Phrasal Verbs about Food – Examples and Exercises

The inspiration for this blog post came from the video below. It made everyone at ABA really hungry and we decided to teach you some phrasal verbs related to food.

So, watch the video (it’s a lot of fun!), read the phrasal verbs and then do the exercises!

Phrasal Verbs

Bolt down – To eat your food very quickly.
Example: “Susan only has 15 minutes to eat lunch so she bolts it down really fast”

Whip up – To produce or prepare (a meal) very quickly.
Example: “Toni loves cooking so every day he whips up a delicious supper for his wife and kids”

Pig out – To eat a lot of food at one time.
Example: “Jamie had been on a diet all week, so during the weekend he pigged out on fast food”

Pick up – The act of going somewhere to get a person or thing that you will then take to another place
Example: “There’s nothing in the fridge so I will pick some sandwiches up from the shop”

Chop up – To cut into pieces, usually with several sharp blows.
Example: “If you want to help me, please chop these vegetables for the stew up”
*Stew – a dish of vegetables and usually meat cooked in hot liquid for a long time

Warm up – To become warm or to make (someone or something) warm
Example: “If you’re hungry, warm up the leftovers in the microwave”
*Leftovers – Food that has not been finished at a meal and that is often served at another meal

Cut out – To stop doing (something)
Example: “My Dad has very high cholesterol, so he has cut out eggs and dairy from his diet”

Cut back – To do less of (something)
Example: “You eat too much salt, you should cut back on salty foods”

Knock back – To drink or swallow (an alcoholic drink) quickly
Example: “When John got to the bar he inmediately asked for a big whiskey and knocked it back”

Eat out – To eat away from home, usually in a restaurant.
Example: “When I don’t want to cook, my boyfriend and I eat out at a restaurant”

Fry up – The act of frying a meal, especially breakfast.
Example: “On Sundays my Mum always prepares a fry up – eggs, bacon, beans and toast. Yum!”

Exercises

1. To eat food very quickly is to:
a. Bolt down
b. Pig out
c. Whip up

2. To cut up food into small pieces is to:
a. Eat out
b. Chop up
c. Warm up

3. To eat a lot of food is to:
a. Fry up
b. Pig out
c. Knock back

4. To eat less of something to improve your health is to ____ on it.
a. Pick up
b. Cut down
c. Cut back

5. To drink a lot of alcohol quickly is to ____:
a. Chop up
b. Knock back
c. Warm up

And we’d love to know, what’s your country’s traditional food? And, more importantly, what’s your favourite food?