English with Jo

This is an English Conversation lesson about food and drink. Watch a video showing children trying different foods from around the world. Learn idioms that we use in English when discussing food, drinks, cooking and eating and read a list of conversation questions that people might ask each other when talking about this popular subject.

Watch American children trying different foods from around the world

• What is your experience of trying foods from different countries?
• What was the most unusual food you tried?

Idioms we use when discussing food

Burnt to a crisp – when food has become very badly burnt.

Cooked to perfection – food that is cooked to a very high standard.

Cook up a storm – to cook an amazing meal(s) and usually a large quantity of it.

Your eyes are bigger than your stomach – when someone puts too much food on their plate and they cannot eat it all.

Eat like a horse – to eat a very large quantity.

Conversation Questions about food and drinks

• What food do you like?
• What is your all-time favourite food?
• What food don’t you like?
• Are there any foods that you wouldn't eat as a child that you eat now?
• Do you cook? If yes, what food do you cook the most often?
• Do you have a favourite restaurant? Why do you like it?
• How often do you eat out?
• Do you like food from other countries?
• What is your favourite drink?
• Do you have take away and junk food in your country?
• Do you have any traditional meals in your country?
• Does your family have any special recipes that are passed down from generation to generation?
• What special foods do you eat on holidays? (Christmas, New Year’s Day or other types of festivals)
• What is the most unusual food that you have eaten?
• Why do you think obesity is becoming such a problem throughout the world?
• What do you think about genetically modified food?
• Have you ever found something disgusting in your food?
• Have you ever had food poisoning?
• What is your favourite fruit?
• What sweet food do you like?
• What’s your favourite snack?
• Where did you learn to cook?
• Do you have any food allergies?
• Are there any foods that bring back special memories for you? What are they?

Advanced Food Vocabulary

Here is a selected list of words related to food. Make a note of any that you are not familiar with. We will discuss any unfamiliar words and their usage:

• Sirloin
• Scrambled
• Pudding
• Unripe
• Poach
• Portion
• Bland
• Bitter
• Sickly sweet
• Sauteed
• Stewed