Meal vs Food: What's the Difference?
What's the Difference?
Food refers to what we eat in general, while meal refers to the entirety of what is eaten at a specific mealtime.
Memory Tip: meal = specific occasion, food = general category
meal has a long /iː/ sound, food has a long /uː/ sound
meal /mil/
nounA meal is food that you eat at one time.
Example:
We eat breakfast as our first meal of the day.
Common patterns:
breakfast
lunch
dinner
food /fuːd/
nounFood is something that people and animals eat to live and grow.
Example:
She buys food for her cat every week.
Common patterns:
essential for survival
necessary for energy
source of nutrition
Common Mistakes
I had a delicious food with my family last night.
I had a delicious meal with my family last night.
The word 'meal' is correct because it refers to the entirety of what was eaten at a specific time.
We need to buy some meal for the party.
We need to buy some food for the party.
The word 'food' is correct because it refers to the general items that will be consumed at the party.
Quick Practice
0/2 correct1. We eat breakfast as our first ____ of the day.
2. She buys ____ for her cat every week.
Other Confusing Words
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