The Vocabulary of Food

appetizer (noun): food served before the main course - For our appetizers we'll have spring rolls and fish cakes, please.

aroma (noun): a nice smell, especially from food, wine, coffee, etc. - I love the aroma of freshly-baked bread.

bake (verb): to cook in an oven - Have you ever tried baking a cake?

bland (adjective): having little taste; tasteless - Most people think British food is bland.

course (noun): one part of a meal - French meals usually have three courses; the hors d’oeuvre, the entrée and the dessert.

cuisine (noun): a country or region's style of cooking - There's more to Italian cuisine than pizza and pasta.

cutlery (also silverware) (noun): knives, forks, and spoons used for eating - We only use our best cutlery on special occasions.

dairy product (noun): a food made from milk, like butter, cheese, yoghurt, etc. - Dairy products are becoming more popular in Asia.

delicious (adjective): tasting very good - The food in this restaurant is really delicious.

dessert (noun): sweet food eaten at the end of a meal - Have you ever tried Middle-eastern desserts like baklava?

diet (noun): all the foods a person or animal usually eats - My doctor said a vegetarian diet rich in protein is best.

dish (noun): 1. a deep plate for cooking or serving food - I baked the pie in a special pie dish. 2. food prepared and cooked in a particular way - What's your favourite French dish?

entrée (noun): 1. the main course of a meal 2. a course before the main course (Br English) - What did you order for your entrée?

fast food (noun): quickly served food like burgers, French fries, fried chicken, etc. - I only get fast food if I don't have time to cook.

flavour (or flavor in US spelling) (noun): the taste of food or drink - Japanese people think how food looks is as important as the flavour.

fry (verb): to cook something in hot oil or fat - Heat oil in a pan and fry the chopped onions for five minutes.

grain (noun): seeds used as food like wheat, rice, lentils, etc. - Grains like wheat and rye are used to make different kinds of bread.

grill (verb): to cook something just above or below a heat source - Grilling a fish is better than frying it.

heart disease (noun): disease caused by damage to the heart or nearby blood vessels - Eating fatty food increases your risk of developing heart disease.

ingredients (noun): all the foods used to make a dish or meal - What ingredients do we need to make spaghetti sauce?

junk food (noun): foods and food products that are unhealthy because of all the fat, salt or sugar they contain - People who love junk food soon get fat and unhealthy.

kitchenware (noun): things used for preparing food like knives, spoons, pots, dishes, etc. - Our kitchen cupboards are full of kitchenware we hardly ever use.

menu (noun): the list of foods and drinks served in a restaurant, café, pub, etc. - Let's check the menu before deciding whether to eat here.

nutritious (adjective): having nourishing substances we need in order to be healthy - Thai food's nutritious as well as being delicious.

obesity (noun): the unhealthy condition of being very fat or overweight - Obesity wasn't a serious problem here until Western companies opened fast food outlets.

poultry (noun): Birds that people eat, like chickens, ducks, geese, etc - Factory farms keep poultry in tiny cages and the birds never see the outside world.

recipe (noun): instructions for cooking a dish or a meal - My mum has a great recipe for chocolate pudding.

seafood (noun): anything from the sea that can be eaten - If you eat vegetarian food plus fish and seafood, but not meat or poultry, you're a pescatarian/pescetarian.

tableware (noun): things used for serving or eating a meal such as knives, forks, plates, glasses, etc. - Most of our wedding gifts were tableware of one sort or another.

tasteless (adjective): having very little flavour - Vegetarian food can be a bit tasteless, but it can also be really delicious.

tasty (adjective): having a good taste; delicious - Bob thinks Indian food is tastier than Chinese food.