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Welcome to our Daily English Listening Practice with this week’s series:
Food Vocabulary
The dreaded diet! Sometimes, it just has to happen. The final part of our Food Vocabulary series talks about words and phrases around going on a diet.
Please listen to the audio files for explanations.
Transcripts unavailable.
Notes from the Audio Files
To Cut Back On Something
- To cut something out: to avoid eating or drinking some entirely
- Fad diets: trendy or popular diets
- Your diet: the food you normally eat during a day
- My regular diet includes too much food so I need to go on a (new) diet to lose weight
- my diet vs. a diet
- To be on a diet: following a diet
- Junk food: unhealthy food
- Cutting carbs: taking carbohydrates out of your diet
- Watch your weight: make sure your weight stays within a certain range
How to use it:
“I’ve really gotta start cutting back on the junk food, none of my jeans fit me anymore.”
“My new year’s resolution is to cut back on drinking. For January anyway.”
To Go On a Diet
- It kinda sucks: **informal it’s not fun at all
- Watch your weight: keep your weight from going up or down
- The first time around: the first time you do it
- New Year’s resolution: goals and plans for the future, usually for the New Year
- Diet-conscious: people who are always thinking about their diet
- Yo-yo Diet: on and off a diet, losing and gaining weight
How to use it:
“I feel like I’m always going on a new diet every week. I wish I could just stick to something that works!”
“She said she’s been on a diet for just a few days and she already feels better.”
Light/Heavy Meals
- Opt for something: choose something
- Fill you up: Make you feel full
- Smaller portions: Small meals or amounts of food
- Go light on something: put less of something
- On the side: in a small dish, separate from the main plate
- Comfort food: food that you eat to make you happy
How to use it:
“It didn’t look like much on the plate, but this heavy sauce is really filling me up.”
“I just want something light for lunch, I had a big breakfast.”
Cravings
- Being abroad: Being in another country
- Homesick for something: missing or longing for something from your home country
- Meat pies: Yum
- Get cravings for something: to have a want for something
- Might be tricky: Could be difficult
- urge/hankering: craving for something
- Once something kicks in: once something starts
- Shake it off: stop feeling a certain way or get over something
How to use it:
“Do you wanna go somewhere for dessert? I’m craving something sweet.”
“I have such a pizza craving right now. It’s the only thing that’ll shut me up.”
To Make Your Mouth Water
- Mouth watering: a way to describe delicious food
- Finger-licking good** (informal/slang): another way to describe delicious food
- Mouth watering-ly good**: and another way to describe delicious food (informal/slang)
- Salivating: formal word for spit
- Dig in: start eating
How to use it:
“My mouth is watering just thinking about the restaurant we’re going to tonight.”
“Oh wow, I just saw them bring out the sushi to another table. It looks absolutely mouthwatering.”
You made it to the end of the week! Awesome job, see you next week. Anything else you’d like to see? More phrases, examples, etc.? Let us know in the comments!
Thanks,
Kat and Mark
