50+ Differences Between British vs. American Food Names

Have you ever been confused by food names when talking to someone from another country? In the UK, people say “biscuits,” but in the US, they call them “cookies.” If you’re in Britain and someone offers you “chips,” you might get fries instead of potato chips! British and American English share many words, but some food names are surprisingly different.

In this article, we’ll look at some common food names that change between British and American English. By learning these differences, you’ll find it easier to order food, understand menus, and chat with friends from both sides of the Atlantic.

British vs. American Food Names

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When it comes to food, the British have a much bigger appetite than Americans. A British breakfast typically includes sausages, eggs, bacon, beans, black pudding, mushrooms, and toast, matched with a beverage such as coffee or tea. The American breakfast, on the other hand, can be quite varied in juxtaposition.

Aside from appetite, dining etiquette is also quite different between these two. One noticeable difference is the way Brits and Americans hold their knives and forks. In the UK, eating out is a way to celebrate an occasion or to mark a milestone while Americans dine out all the time. A possible reason could be because restaurants in the US are way cheaper than in the UK.

List of British vs. American Food 

Aubergine —–<>—– Eggplant

Beetroot —–<>—– Beet

Biscuit —–<>—– Cookie

Black Treacle —–<>—– Molasses

Broad Bean —–<>—– Lima Bean

Candyfloss —–<>—– Cotton Candy

Chips —–<>—– French Fries

Cling Film —–<>—– Plastic Wrap

Cooker —–<>—– Range, Stove

Courgette —–<>—– Zucchini

Coriander—–<>—– Cilantro

Crisps —–<>—– (Potato) Chips

Cutlery —–<>—– Silverware

Desiccated Coconut —–<>—– Shredded Coconut

Eggy Bread —–<>—– (Fried) French Toast

Fairy Cake —–<>—– Cup Cake

Flan —–<>—– Fruit Pie

Food, Grub, Nosh —–<>—– Food

Gammon —–<>—– Ham

Gherkin —–<>—– Pickle

Icing Sugar —–<>—– Confectioner’s Sugar

Powdered —–<>—– Sugar

Jug —–<>—– Pitcher

Kipper —–<>—– Smoked Herring

Maize —–<>—– Corn

Marrow —–<>—– Squash

Mid – Morning Meal —–<>—– Brunch

Minced Meat —–<>—– Ground Meat

Muesli —–<>—– Granola

Pepper —–<>—– Bell Pepper

Pilchards —–<>—– Sardines

Porridge —–<>—– Oatmeal

Puddings, Afters, Dessert, Sweets —–<>—– Dessert

Rasher —–<>—– A Slice of Bacon

Runner Beans —–<>—– Green Beans, String Beans

Rubbish —–<>—– Garbage, Trash

Sandwich, Butty, Sarnie —–<>—– Sandwich

Sausage, Banger —–<>—– Sausage

Scone —–<>—– Biscuit

Semolina —–<>—– Cream of Wheat, Manna

Serviette —–<>—– Napkin

Semi-Skimmed Milk —–<>—– 2% Milk, Low-fat milk

Smoked Salmon —–<>—– Lox

Sorbet —–<>—– Sherbet

Spring Onions —–<>—– Green Onions

Squash —–<>—– Juice Concentrate

Starter —–<>—– Appetizer

Sweets —–<>—– Candy

Tin —–<>—– Can

Toasted Cheese (Sandwich) —–<>—– Grilled Cheese

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Isabella Claire

Isabella Claire is a dedicated ESL teacher who has been with 7ESL since 2017. With years of classroom and online teaching experience, Isabella now serves as the Content Leader at 7ESL, overseeing lesson quality and ensuring engaging, accurate resources for English learners worldwide.

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