dish is my favourite.
Meal refers to the occasion of eating — breakfast, lunch, or dinner — and everything eaten together.
We had a lovely meal at the new restaurant.
Course refers to one part of a meal that is served separately — a starter, a main course, or a dessert.
We ordered three courses: a starter, a main, and dessert.
Hungry vs Starving vs Peckish
Hungry is the normal, neutral word for wanting food.
I'm hungry — what's for dinner?
Starving is an informal, exaggerated word meaning extremely hungry. It is commonly used in spoken English.
I didn't eat lunch, so I'm absolutely starving!
Peckish is an informal British English word meaning slightly hungry — you want a small snack but not a full meal.
I'm a bit peckish. Do you have any biscuits?
Boil vs Steam vs Simmer
Boil — cook food directly in water at 100°C (vigorous bubbling).
Boil the pasta for ten minutes.
Steam — cook food above boiling water using steam, without touching the water directly. This keeps more nutrients in the food.
Steam the broccoli for five minutes.
Simmer — cook food gently in liquid at a temperature just below boiling. The liquid moves slightly but does not bubble vigorously. Used for soups, stews, and sauces.
Let the soup simmer for 30 minutes.
Common Mistakes
❌ I cooked a salad for lunch.
✅ I made a salad for lunch. — We use "make" for food that does not need heat. "Cook" always implies using heat.
❌ She did the dinner last night.
✅ She cooked / made dinner last night. — We do not use "do" with meals in this way. Use "cook" or "make".
❌ I'm on a diet, so I eat very healthily. (This is correct!) — But be careful:
❌ I follow a diet to lose weight. (sounds unnatural on its own)
✅ I am on a diet to lose weight. — Use "be on a diet" when you mean you are restricting what you eat for weight loss.
❌ I am very full from hunger.
✅ I am starving / very hungry. — "Full" means you have eaten enough. "Hungry" / "starving" means you want to eat. These are opposites, not synonyms.
❌ Can you cook me a sandwich?
✅ Can you make me a sandwich? — A sandwich does not usually require cooking. Use "make" here.
❌ I always have lunch in a restaurant in the evening.
✅ I always have dinner at a restaurant in the evening. — "Lunch" is a midday meal. The evening meal is "dinner" (or "supper" in British English).
❌ She gave up from meat last year.
✅ She gave up meat last year. — The phrasal verb "give up" does not take the preposition "from". Say "give up + noun".
❌ I have cut down sugar in my diet.
✅ I have cut down on sugar in my diet. — The correct collocation is "cut down on something".
Food, Cooking and Eating Habits: Quick Summary and Review
In this lesson, you have learnt a wide range of vocabulary connected to food, cooking and eating habits. Here is a quick summary of the key points to remember:
- Use words like ingredient, portion, flavour, and texture to describe food in detail.
- Use cooking method verbs accurately: boil, fry, roast, steam, grill, and simmer all have different meanings.
- Important collocations include: follow a recipe, eat out, cook from scratch, skip a meal, and cut down on something.
- Remember the difference between cook, make, and prepare when talking about food preparation.
- Use the correct prepositions: cut down on, give up (no preposition), be allergic to, and be on a diet.
- Know the difference between hungry, starving, and peckish to express different levels of hunger.
- A dish is a specific food item, a meal is the overall eating occasion, and a course is one separate part of a meal.
Now practise your food, cooking and eating habits vocabulary in the exercises below.
📄 Download the Food, Cooking and Eating Habits PDF
Download this Food, Cooking and Eating Habits grammar lesson as a free printable PDF.
It includes grammar rules, examples, and explanations so you can study offline anytime.