English idioms relating to food

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English idioms relating to FOOD
The apple of your eye.	If somebody is the apple of your eye, this means that you like them very much : "My grandson is the apple of my eye".
Be full of beans	A person who is full of beans is lively, active and healthy.
Spill the beans	If you spill the beans, you reveal a secret or talk about something private. "Come on! Spill the beans! What did he say?"
Brown as a berry	To describe someone is brown as a berry means that they are very tanned.
Take the bread out of somebody's mouth	If you take the bread out of somebody's mouth, you take away their means of earning a living. "The decision to ban street vendors took the bread out of the mouths of many people."
That takes the biscuit!	This expression refers to something very irritating or annoying. "After waiting for an hour, we were told that there were no seats left. That really took the biscuit!"
Butter wouldn't melt in your mouth	If you say that somebody looks as if butter wouldn't melt in their mouth, you are saying that they look completely innocent, but that they are capable of doing unpleasant things.
A piece of cake	To refer to something as a piece of cake means that you consider it to be very easy. "The English test was a piece of cake!"
Have your cake and eat it	To say that someone wants to have their cake and eat it means that they want the advantages of two alternative situations when only one is possible . "Jack enjoys his comfort but is always complaining about the cost of things. He can't have his cake and eat it!"
Sell like hot cakes	Things that sell like hot cakes sell quickly or in large quantities.
Carrot and stick	If you use a carrot-and-stick approach, you use the promise of reward and the threat of punishment to make somebody work harder. "Some parents use a carrot-and-stick approach to obtain good results from their children."
Like chalk and cheese (as different as chalk and cheese)	Two people who are like chalk and cheese are completely different from each other.
Old chestnut	A story, a joke or an idea that has been repeated so often that it has lost its novelty is referred to as an old chestnut. "The story about his boat capsizing has become an old chestnut!"
Useful as a chocolate teapot	Something which is of no practical use at all is about as useful as a chocolate teapot. "When there are no roads, a car is about as useful as a chocolate teapot."
That's the way the cookie crumbles!	The expression 'that's the way the cookie crumbles' means 'that is the way things are and nothing can be done about it' - that's life'!
A tough cookie	A person who is a tough cookie is one who is self-confident and ambitious and will do what is necessary to achieve what they want. "I'm not worried about Jason's future. He's a tough cookie!"
Cool as a cucumber	A person who is as cool as a cucumber is a person who is not anxious, but relaxed and non-emotional.
Egg someone on	If you egg somebody on, you urge or strongly encourage them to do something. "She didn't really want to learn to drive but her children kept egging her on."
A bad egg	To refer to someone as a bad egg means that they cannot be trusted. "I don't want my son to be friends with Bobby Smith. Bobby's a bad egg."
Have all your eggs in one basket	If you have all your eggs in one basket, you depend on one plan or one source of income. "If you invest your savings in one bank, you'll have all your eggs in one basket."
Over-egg the pudding	If you try to improve something excessively by adding unnecessary details, you over-egg the pudding. "Keep your report simple. Don't over-egg the pudding."
Food for thought	If something gives you food for thought, it makes you think very hard about something. "The documentary on poverty in the world really gave me food for thought."
Play gooseberry	If you play gooseberry, you join or accompany two people who have a romantic relationship and want to be alone. "They invited me to join them but I didn't want to play gooseberry."
Sour grapes	To refer to someone's attitude as sour grapes means that they are making complaints or accusations because they are jealous.
Icing on the cake	If something is referred to as icing on the cake, it is an extra benefit that makes a good situation even better. "Good news! I get the job ... and the icing on the cake is that I get a company car too."
Make your mouth water	Food can make your mouth water when it looks and smells extremely good. "That delicious smell from the kitchen is making my mouth water."
Go nuts	To say that a person has gone nuts means that they have become completely foolish, eccentric or mad.
Olive branch	If a person or organization holds out an olive branch to another, they show that they want to end a disagreement and make peace. "The protesters finally accepted the olive branch extended to them."
Like two peas in a pod	To say that two people are like two peas in a pod means that they are very similar in appearance. "It wasn't difficult to identify the brothers - they were like two peas in a pod!"
Hot potato	To refer to a subject as a hot potato means that it is a very sensitive and controversial matter which is difficult to deal with. "The new Prime Minister hasn't been confronted with any hot potatoes yet."
In a pickle	If you are in a pickle, you are in a difficult situation and need help. "My car won't start and the trains are on strike today - I'm in a real pickle!"
Easy as pie	To say that something is easy as pie means that it is very easy to do. "How did the English test go? - No problem - it was easy as pie!"
Eat humble pie	If you eat humble pie, you have to admit that you were wrong and apologize. "After openly criticizing Bill's work, Fred had to eat humble pie when Bill was elected "salesman of the year"!
Couch potato	If you refer to someone as a couch potato, you criticize them for spending a lot of time sitting and watching television. "Don't be such a couch potato. There are better ways of spending your time than in front of the TV."
Mouse potato	This term refers to a person who spends a lot of time in front of the computer. "My son and his friends are all mouse potatoes - constantly glued to the computer!"
The proof of the pudding is in the eating.	This expression means that something new can only be judged after it has been tested.
Take something with a grain of salt.	To say that certain information should be taken with a grain of salt means that you doubt the accuracy of the information.
Worth one's salt	This expression is used to say that a person who does their job well would or would not do certain things. "Any inspector worth his salt would have checked the papers carefully."