25 Food Conversation Questions (A2/B1 ESL + Pictures)
- Alex
- 41 minutes ago
- 3 min read
Go to the English Conversation Questions Hub for more discussion topics you can use for self-study or for the ESL classroom.
25 Food Conversation Questions + Picture Practice
Level: pre-intermediate (A2) / intermediate (B1)
Download and print the 2-page PDF for your classroom
Food is one of the easiest and most common topics to talk about with people. For example, most people have probably heard or used one of these questions in their first language before:
"What did you have for lunch today?"
"What's for dinner?"
"How was the restaurant you went to last night?"
"How much did you pay for your meal?"
It doesn't matter what day of the week it is--we all talk about and ask about food!
The food conversation questions below are ideal for the ESL classroom or for self-study. They are meant for pre-intermediate (A2) and intermediate (B1) English learners, but more advanced learners can also enjoy them. This resource is meant to help learners practice their speaking skills, and to learn and use some new vocabulary. With these conversation questions, students will activate the present simple and past simple tenses, and have fun talking about a familiar topic.
Are you hungry for some fun English practice? Let's eat!
Warm-up:
What did you have for breakfast today?
Favourite foods and preferences
What are some of your favourite foods?
Do you have a favourite type of international food (for example: Italian, Mexican, Japanese)?
What foods did you like the most when you were a child?
What are your favourite comfort foods? (Comfort food is usually food from your childhood or food that is warm and filling. It makes you feel happy and safe.)
Do you like spicy food? How often do you eat it? (Spicy means hot. Spicy foods have an ingredient like chili peppers, chili powders, or hot sauces.)
Eating habits
What do you usually eat for breakfast?
What time do people usually eat lunch and dinner in your country?
Do you usually buy snacks at the cinema? If so, what do you buy?
After dinner, do you sometimes have extra food? This extra food is called leftovers. Do you eat the leftovers on the next day?
Eating out / Eating at restaurants
How often do you eat out? (Eat out means to eat at restaurants or other places outside of your home.)
Do you have a favourite restaurant? What is it?
Is it expensive to eat out in your city? Where can you eat well but not spend too much money?
When you eat out, what do you usually drink?
What food or drink should tourists try if they visit your region?
Food and family
Who is the best cook in your family? What do they make that you love?
When you were a child, did you have to finish all the food on your plate, or could you leave some food?
Do you sometimes throw food away today? This means you put the food in the garbage.
In some cities, people can put food waste in a special bin, called compost. Does your city have a compost program?
Healthy eating
How often do you eat junk food, like chips, chocolate, or French fries?
Do you prefer salty snacks or sweet snacks?
Do you drink enough water every day? Do people in your country usually carry water bottles when they go to work or school?
Do you think it is easy to eat a healthy diet? Why or why not?
What foods should people eat to be healthy? What foods should they avoid?
Special occasions
Are there foods you only eat on holidays or on other special days? Do you like these foods?
Food conversation picture practice
Look at the food options. Which one do you prefer? Why? Here are some structures you can use:
I prefer _____ to _____. (Example: I prefer salad to pizza.)
I like _____ more than _____. (Example: I like ice cream more than French fries.)
I prefer _____ because _____. (Example: I prefer chocolate because I like sweet snacks.)
Well done! I hope that you now feel full (satisfied and not hungry after eating). If you enjoyed practicing your English with these conversation questions, and you would like to support my work, please consider buying one of my books. Thank you for your support! Until next time, keep learning, and keep practicing.
Related pages
English eating vocabulary (video lesson and quiz)