Food Expressions
1 / 15How well do you know food-related idioms and sayings?
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What does the expression 'piece of cake' mean?
About Food Expressions
Give your memory a workout with Food Expressions: 15 multiple-choice questions with a mix of 5 easy, 5 medium, 5 hard questions, free to play right in your browser. How well do you know food-related idioms and sayings? Expect to spend about 7 minutes; every question comes with an explanation, so you learn something even when you miss.
A few sample questions
1. What does the expression 'piece of cake' mean?
Answer: Something very easy to do
'Piece of cake' means something that is very easy to accomplish. The phrase likely originates from the idea that eating cake is a simple, enjoyable task requiring no effort.
2. What does 'spill the beans' mean?
Answer: To reveal secret information
'Spill the beans' means to reveal a secret or disclose confidential information. One theory traces it to ancient Greek voting, where beans were used as ballots and spilling them would reveal the vote prematurely.
3. If someone is 'the apple of your eye,' what are they?
Answer: Someone you cherish above all others
'The apple of your eye' refers to a person you are extremely fond of and cherish deeply. The phrase appears in the Bible and originally referred to the pupil of the eye, considered precious and vital.
4. What does 'to bring home the bacon' mean?
Answer: To earn a living or achieve success
'To bring home the bacon' means to earn money for one's family or to achieve success. One origin story traces it to a 12th-century tradition in Dunmow, England, where a side of bacon was awarded to happily married couples.
5. What does 'cool as a cucumber' mean?
Answer: Very calm and composed
'Cool as a cucumber' means very calm, composed, and not easily upset. Cucumbers have a high water content and their interior remains cooler than the surrounding air, making the comparison fitting.
Things you'll learn along the way
- 'To eat humble pie' means to make an apology and accept humiliation after being proven wrong. It derives from 'umble pie,' a medieval dish made from the innards (umbles) of a deer, considered inferior food.
- 'Not my cup of tea' means something that is not to one's taste or liking. The expression originated in British culture, where tea is a staple, and choosing one's preferred type of tea is a matter of personal taste.
- 'To have egg on your face' means to be embarrassed as a result of your own actions or statements being proven wrong. It evokes the messy, undignified image of having egg smeared on one's face.
Frequently asked questions
How long does Food Expressions take?
Most players finish Food Expressions in about 7 minutes. You can pause between questions, replay it as often as you like, and there is no penalty for taking your time — answers are explained after you submit them.
What's a good follow-up after Food Expressions?
If you enjoyed this word games quiz, try the Daily Challenge — five rotating questions, refreshed every 24 hours, that count toward your streak. You can also use the Surprise Me button on the homepage to land on a different game type for variety.
Can I print Food Expressions?
Yes — use the Print button at the top of the page for a clean question sheet, or "Print with Answers" to make an answer key. Printed sheets work well for group play at home, in a classroom, or at a senior center.
Will I lose my progress if I close the page?
Your overall progress — XP, streaks, and badges — is saved in your browser automatically. A quiz that's underway restarts if you leave mid-game, but at about 7 minutes, Food Expressions fits comfortably in one sitting.
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