Food Idioms and Proverbs

Food Idioms and Proverbs

Hi guys! How are you getting on?

In this post I am going to teach you new food idioms and proverbs. Are you ready? As always, I am going to explain what they mean, give you examples and the equivalent in Spanish. If there is no equivalent, then I will tell you when to use them. To illustrate the ideas, I am going to use some pictures too. Those who are visual learners will find it easier to remember them.

1. Eat humble pie

You need to eat humble pie when you know you made mistakes or you were wrong and must admit it.  In Spanish we say "admitir los errores/admitir que te has equivocado." For example: John accused me of taking his calculator. He found it in the end, so he had to eat humble pie and say sorry.


"Humble Pie Pastry Type" by Danielle Evans CC BY-NC-ND 4.0

2. Have one's own cake and eat it too

If you want to have a cake, you cannot eat it, otherwise, you will not have it anymore. However, you want to eat it too because you know it is delicious! But you cannot have both things, you cannot have the best of both worlds, that is, if you want to have the good part of something, you need to deal with the part you do not like as much. For instance: Mary was offered her dream job, but if she accepts, she will need to go abroad very often and will not be able to spend much time with her baby, so she does not know what to do. I told her that she cannot have her own cake and eat it too. In Spanish we say "no puedes tener un pescado gordo y que pese poco."


Birthday Cake by George Hodan CC0 1.0 Public Domain

3. We never miss water until the well runs dry

I am sure most of us have ever had this feeling. Can you remember any time where you lost a good friend or a partner you did not appreciate? How did you feel then? Did your mum tell you "uno no sabe lo que tiene hasta que lo pierde?" That is the meaning of this proverb. An example of this is: I never realized what a good boyfriend Sam was until we broke up.


Wooden Wishing Well by Karen Arnold CC0 1.0 Public Domain

4. Don't put all your eggs in one basket

Do not put all your hopes in one plan. Always have a plan B just in case, because if all the eggs you have are in the same basket, if the basket breaks, you have lost everything. It is too risky! In Spanish: we say "jugárselo todo a una carta." E.g. I invested my savings in different businesses, as I do not want to put all my eggs in one basket.



Fresh Brown Eggs In Basket by Sheila Brown CC0 1.0 Public Domain

5. An apple a day keeps the doctor away

This proverb means that if we eat healthily, we will not need to go to the doctor's very often, as we will be healthy. We do not have an equivalent in Spanish, but our parents and grandparents have always told us to eat vegetables, fruit and healthy food in general to be strong and healthy, which is basically the same idea. For example: John says: I feel unwell, I think I ate too much hamburger. His mother answers: You need to cut down on junk food and start eating properly. An apple a day keeps the doctor away.


"Red" by Asif A. Ali CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

I hope you have enjoyed folks! I will post again soon. If you have any questions or would like to add some more food idioms and proverbs to the list, please feel free to write a comment!

Ta ta!