I recently shared a post by Analytical Grammar/ Grammar Planet’s post, about all the food idioms you can find just by looking in the fridge! I’ll put the link in at the end of this post, as it’s a cool image as well.
In the meantime, what I thought would be fun would be to take 7 of the most commonly used idioms, and show you what they mean and how they are used. Then you can also use cool food idioms that you can ‘find’ in your fridge.
Cool Food Idioms You Can Find In Your Fridge
English Food Idiom – “bad apples“
Meaning: one bad person who has a bad effect on others in a group. ( also sometimes referred to as a ‘rotten apple’). Note: If a rotten apple is stored with good apples, it causes the good ones to rot or go bad.
” I don’t want her joining that group. There are a couple of bad apples in it.”
English Food Idiom – “piece of cake“
Meaning: Describes something that is easy to do. Effortlessly prepared or done.
” That test was a piece of cake. I got top marks!” “He was great at presenting his skills, so the job interview was a piece of cake for him.”
English Food Idiom- “icing on the cake“
Meaning: Something that makes a good situation even better, or a bad situation even worse.
‘Not only was I offered a higher salary, but the bonus I got at the end of the year was the icing on the cake.” “To get the highest mark in the class was great, and then to get an award was the icing on the cake.” “After finding my car was gone, the icing on the cake was tripping over and hurting my ankle!”
English Food Idiom- “fish out of water“
Meaning: Someone who is uncomfortable in a specific situation.
” She felt like a fish out of water in her new class.” ” They all had fancy clothes on and I had my old work clothes on. I felt like a fish out of water.”
English Food Idiom- “full of beans“
Meaning: to have a lot of energy and enthusiasm; Energetic and lively.
” How come you’re still so full of beans after such a busy day?” ” The children are still full of beans despite it being so late.”
English Food Idiom- “bunch of baloney“
Meaning: Falsehoods, nonsense, or foolishness. Baloney in this sense might have originated from the word “blarney,” which means flattering or nonsensical talk; more usually it refers to bologna sausage, which is blended from different meats, therefore implying content of inferior or dubious quality.
“What a bunch of baloney the salesman told us.” “I don’t believe that really happened.That’s just a bunch of baloney!”
English Food Idiom- ” whole enchilada“
Meaning: (American informal use) everything that could possibly be included.
“Let’s have a big surprise party for her including, balloons, drinks, food and a band- the whole enchilada.”
By the way, here’s a link to a great video on how to pronounce some other idioms.
The link to our Facebook page where you can find the picture of the fridge ‘full of idioms’ is here.
I would love to hear about any other food idioms you have found in your fridge. Write them in the comments below. For example, “that’s cheesy.”( of bad quality or in bad taste).
Best wishes, Esther
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