There’s a wide variety of food phrases in our lexicon. But where exactly do they come from? Us foodies here at So Yummy are going to use our noodles and figure out their origins.
Farm to Table
This food phrase isn’t too hard to parse. “Farm to table” is a popular description for organic, fresh food sourced directly from local farms.
It’s gained a lot of traction in recent years, with restaurants dedicated to solely serving farm to table food. It supports local farmers and combats industrial farming.
If you visit a farm to table restaurant, however, look into their sourcing. Some restaurants have lied about their sourcing to make their food seem fresher.
Finger-Licking Good
If you’ve ever been to a KFC, you’ve definitely heard this phrase. While some people might use it in their everyday language, it’s basically synonymous with KFC’s brand.
The slogan was created shortly after the fast food restaurant took off. It was first put into usage circa the 1950s, though it’s not used anymore.
In the early 2010s, they changed their slogan to “So Good,” according to Creative Review. It’s accurate, but it’s definitely not as catchy.
Comfort Food
“Comfort food” is one of the less of concrete food phrases on this list. It’s straightforward, referring to comforting food, but what kind of food does it mean?
Well, that depends on who’s eating it. Since comfort food just refers to a meal that comforts the eater, the phrase isn’t too specific.
However, there are some comfort foods that are more popular than others. Warm, filling foods like chicken soup and mashed potatoes are usually called comfort foods.
Sour Grapes
Everyone knows that sour grapes are better than sweet grapes. Okay, maybe not everyone, but we think that grapes are better when they’re tart. We’re sticking to that.
The food phrase “sour grapes” is not so positive. It refers to a mixture of envy and spite, where someone pretends that they don’t want something, just because they can’t have it.
But why “sour grapes”? Well, it refers to one of Aesop’s fables, where a fox who fails at reaching grapes calls them sour.
Piece of Cake
You’ve probably heard people use this to refer to super easy tasks. Still, what does dessert have to do with anything? It’s common, but does it make sense?
According to Vocabulary.com, it came into usage in the 1930s, as an evolution of “cakewalk.” That term, which has similar connotations, dates back to the 19th century.
However, it has an ugly history. According to NPR, “cakewalks” were originally dances performed by enslaved people for plantation owners, then became a fixture of minstrel shows.
Half-Baked Idea
When something is half-baked, it’s not quite done yet. A half-baked idea, specifically, is one that is not well thought out or properly developed.
People have been using baking terminology to describe stupidity for quite some time. The phrase “slack-baked” is a notable predecessor from the 19th century.
It has the same meaning as “half-baked.” It seems like it fell out of fashion as the word “slack” fell out of common usage (per Online Etymology Dictionary).
Bring Home the Bacon
Basically, to bring home the bacon is to rake in the dough. Wait, why do so many people use food to describe money?
“Bring home the bacon” isn’t exactly the same as those other food phrases, though. It specifically refers to bringing money home to your family to support them.
While there’s some dispute, experts agree that it’s English. At English county fairs, people would chase greased pigs. Whoever caught it won a prize, effectively bringing home the bacon.
Bite to Eat
This one isn’t incomprehensible. To grab a bite to eat is to get food with someone. You’re biting food and eating it — it’s pretty literal.
However, it’s a little more specific than you might’ve initially thought. Sometimes shortened to “a bite,” this food phrase refers to eating a quick meal.
The idea of quick eating got popular in the 20th century, as fast food gained traction. This caused food phrases like these to take off as well.
Spill the Beans
Spilling the beans refers to revealing a secret. It has a more negative connotation, and is used to talk about people that can’t keep a secret.
This phrase isn’t as new as the previous one. According to Dictionary.com, it’s been around since the 19th century, though it has origins in the 16th.
It took a while for the beans to enter the equation. “Spill,” however, has been used as a word to refer to divulging things for centuries.
Break Bread
The concept of bonding over a meal (which is what “breaking bread” refers to) is as old as humans. How old is the phrase, though?
Well, it’s not as old as the concept, but it’s still old. A version of it can be found multiple times in the New Testament (per Dictionary.com).
In that context, it refers to giving food, as well as the act of receiving Communion in church. There’s also a 12th century hymn that uses the phrase.
In a Pickle
“In a pickle” refers to being stuck in a difficult situation. We’re fine with the phrase, but why do pickles have to be associated with difficulty?
Well, pickles are made with a mixture of spices and vinegar. To be “in a pickle” is to be disoriented like the pickling mix.
According to The Phrase Finder, the phrase was first used by none other than William Shakespeare. Specifically, he used it in his 1610 play The Tempest.
Use Your Noodle
To “use your noodle” is to use your brain. Is this because your brain kind of looks like a lump of wet noodles (if you squint)?
Eh, not really. According to The Christian Science Monitor, this phrase was used to call people stupid, likening their brain to a wet noodle.
Nowadays, it has the opposite meaning. It can be used to mock people for not thinking (“come on, use your noodle!”), but it’s not the only meaning.
Cry Over Spilled Milk
When you cry over spilled milk, you’re upset about things that have already happened and are irreversible. It was first used in 1659 (per WYTV).
James Howell, an English writer, included an earlier version of the phrase in his book of proverbs. Back then, it was “no weeping for shed milk.”
Okay, so the wording is a little outdated, but the point still stands. And the milk is still included. It won’t be going anywhere.
Sell Like Hotcakes
When products are selling like hotcakes, they’re flying off the shelves. People just can’t stop buying them. What’s a “hotcake,” and why did people love them so much?
According to The Independent, hotcakes are a simple cornmeal pancake. As you’ve probably guessed, they used to be super popular, especially in the 1800s.
In fact, they were a fixture at church bake sales. People used to jump at the chance to buy them before they went cold.
Go Bananas
To put it simply, to “go bananas” is to go crazy. In more specific terms, it’s most often used when someone is really angry or excitable.
You might assume that this is directly related to apes freaking out when they see a banana. This isn’t entirely inaccurate, though people have other theories.
One theory, posed on the English Language & Usage forum, suggests that it originates with bananas’ bent shape. “Bent” was used as slang for “dishonest” in the 1910s.
Tough Cookie
If you’ve ever been called a tough cookie, take it as a compliment. It means that you’re perseverant, durable, and can get through anything.
This might strike you as a little odd, though. Okay, “tough” makes sense, but “cookie”? Aren’t chewy cookies a lot more popular than tough ones?
Well, it’s got nothing to do with popularity. It’s theorized that the phrase popped up around the 1920s and 30s in America, when men called women “cookies.”
Whet Your Appetite
This is one of the more confusing food phrases, and is often misused. Let’s unpack it. “Whet,” a medieval word, is very different from “wet.”
Per Merriam-Webster, the two words are often mistakenly used interchangeably, when they have opposite meanings. To “whet” is to sharpen, literally and figuratively, not to quench.
“Whet” is a verb that was used to refer to weapon sharpening. So, when something “whets your appetite” for something, that means it’s increased, not satisfied.
You Are What You Eat
This is a pretty literal food phrase (and there’s some truth to it, too). It means that the kind of food you consume can directly impact your well-being.
While the saying might seem recent, it has a pretty extensive history. According to The Phrase Finder, a version of it was first used in 19th century France.
It was also used in Germany around the same time, though the wording was different. Americans caught on to the idea (and the idiom) in the 1930s.
Put All Your Eggs in One Basket
Have your parents or grandparents ever told you not to “put all your eggs in one basket”? Unlike the previous phrase, this one is a warning.
If you put all your eggs in one basket and drop it, they’ll all break. Metaphorically, it stresses the importance of backup plans, so you don’t lose everything.
According to The Colorado Springs Gazette, the phrase was first used in Don Quixote. Back then, Cervantes swapped “put” for “venture,” but the meaning is the same.
Simmer Down
When you tell someone to “simmer down,” you’re asking them to calm themselves. This might seem counterintuitive — after all, isn’t simmering a sign of heat?
Well, yes, but the phrase actually isn’t that strange. According to the Online Etymology Dictionary, to “simmer down” was to reduce a boil to a simmer.
The phrase was actually used in cookbooks dating back to the early 19th century. It started to be used figuratively circa 1848, relatively soon after.
Cream of the Crop
“The cream of the crop” is the absolute best of the best. It can be used to refer to places or things, but is often refers to people.
It’s an English version of the French “la crème de la crème,” which you might’ve heard before. Cream is the richest part of milk, sitting at the top.
What this has to do with crops is anyone’s guess. It seems like a mish-mash of “the best of the crop” and the original French phrase.
The Icing on the Cake
Everyone knows that a good icing completes a cake. It’s the number one rule of easy cake decorating. Naturally, the “icing on the cake” enhances a situation.
It can be used in a more straightforward, positive way, or in a sarcastic tone. This is one of those simple food phrases that’s easy to parse.
While the historical timeline is wonky and hard to pin down, it was definitely used after 1769. This was when icing cake became common (per Ginger Software).
Sweeten the Deal
To “sweeten the deal” is to make a deal even better and more tantalizing. According to Vocabulary.com, this phrase actually originated in poker games.
During a poker game, it’s sometimes more specifically rephrased as “sweeten the pot.” This is when the players wager more money, enticing others to play on.
That’s probably why people use this phrase in regards to financial deals. You can use it for other things, but it’s more common when talking about money.
Bread and Butter
Your “bread and butter” is your livelihood. It’s not just your job — it’s your sole source of income. Without it, well, you couldn’t purchase bread and butter.
The phrase can be traced back to medieval Europe. Back in the day, bread and butter was often all your average peasant could afford (per Learning English).
Even though it used to have a more literal meaning, it’s essentially the same as the figurative. You can’t survive without your bread and butter.
Hard Nut to Crack
A hard nut to crack can refer to a person or a situation, but the basic meaning remains the same. It refers to something that’s difficult to solve.
This food phrase has been used since the 1700s. While we’re not sure if this was the first ever usage, Benjamin Franklin wrote it in a 1745 letter.
He was writing to John Franklin, his brother, most likely about the Siege of Louisbourg. He said that “fortified towns [were] hard nuts to crack.”
Eat Out of Your Hand
To have someone eating out of your hand is to have them under your complete control. This food phrase actually refers to animal behavior.
A key indication of animal domestication is to have them eat out of your hand. It’s a sign of trust, showing that their wild instincts have been tamed.
This practice has been used for centuries. We don’t know if the idiom is just as old, but it’s definitely not unlikely. We wouldn’t be surprised.
Out to Lunch
Not to be confused with literally going out to eat, “out to lunch” refers to unclear thinking. Basically, when someone’s “out to lunch,” they’re totally out of it.
The reason why we use this phrase isn’t too difficult to parse. Workers who are going out to lunch are typically checked out of the building.
This just uses that in a more figurative sense. It’s not as common anymore, but was apparently a very popular saying in the 1960s.
Take With a Grain of Salt
To take something with a grain of salt is to view it with skepticism. Whether or not this phrase is ancient or recent is heavily debated.
According to Reader’s Digest, some theorize that it originates with Pliny the Elder. In 77 A.D., he advised that people take poison antidotes with “a grain of salt.”
Some people dispute this, however. Many theorize that it didn’t come into use until the 20th century. Take these theories with a grain of salt.
Chew the Fat
This food phrase is mostly used in Britain. It’s used to describe slow small talk. When you “chew the fat” with someone, you chat without looking at the clock.
It’s been a popular British phrase since the late 19th century, but it didn’t always have the same meaning. According to Dictionary.com, it was synonymous with complaining.
We don’t know when this changed. However, it’s theorized that “fat” refers to juicy gossip. To “chew the fat,” then, is to have a fun gossip sesh.
Have Your Cake and Eat It Too
This is one of those food phrases that’s downright confusing. Why can’t I have a cake and eat it? Why else would I have a cake on hand?
According to The New York Times, it didn’t start out this way. The original 16th century phrase is more like “You can’t eat your cake and have it too.”
Honestly, there are other versions of this phrase that make more sense. Take the Russian “You can’t sit in two chairs.” Not food-related, but comprehensible.
Conclusion
The English language is as rich and flavorful as the foods these expressions derive from. From “spilling the beans” about secrets to “chewing the fat”, these food phrases add zest and color to our everyday language. After all, “you are what you eat.” In consuming these food phrases, we feast on the legacy of language itself.