19 Food Terms You Should Never Use Again Gallery

The simple act of talking about food is a lot more complicated than you might realize. Like describing a color or emotion, choosing the perfect words to use when describing food is largely dependent on the experience and vocabulary of the person who’s doing the talking. But in many cases, the same exact generic words get bandied about over and over again, and it really needs to stop.

Are you a "chocolate-lover," or do you just like chocolate? Perhaps you're a coffee-lover, a whiskey-lover, or a chia pudding-lover? The word "lover" is a skeevy word to begin with, and it certainly doesn't need to apply to food. Just say you like it. As Liz Lemon said, "That word bums me out unless it's between the words 'meat' and 'pizza'."

“Cooked to perfection,” “seared to perfection,” “slow-roasted to perfection”… It’s all the same, and it’s all meaningless. If something’s slow-roasted, just say it’s slow-roasted. If it’s not cooked to perfection, then point that out, but if it’s cooked the way it should be cooked, then that’s just the chef doing his or her job.

We can thank Rachael Ray for this one. If something’s delicious, say it’s delicious. Even better, use a more specific adjective. Don’t make it cutesy.

Sort of like the term “price point,” the second word here is completely unnecessary. Just call it “flavor”!

Please don’t ever describe a dish as “flavorful,” or “full of flavor.” Unless it’s water, it most likely contains some flavor. You’re basically saying, “This tastes like flavor!” Describe what the flavors are — we already know it tastes like something.

Once upon a time, “foodie” was the slightly less pretentious version of “gourmand” or “epicure:” a person who takes pleasure in fine food. Nowadays, it just means, “I love food, and I’ll go on at length about it to anyone who will listen.” In this day and age, just about everyone is a foodie of some sort.

Nope.

Just call it texture. Your mouth doesn’t have hands.

“Nom” is one of the most meaningless, pointless food terms in existence. Especially when it’s preceded by “om.”

Is it vegetarian or vegan? Then just say it's vegetarian or vegan. Calling a dish "plant based" just makes you sound pretentious; saying you "lead a plant-based lifestyle" makes you sound even more pretentious.

Just call it a sandwich, unless you’re talking to a 3-year-old.

Another synonym for “tastes good,” and just overall a really weird word. Be more creative.

Nobody’s ever wondered if a dish is more tasty than yummy. It’s a word that means next to nothing.

Would you really die for that slice of cake? Or are you just trying to find another way to say that it tastes good?

The definition of toothsome? “Tasty,” not (as some people think) "al dente." Be gone, toothsome!

Just call them vegetables, unless you’re talking to a 3-year-old.

So many people tack this completely pointless word on to the end of an Instagram or Facebook post, usually referring to something they made themselves (e.g., “#Homemade #paleo #meatloaf with #quinoa! Yum!”). We’re glad you’re proud of your accomplishment, but adding “Yum!” onto it just makes you sound twee.

Why do so many people insist on talking about food like they’re 5 years old? Not only is “yummy” just one of the countless ways to say that something tastes good, it’s also baby-speak. And don’t even get us started on “yum-o.”

Please, please just call it pizza. And definitely don't dare calling what's served at America's best pizza shops "'za."

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