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Food is essential to live and to enjoy life. There’s no doubt about it. We eat not only because we need it to survive, but also just because of the fact that it is delicious and provides an amazing experience. There is so much variety in food, with different tastes, texture, and culture, that you could spend a lifetime trying them all and not finish. Did you also know that there are many slang words for food?
Scroll below and find a list of what are the other words for food or what slangs relate to food. Maybe you can even surprise or confuse your friends when you use them.
Slang Words for Food (In Alphabetical Order)
A
Afters
Meaning:
- (Noun) A British slang referring to sweets or desserts eaten after the main course.
- Example: I’m really forced to eat all my vegetables if I want to have my afters.
B
Bacon Sarni
Meaning:
- (Noun) Points to a large serving of bacon in a sandwich, usually with loads of butter or mayo.
- Example: Bacon sarni might not be healthy but the taste, especially with loads of condiments, is just too good to pass up.
Bangers
Meaning:
- (Noun) Sausage that is usually accompanied by thick gravy and mashed potatoes. Famous in the UK
- Example: I would like to have bangers for breakfast everyday. I don’t care about the health problems as long as I get to enjoy its delicious goodness.
Bevvy
Meaning:
- (Noun) A slang word short for beverage or beverages.
- Example: I’d like a cold bevvy! The weather is just too hot.
Bogchi
Meaning:
- (Verb or Noun) A Filipino slang word meaning to eat or to snack. It could also just mean food.
- Example: Let’s get fried chicken to bogchi on. I’m starving and craving fried chicken.
Booze
Meaning:
- (Noun) Any alcoholic drink, usually hard drinks
- Example: I had a bad night and I just want to drown on some booze.
Brunch
Meaning:
- (Noun) A meal that combines breakfast and lunch at the same time.
- Example: Lisa and Brenda went for brunch to catch up.
Builders
Meaning:
- (Noun) A UK colloquial word meaning a strong brew of tea that has milk, sugar, and a tea bag left in.
- Example: I didn't have enough sleep right now; I need a cup of builder's.
Burger Sauce
Meaning:
- (Noun) Mayonnaise and ketchup mix. May also mean any condiments added to a burger.
- Example: Jeff thinks burgers are dry without the burger sauce. He won’t eat without that.
Butty
Meaning:
- (Noun) A British slang word for a sandwich with savory filling like sausage or bacon.
- Example: A butty is just full of carbs because of everything in it.
C
Caff
Meaning:
- (Noun) A cafe or a diner. A place you can eat food, mainly breakfast.
- Example: My favorite caff closed down. Looks like I won’t be eating breakfast anymore.
Chippy
Meaning:
- (Noun) A place that sells fish and chips, or fries, in the UK
- Example: Linda wanted to try the new chippy around the corner. They make spicy but delicious fish and chips.
Choke Down
Meaning:
- (Verb) A slang word that means to eat something uncomfortably or without liking it.
- Example: Grandma made us some pie but we were full. We had to choke it down though because she hates it when we don't eat up what she cooks.
Chow
Meaning:
- (Noun) Simply means food or meal.
- Example: I'm not going to cook anything special. I'll just order some Mexican chow and have some beer.
Clean Your Plate
Meaning:
- (Verb) To eat everything on the plate without leaving any trace
- Example: Back home, we were forced to clean our plates if we didn’t want any punishment. Any leftovers were considered to be wasted money.
Coke
Meaning:
- (Noun) Comes from the Coca Cola. A general slang word for any soda.
- Example: I don't really drink any alcohol, so I finish my steak meal with some Coke.
Cuke
Meaning:
- (Noun) A cucumber
- Example: I eat everything on the salad except the cukes. I think they’re disgusting.
Cup o' Joe
Meaning:
- (Noun) It means coffee. Joe is a slang word for the average working man and coffee is the working man’s drink.
- Example: Ted doesn’t function well without his cup o’ joe in the morning.
D
Doggie Bag
Meaning:
- (Noun) A container, plastic bag, or wrap used to take leftovers home from a restaurant.
- Example: Mom always carries a doggie bag when we eat outside. She thinks it is very wasteful to not finish food since we can reheat it and eat at home.
E
Early Bird Special
Meaning:
- (Noun) Discounted meals at restaurants served earlier than usual dining hours.
- Example: Jasper is so cheap he takes his date to an early bird special.
F
Fizzy Drink
Meaning:
- (Noun) A slang term for pop, soda, or any soft drinks. Popular in the UK.
- Example: I tend to get some heartburn when I drink too much fizzy drink. I just can’t help it.
G
Gobble Up
Meaning:
- (Verb) To eat something entirely at a quick rate.
- Example: Fred always gobbles up the turkey, almost leaving nothing behind for the others.
Gorge
Meaning:
- (Verb) To consume food greedily and extremely fast.
- Example: Gorging food is not healthy. You might get indigestion and heartburn.
Grab a bite/Grab a bite to eat
Meaning:
- (Verb) To go out and have a meal or eat food.
- Example: They should be here now. They went to grab a bite almost an hour ago.
Graze
Meaning:
- (Verb) Means to eat. Usually used in a buffet-style setting.
- Example: You never want to get full at just one dish in a buffet. You must graze to get the best experience.
Grinder
Meaning:
- (Noun) A long sandwich
- Example: The meatball grinder might be a messy meal but it’s very good.
Grub
Meaning:
- (Noun) A very famous slang word, especially in Australia, for food.
- Example: I’m famished. Grub is what I need but it’s not break time yet.
H
Have a Bite
Meaning:
- (Verb) Similar to “grab a bite to eat.“ It means to eat.
- Example: Grandma won’t let us leave unless we have a bite of her cooking.
I
Inhale
Meaning:
- (Verb) To eat food surprisingly rapidly as if inhaling air.
- Example: Dude! Are you alright? You just inhaled that quarter pound burger.
M
Munch
Meaning:
- (Verb) To eat something with an audible sound.
- Example: Beer is usually great when you have some chips to much on.
Munchies
Meaning:
- (Noun) A feeling of hunger or cravings, especially after consuming alcohol or cannabis.
- Example: I got a bad case of the munchies. We need to get to a drive thru.
N
Nibble
Meaning:
- (Verb) to eat slowly or take bites out of food in small sizes like a rabbit.
- Example: He nibbles on food that he doesn’t like the taste of. It helps him get through eating it.
Nuke it
Meaning:
- (Verb) Meaning to cook food in a microwave.
- Example: Some foods are so easy to prepare you can practically just nuke them.
P
Pig Out
Meaning:
- (Verb) To consume food in an uncivilized and animal-like manner.
- Example: You just can’t help but pig out when your favorite dish is in front of you.
Plastered
Meaning:
- (Adjective) Be drunk or intoxicated.
- Example: My uncle is always plastered but he is harmless.
Pop
Meaning:
- (Noun) A soda or any soft drinks.
- Example: Nothing beats a bottle of pop for lunch on a hot day.
Potlikker
Meaning:
- (Noun) Liquid leftover from boiling vegetables. Very nutritious and used in some dishes
- Example: Potlikker may seem nasty but it is very healthy. You need to try and cook with it sometime.
R
Red Hot
Meaning:
- (Noun) A hot dog
- Example: When I think about American street food, I think of red hot on a stick.
S
Sloppy Joes
Meaning:
- (Noun) May pertain to a specific type of sandwich but is basically a sandwich with hamburger meat filled with dripping sauce and seasoning.
- Example: Mom’s sloppy joes are the best. They leave your mouth dirty and your belly stuffed.
Snack On
Meaning:
- (Verb) To snack on means to have small quantity food in between meals.
- Example: Snacking on some chips is my way of relieving stress when I'm overworked.
Soda
Meaning:
- (Noun) It just means soft drink. Usually in cans or plastic.
- Example: Soda might have too much sugar and other stuff. However, I love to drink it to flush my mouth after eating.
Starters
Meaning:
- (Noun) Appetizers or food served first to stimulate the appetite.
- Example: I like it when I go to fancy restaurants and they serve really good starters; I end up spending less on my actual orders.
Sweet Tooth
Meaning:
- (Noun) Someone who has a liking for sweet food or someone who always eats sweet stuff.
- Example: Annie has a sweet tooth so I know what to buy her on her birthday.
T
Tipple
Meaning:
- (Verb) To drink moderately but regularly.
- Example: I'm not really much of a drinker, but I do tipple occasionally.
V
Veggie
Meaning:
- (Noun) Food with vegetables or just vegetables.
- Example: Children hate veggies but they need them.
W
Well Drinks
Meaning:
- (Noun) A slang term referring to the cheapest mixed alcohol drinks at a bar.
- Example: I don’t have enough cash so I’ll just have some well drinks please.
Wolf Down
Meaning:
- (Verb) To devour food voraciously, usually down to the bone.
- Example: I hate to judge, but Mark wolfs down on food like a caveman.
Y
Yucky
Meaning:
- (Adjective) Food that is disgusting or not tasty.
- Example: We paid so much yet they serve the yuckiest food ever.
Yummy
Meaning:
- (Adjective) The opposite of yucky. Means the food is savory, delicious, and good.
- Example: I don’t care if the food is expensive as long as it is yummy.
Wrap-up
Food is just divine. We not only need it, we love it too. So the next time you grab a bite with friends, I hope you get to use any of the slang words above.