Collocations for food - noun
ADJ.
delicious, excellent, good, superb, tasty, wonderful | favourite | decent | adequate, enough, sufficient
Everyone has the right to adequate food and clean water.
Everyone has the right to adequate food and clean water.
ample | basic, everyday, staple
lower fat alternatives to everyday foods | Retail prices of staple foods remain unchanged.
lower fat alternatives to everyday foods | Retail prices of staple foods remain unchanged.
plain, simple | exotic, speciality | fine, gourmet, quality
Our restaurant serves the finest food.
Our restaurant serves the finest food.
cheap | bad, poor, unhealthy | healthy, nourishing, nutritious, proper, the right, wholesome
Healthy food can and should be delicious. | Lack of proper food led to much illness among seamen. | It is important to get plenty of exercise and to eat the right foods.
Healthy food can and should be delicious. | Lack of proper food led to much illness among seamen. | It is important to get plenty of exercise and to eat the right foods.
diet, health
Essential oils can be bought from most good health food shops
Essential oils can be bought from most good health food shops
rabbit
(informal, disapproving) My father preferred to eat meat and hated rabbit food (= lettuce and other raw vegetables normally found in salads).
(informal, disapproving) My father preferred to eat meat and hated rabbit food (= lettuce and other raw vegetables normally found in salads).
fast, junk, snack, takeaway | hot | cold | raw, uncooked | leftover | rotten | fresh | natural | organic | frozen | canned, tinned | processed | convenience, ready-made, ready-prepared | fatty, fried, starchy, stodgy
She is trying to cut down on fatty foods.
She is trying to cut down on fatty foods.
high-calorie, rich
Avoid rich foods like pastries.
Avoid rich foods like pastries.
sugary, sweet | savoury, spicy | Greek, Indian, etc. | vegetarian | genetically-modified
Campaigners are challenging the safety of genetically-modified foods.
Campaigners are challenging the safety of genetically-modified foods.
animal, vegetable
Omnivores are able to eat animal or vegetable food.
Omnivores are able to eat animal or vegetable food.
solid
The baby refuses to swallow any solid food.
The baby refuses to swallow any solid food.
baby | cat, dog, fish, pet | hospital, party, prison, pub, restaurant | imported
QUANT.
portion, plate | morsel, scrap
They moved from village to village begging scraps of food.
They moved from village to village begging scraps of food.
VERB + FOOD
consume, eat, have
the amount of food that an average family consumes in a week | You should eat more fresh foods. | She had had no food for two days.
the amount of food that an average family consumes in a week | You should eat more fresh foods. | She had had no food for two days.
enjoy, like
He obviously enjoys good food.
He obviously enjoys good food.
live on
people who live on junk food
people who live on junk food
be off, go off
The dog has gone off its food.
The dog has gone off its food.
avoid, cut down on, cut out | be/go short of, run short of
The city was under siege and began to run short of food.
The city was under siege and began to run short of food.
be without, go without, live without
We had been days without food.
We had been days without food.
offer (sb)
The centre offers food and accommodation for students. |
The centre offers food and accommodation for students. |
give sb, provide (sb with), serve (sb), supply (sb with) a
restaurant that serves good healthy food | Thanks to international aid, the town had been supplied with food for nine months.
restaurant that serves good healthy food | Thanks to international aid, the town had been supplied with food for nine months.
feed sb/sth (on)
He always fed Whiskers the best cat food. | She fed her baby on wholesome food.
He always fed Whiskers the best cat food. | She fed her baby on wholesome food.
handle
Always take great care when handling food.
Always take great care when handling food.
cook, do, make, prepare
A lot of people can''t be bothered to cook good food. | Who''s doing the food for the party?
A lot of people can''t be bothered to cook good food. | Who''s doing the food for the party?
smell, taste
Taste the food and tell me what you think.
Taste the food and tell me what you think.
cut (up)
Please cut up the food for your baby sister.
Please cut up the food for your baby sister.
pick at
He had lost his appetite and picked at his food.
He had lost his appetite and picked at his food.
play with
Stop playing with your food like a baby!
Stop playing with your food like a baby!
chew | swallow | bolt, gulp (down)
She told the kids not to gulp down their food.
She told the kids not to gulp down their food.
digest | order
They sat down at the restaurant table and immediately ordered their food.
They sat down at the restaurant table and immediately ordered their food.
grow | import | beg (for), hunt for, look for, search for, scavenge for
The female eagle broods and the male hunts for food.
The female eagle broods and the male hunts for food.
find
Most mammals use their sense of smell to find food.
Most mammals use their sense of smell to find food.
keep, store
Keep food fresher for longer with our new sealable containers. | Bears store food for the winter.
Keep food fresher for longer with our new sealable containers. | Bears store food for the winter.
put out
He put out food for the birds.
He put out food for the birds.
share
FOOD + VERB
smell, taste
Does the food taste good?
Does the food taste good?
be in short supply, be short
We have strikes, food is short and the queues grow longer.
We have strikes, food is short and the queues grow longer.
run out
FOOD + NOUN
resource, source, supply
Fruits are an important food source for bats. | The seaside fish market is a ready food supply for scavenging seabirds.
Fruits are an important food source for bats. | The seaside fish market is a ready food supply for scavenging seabirds.
supplies
The UN has has been issuing emergency food supplies to the refugees.
The UN has has been issuing emergency food supplies to the refugees.
stuff (also ‘foodstuff’)
Many basic foodstuffs, such as bread and milk, are tax-free.
Many basic foodstuffs, such as bread and milk, are tax-free.
crop, plant
Peasants were encouraged to grow basic food crops such as beans and corn.
Peasants were encouraged to grow basic food crops such as beans and corn.
product
The labels on food products give a lot of information about their nutritional content.
The labels on food products give a lot of information about their nutritional content.
consumption | intake
His doctor warned him to reduce his daily food intake.
His doctor warned him to reduce his daily food intake.
preparation | hygiene, safety | scare
There has been a food scare over salmonella in eggs.
There has been a food scare over salmonella in eggs.
distribution | crisis, shortage | rationing, rations | industry, market
The country intends to increase its share of the European food market.
The country intends to increase its share of the European food market.
manufacturing, production | company, manufacturer, producer | market, outlet, retailer, shop, store, supplier
Britain''s first organic food market a fast food outlet
Britain''s first organic food market a fast food outlet
prices | bill
I am trying to cut my weekly food bill by one third.
I am trying to cut my weekly food bill by one third.
policy
EU food policy
EU food policy
poisoning | additives | colouring | processor
Blend the egg yolks, lemon juice and herbs in a food processor.
Blend the egg yolks, lemon juice and herbs in a food processor.
chain
Plankton is at the bottom of the marine food chain.
Plankton is at the bottom of the marine food chain.
PREP.
for ~
killing animals for food
killing animals for food
without ~
After three days without food, the men were close to starvation.
After three days without food, the men were close to starvation.
PHRASES
food and drink
Gina had prepared food and drink for the work party.
Gina had prepared food and drink for the work party.
food and water
Food and water were running out.
Food and water were running out.
food and wine
The Dordogne region is famous for its food and wine.
The Dordogne region is famous for its food and wine.
a smell of food
There was a smell of food from the kitchen
There was a smell of food from the kitchen
a supply of food
The ocean provided the villagers with an endless supply of food.
The ocean provided the villagers with an endless supply of food.
the taste of food
the characteristic taste of our food
the characteristic taste of our food