IELTS Speaking Part 1: Food Questions & Band 9 Answers (2026)

Food is a very common topic. The examiner might ask about your favorite dish, your cooking skills, or if you have a healthy diet. To score Band 9, you need to use natural idioms. Don't just say "I like pizza." Use phrases like comfort food, guilty pleasure, or whip up a meal to show you have a wide vocabulary.

How to Use These Sample Answers

Below are the latest 2026 questions for "Food."

Important: These answers are written specifically for a busy university student who eats a lot of fast food and instant noodles because they have no time or money to cook. They want to be healthy one day, but right now, they just need energy to study.
However, if you are a health freak who counts every calorie, or if you are an amazing cook who loves spending hours in the kitchen, these answers are not for you and will not fit your life.

So, here is the plan:

1. Read these samples to understand the Band 9 structure.

2. Use the IELTS Speaking Lab App to get personalized answers. It gives you perfect vocabulary that fits your real life—whether you are a vegan or a meat lover.

Part 1: Questions & Model Answers about Food

1. What is your favorite food?
Honestly, right now it is pizza. It is my ultimate comfort food. After a long day of study, I just want to order something greasy and delicious. It’s definitely a guilty pleasure, but it makes me feel better when I am stressed.

2. Do you have a healthy diet?
Not at all. My diet consists mainly of processed food and instant noodles. I know it’s bad for my health, but I barely have time to sleep, let alone cook a balanced diet. I basically survive on caffeine and sugar.

3. Do you know how to cook? I can't cook to save my life.
I rely heavily on modern technology, specifically food delivery apps, to get my dinner. I wish I could whip up a meal from scratch, but I just never learned how.

4. Did you eat different food when you were a child?
Yes, completely different. My mother always made fresh, home-cooked meals for our whole family. I really miss her cooking. It was much more nutritious than the junk food I eat now.

5. Do you prefer eating at home or eating out?
I prefer eating out, but usually at cheap places. I am on a tight student budget, so I look for budget-friendly options. Eating at home is rare because my kitchen is tiny and I hate washing dishes.

6. What is the most popular food in your country?
We are famous for our spicy curries. It is a staple diet for most people in my hometown. However, since I moved to the city, I don't eat it as much because it takes hours to prepare properly.

7. Do you like trying new food?
I used to be a very picky eater, but now I am more open to it. However, I usually stick to grab-and-go food like sandwiches or burgers because I am always rushing to finish my work or assignments.

8. Do you think you will change your diet in the future?
Definitely. Once I graduate, I plan to turn over a new leaf. I want to learn how to cook properly and stop eating so much sugary stuff. I know I can't keep eating like this forever.

9. Is there any food you dislike?
I really hate boiled vegetables. They are so bland and tasteless. I know they are good for me, but unless they are covered in sauce or spice, I find them really unappetizing.

10. Do you usually eat alone or with others?
I usually wolf down my lunch alone between lectures. I don't really have time for long social meals. However, on weekends, I try to grab dinner with my friends to catch up, which is much nicer.

11. What did you eat for breakfast today?
I actually skipped breakfast today. I woke up late and had to rush. I usually just grab a coffee to give me a sugar rush or a boost of energy, but I know it's not the healthiest start to the day.

12. Is food important to you?
Right now, food is just fuel. I view it as a means to an end—something to keep me alive while I finish my degree. I don't have time for foodie hobbies like baking or tasting menus yet.

13. Do you prefer traditional food or fast food?
In my heart, I prefer traditional food because it tastes like childhood. But in reality, I eat fast food almost every day because of the convenience. It fits my busy lifestyle much better right now.

14. Have you ever learned to cook a specific dish?
I once tried to learn how to make pasta from a YouTube video, but it was a disaster. The pasta was overcooked and soggy. Since then, I’ve decided to stay out of the kitchen until I have more patience.

15. What is the most unusual food you have ever eaten?
I once tried fried crickets at a street market! It was surprisingly crunchy and not too bad, but I don't think I would make it a regular part of my diet. It was definitely a unique culinary experience.

Key Vocabulary for IELTS Topic: Food

Here is the complete glossary of every bolded word and phrase used in the answers above.

• Balanced diet: A diet that contains the right amount of different types of food.

• Bland: Food that has very little taste; uninteresting.

• Budget-friendly: Cheap; good for people who don't have much money.

• Can't cook to save my life: To be very bad at cooking.

• Comfort food: Food that makes you feel better when you are sad or stressed (usually unhealthy).

• Culinary experience: Enjoying food as an art or special event.

• Grab-and-go: Food that is pre-packaged and ready to eat immediately (good for busy people).

• Guilty pleasure: Something you enjoy even though you know it isn't good for you.

• Home-cooked meals: Food prepared at home, usually implying it is healthy and made with love.

• Instant noodles: Dried noodles that cook in boiling water in minutes (a classic student meal).

• Junk food: Food that is unhealthy but is quick and easy to eat.

• Means to an end: Something that is not important itself, but is useful to achieve a goal (e.g., eating just to get energy).

• Nutritious: Containing many of the substances needed for life and growth.

• Picky eater: Someone who only likes specific foods and refuses to try others.

• Processed food: Food that has been changed from its natural state (often with chemicals/preservatives).

• Staple diet: The main food that a person or country eats regularly.

• Student budget: Having very limited money because you are studying.

• Sugar rush: A sudden burst of energy caused by eating a lot of sugar.

• Survive on caffeine: To rely heavily on coffee or energy drinks to stay awake.

• Takeout: Food bought from a restaurant to be eaten elsewhere.

• Turn over a new leaf: To start behaving in a better way (e.g., starting a healthy diet).

• Unappetizing: Not looking or smelling good to eat.

• Whip up a meal: To prepare a meal very quickly.

• Wolf down: To eat food very quickly and greedily.

Create Your Own Band 9 Answers

The answers above are perfect—if you are a busy student.
But what if you are a health fanatic?
Or what if you are studying to become a chef?
Your answers need to be true so that you can easily recall them during a stressful exam.

IELTS Speaking Lab helps you turn your real ideas into Band 9 answers.

1. Select your topic - Food.

2. Input your rough idea (e.g., "I love cooking fresh pasta every Sunday").

3. Get personalized Band 9 answers instantly, with the perfect vocabulary for your story.

Start Generating Your Personal Answers Now →