All the Food and Cooking Vocabulary in English: United States and Great Britain

Do you want to know what you’re eating at a friend’s house in London? Or how to order food at a restaurant in New York?

Here is all the essential vocabulary related to food and cooking in English. Enjoy your meal!

Meal Terms

Term	Description	Audio
breakfast	First meal of the day
lunch / dinner	Midday or evening meal
lunch hour	Midday or evening meal
dinner / supper	Evening meal
to have + name of meal	To eat a specific meal
to be hungry	Wanting food
to be thirsty	Wanting a drink
to be starving	Extremely hungry
starving to death	Very hungry (figurative)
hunger strike	Refusing to eat as a protest
a meal	Any eating occasion
at mealtimes	Time when meals are eaten

Drinks

Non-alcoholic drinks

Term	Description	Audio
non-alcoholic	Drinks without alcohol
soft drinks	Carbonated, non-alcoholic drinks
water	Colorless basic drink
still water	Non-carbonated water
sparkling water / fizzy water	Carbonated water
tap water	Water from the faucet
refreshments	Drinks given at events
coke	coca-cola
a can of coke	A single-serving soda can
juice	Drink made from fruits or vegetables
orange juice	Juice made from oranges
apple juice	Juice made from apples
grape juice	Juice made from grapes
lemonade	Sweetened lemon-flavored drink
squash	Diluted syrup drink
milk	Dairy beverage
skimmed milk	Milk with no fat
semi-skimmed	Milk with reduced fat
whole milk	Milk with full-fat content
powdered milk	Dehydrated milk
coffee	Brewed drink from coffee beans
white coffee	Coffee with milk
black coffee	Coffee without milk
American coffee	Diluted coffee
a waiter	Person serving drinks or food
ground coffee	Coffee in powdered form
coffee beans	Whole coffee seeds
tea	Brewed drink from tea leaves
with milk / with lemon	Tea served with milk or lemon
herbal tea	Infusion made from herbs
hot chocolate	Sweet drink made with chocolate

Alcoholic drinks

Term	Description	Audio
alcohol	Alcoholic beverages
alcoholic	Containing alcohol
a bar	A place where drinks are served
a bottle	A closed container for liquids
drunk	Intoxicated by alcohol
to get drunk	To become tipsy
to fill	To pour liquid into something
a glass	Container for drinking
to pour	To transfer liquid
wine	Alcoholic drink made from grapes
red wine	Wine made from dark grapes
rose wine	Light pink wine
white wine	Wine made from white grapes
burgundy	Wine from the Burgundy region
a beer	Alcoholic drink made from barley
a pint of beer	A large glass of beer
a shandy	Beer mixed with lemonade
spirit	Strong distilled alcohol
brandy	Distilled wine
champagne	Sparkling wine from Champagne, France
cider	Alcoholic drink from apples
a cocktail	Mixed alcoholic drink
gin	Alcoholic drink made from juniper berries
port	Sweet red wine
vodka	Clear, strong alcoholic drink

Breakfast

Term	Description	Audio
bread	Baked food made from flour
a loaf of bread	A full, uncut bread
bread and butter	Bread with butter spread on it
brown bread	Whole grain bread
white bread	Bread made with refined flour
a stick of French bread	Long, thin bread (baguette)
sliced bread	Pre-cut slices of bread
a bun / a roll	Small round bread
toast	Bread browned by heat
butter	Dairy spread from cream
jam	Sweet spread made from fruit
a jar of jam	Container of jam
orange marmalade	Jam made from oranges
honey	Sweet syrup made by bees
sausage	Ground meat in casing
eggs	Food from birds, usually chickens
boiled eggs	Eggs cooked in boiling water
fried eggs	Eggs cooked in a pan with oil
omelette	Beaten eggs cooked flat in a pan
some scrambled eggs	Eggs stirred while cooking
porridge / oatmeal	Cooked oats breakfast dish
cereal	Grains usually eaten with milk

Desserts and sweets

Desserts and sweets	Description	Audio
ice cream	Frozen dessert made with milk
cake	Sweet baked dessert
icing	Sweet topping for cakes
chocolate	Sweet treat made from cocoa
milk chocolate	Chocolate made with milk
chocolate bar	Solid bar of chocolate
a box of chocolate	A package of multiple chocolates
sweets / candies	Sugary treats
lollipop	Candy on a stick
candy floss	Fluffy spun sugar (cotton candy)
apple pie	Pie with apple filling
cheesecake	Cake made with cream cheese
cookies	Small, sweet baked treats
cream	Thick dairy topping
donut	Fried dough pastry, often sweet
jelly / jello	Gelatin dessert
pie / tart	Baked dessert with a filling
pudding	Soft, creamy dessert
flour	Powder used for baking
sugar	Sweetener from sugar cane/beets
a lump of sugar	A small cube of sugar
sugar cane	A plant that produces sugar
sweet	Sugary in taste
icing sugar	Finely powdered sugar for icing
caster sugar	Very fine sugar
lump sugar	Compressed pieces of sugar

Dairy products

Dairy products	Description	Audio
milk	Liquid from cows, goats, etc.
skimmed milk	Milk with no fat
semi-skimmed	Milk with reduced fat
whole milk	Milk with full-fat content
powdered milk	Dehydrated milk
cream	Thick dairy product from milk
whipped cream	Cream whipped into a fluffy texture
custard	Sweet, thick dessert sauce
double cream	Very thick cream
cheese	Solid dairy product made from milk
goat cheese	Cheese made from goat’s milk
cottage cheese	Soft, lumpy cheese
cheese grater	Tool for shredding cheese
Swiss cheese	Cheese with holes
yogurt / yoghurt	Fermented dairy product
natural yogurt	Plain, unsweetened yogurt
whole milk yogurt	Yogurt made from whole milk
butter	Solid dairy fat
dairy butter	Farm-produced butter
salted butter	Butter with added salt

Fruits and nuts

Fruits and nuts	Description	Audio
apple	Round fruit with red, green, or yellow skin
orange	Citrus fruit with orange skin
tangerine	Small, sweet citrus fruit
apricot	Small, soft, orange fruit
banana	Long, yellow sweet fruit
peacha	Soft, fuzzy fruit with a pit
pear	Sweet fruit with a rounded bottom and narrow top
pineapple	Large, tropical fruit with spiky skin
grape	Small, round fruit often used for wine
a bunch of grapes	A group of grapes on a stem
grapefruit	Large, sour citrus fruit
kiwi	Small, brown fruit with green flesh
lemon	Sour, yellow citrus fruit
mango	Sweet, tropical fruit with orange flesh
melon	Large, sweet fruit with watery flesh
watermelon	Large, juicy fruit with green rind and red flesh
coconut	Hard, brown fruit with white inside
fig	Small, sweet fruit with soft skin
cherry	Small, round fruit with a pit
berries	Small, juicy fruits like strawberries, raspberries, etc.
blackberry	Dark, juicy berry
raspberry	Red or black soft berry
strawberry	Red, heart-shaped berry
nuts	Edible seeds from trees
raisin	Dried grape.
almond	Oval-shaped, crunchy nut
hazelnut	Round nut with a hard shell
peanut	Small legume often used in snacks
walnut	Brown, wrinkled nut with a hard shell

Vegetables

Vegetable	Description	Audio
potatoes	Small starchy tuber, often used in meals
boiled potatoes	Potatoes cooked in water
mashed potatoes	Potatoes mashed with butter/milk
French fried potatoes	Fried, thin-cut potatoes (fries)
baked potatoes	Potatoes cooked in the oven
roast potatoes	Potatoes roasted with oil or fat
green beans / French beans	Long, green vegetables
baked beans	White beans in tomato sauce
kidney beans	Red, kidney-shaped beans
peas	Small, round green vegetables
mushy peas	Peas mashed into a thick consistency
split peas	Dried, split peas used in soups
tomato	Red, juicy fruit used in cooking
carrot	Orange, crunchy root vegetable
avocado	Creamy green fruit
artichoke	Large, green vegetable with edible leaves
asparagus	Long, green spears
beetroot	Dark red root vegetable
squash	Large, yellow vegetable
zucchini	Green summer squash
broccoli	Green vegetable with tree-like heads
brussel sprouts	Small, green cabbage-like vegetable
cabbage	Large, leafy green vegetable
cauliflower	White vegetable with compact heads
celery	Long, crunchy stalk
cucumber	Green, refreshing vegetable
eggplant	Purple, spongy vegetable
corn	Yellow kernels from the cob
corn-on-the-cob	Whole corn cob with kernels
leek	Long, white and green stalk
lentils	Small, round legumes
salad	Mixture of raw vegetables
lettuce	Leafy green vegetable
mushrooms	Fungi used in cooking
onion	Pungent bulb vegetable
radish	Small, red root vegetable
spinach	Leafy green vegetable
turnip	Round, white, and purple root vegetable
green pepper	Green, mild-flavored pepper
red pepper	Red, sweet-flavored pepper
organic	Grown without chemicals

Meals

Meal	Description	Audio
noodles / pasta	Thin, long strips of dough or pasta
French fries	Thinly sliced, fried potatoes (chips)
crisps / chips	Thin, crunchy potato slices (snacks)
rice	Small, white grains cooked as a side
spare ribs	Pork ribs, usually grilled or roasted
meatloaf	Ground meat shaped into a loaf
pie	Pastry filled with meat, fruit, or vegetables
steak and kidney pie	Pie filled with steak and kidney meat
roast chicken	Chicken cooked in the oven
Cobb salad	Mixed salad with various toppings
pot roast	Meat slow-cooked in a pot
jerky	Dried, seasoned meat
cornbread	Bread made from cornmeal
macaroni and cheese	Pasta with a cheese sauce
peanut butter sandwich	Bread with peanut butter filling
waffles	Griddled, dough-based batter
lobster roll	Sandwich with lobster filling

Meat

Term	Description	Audio
white meat	Lighter-colored meats (e.g., chicken)
red meat	Darker-colored meats (e.g., beef)
pork	Meat from a pig
pork chop	A cut of pork with bone
chop / cutlet	A slice of meat with bone
mutton	Meat from an adult sheep
lamb	Meat from a young sheep
rabbit	Meat from a rabbit
beef	Meat from a cow
steak	A thick slice of beef
well-done steak	Steak cooked fully
medium steak	Steak cooked to medium level
rare steak	Steak cooked very lightly
veal	Meat from a young cow
chicken	Meat from a chicken
chicken breast	Lean meat from the chest of a chicken
turkey	Meat from a turkey
goose	Meat from a goose
duck	Meat from a duck
cold meat	Cooked meat served cold
cooked meat	Meat that has been prepared
raw	Uncooked
overdone	Cooked too much
venison	Meat from a deer
ham	Cured meat from a pig
boiled ham	Ham cooked by boiling
bacon	Thin slices of cured pork
sausage	Meat seasoned and stuffed into a casing

Fish and seafood

Term	Description	Audio
fish	General term for seafood with gills
cod	A type of white fish
trout	A freshwater fish
salmon	A popular fish with pink flesh
sole	A flatfish
sardine	Small, oily fish often canned
tuna	A large, popular fish often canned
haddock	A white fish similar to cod
herring	A small, oily fish
maclerel	A fast-swimming, oily fish
plaice	Another type of flatfish
fish and chips	Fried fish served with French fries
fish filet	A boneless cut of fish
fish bone	The bones in fish
fried fish	Fish cooked in oil
spawn	Fish eggs
tinned fish	Fish preserved in a can
smoked fish	Fish preserved by smoking
fish cooked in tinfoil	Fish wrapped in foil and baked
fish finger / fish stick	Small, breaded fish sticks
seafood	Edible sea animals like fish, shrimp
a seafood platter	A variety of seafood served together
a seafood restaurant	A restaurant specializing in seafood
crab	A shellfish with pincers
crab’s pincer	The claw of a crab
lobster	A large shellfish
prawn / shrimp	Small, pink shellfish
squid	A sea creature with tentacles
octopus	A sea animal with eight arms
oyster	A shellfish often eaten raw
mussels	Small shellfish with black shells

Seasonings and spices

Term	Description	Audio
to season with …	To add flavor using herbs or spices
seasoning	Substances used to enhance flavor
salad dressing	A sauce for salads
salt	A mineral used for flavoring
pepper	A spicy seasoning
mustard	A yellow, tangy sauce
vinegar	A sour liquid used in cooking
oil	Fatty liquid used for cooking
olive oil	Oil made from olives
sunflower oil	Oil made from sunflower seeds
sauce	A liquid condiment
cranberry sauce	A sauce made from cranberries
horseradish sauce	A spicy sauce made from horseradish
soy sauce / soya sauce	A salty, dark sauce
tomato sauce	A sauce made from tomatoes
chives	A small, green herb
parsley	A popular herb used for garnish
basil	An aromatic herb used in cooking
garlic	A strong-flavored bulb
onion	A pungent vegetable
pickled onion	Onions preserved in vinegar
pickles	Vegetables preserved in vinegar
curry	A mixture of spices
cinnamon	A sweet spice made from tree bark
spices	Various plants used to flavor food

Crockery

Term	Description	Audio
the crockery	Plates, bowls, and dishes used in dining
disposable crockery	Single-use plates and dishes
to do the dishes / to do the washing up	To wash the dishes
to put the dishes away	To store the dishes after washing
dish cloth	A cloth for drying dishes
a dishwasher	A machine for washing dishes
a plate	A flat dish for food
dessert plate	A small plate for dessert
soup dish	A deep plate for soup
dinner plate	A large plate for main courses
paper plate	A disposable plate made of paper
the cutlery	Forks, knives, and spoons
a spoon	An eating utensil for liquids
teaspoon	A small spoon
serving spoon	A large spoon for serving
coffee spoon	A small spoon for stirring coffee
soup spoon	A large spoon for soup
table spoon	A standard-sized spoon
a fork	A utensil with prongs
a knife	A sharp utensil for cutting
kitchen knife	A knife used in food preparation
bread knife	A knife with a serrated edge
a dish	A container for serving food
dinner set	A complete set of plates and dishes
a cloth	A fabric used for wiping or covering
a napkin	A small cloth for wiping hands/mouth
a kitchen apron	A garment worn while cooking
a coffe pot	A pot used for serving coffee
a coffee maker	A machine for making coffee
a cup	A small container for drinking
a saucer	A small plate for a cup
a coffee cup	A small cup for coffee
a tea cup	A small cup for tea
a cup of tea	A serving of tea in a cup
the teapot	A pot used for brewing tea
a kettle	A container for boiling water
a jug of water	A container for serving water
a carafe	A glass container for liquids
a carafe of wine	A carafe used to serve wine
a decanter	A container for serving wine
a glass	A transparent drinking container
wine glass	A glass for drinking wine
water glass	A glass for drinking water
stemmed glass	A glass with a stem
bowl	A deep dish for food
a bowl of coffee	A large bowl for coffee (French style)
salad bowl	A large bowl for serving salad
the stove	The appliance for cooking on
the oven	The appliance for baking and roasting
the microwave oven	An oven for heating food quickly
the saucepan	A deep pan for cooking
the frying pan	A shallow pan for frying food