100+ Differences Between British vs. American Food Names

Here in this article, you will learn 100+ Differences Between British vs. American Food Names. This lesson will help you to improve your English vocabulary.

British vs. American Food

When it comes to food, British cuisine often reflects a bigger appetite compared to American traditions. A British breakfast typically includes sausages, eggs, bacon, beans, black pudding, mushrooms, and toast, all complemented by a beverage such as coffee or tea. This variety starkly contrasts with the often more varied American breakfast, creating an interesting juxtaposition. Moreover, dining etiquette differs significantly between these cultures. For instance, the way Brits and Americans hold their knives and forks during meals varies. In the UK, eating out is typically reserved to celebrate an occasion or to mark a milestone, whereas Americans tend to dine out frequently, perhaps because restaurants in the US are generally cheaper. Reflecting on my personal experiences, I recall the joy of a traditional British breakfast during a visit to London, where the hearty meal felt like a culinary adventure compared to the more familiar American morning offerings.

100+ Differences Between British vs. American Food Names

Here in this section, you will learn the differences Between British vs. American Food Names. So just stay with us and learn this amazing lesson.

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Differences Between British vs. American Food Names

Food Names;

Sultanas (UK) vs. Golden Raisins (US)

Sultanas in the UK are known as golden raisins in the US.

Fish Fingers (UK) vs. Fish Sticks (US)

Fish fingers in the UK refer to what Americans call fish sticks.

Hot Cross Bun (UK) vs. Spiced Bun (US)

Hot cross buns in the UK are spiced buns with a cross on top, often eaten around Easter.

Chequered Biscuit (UK) vs. Checkerboard Cookie (US)

Chequered biscuits in the UK are cookies with a checkerboard pattern, known as checkerboard cookies in the US.

Coriander Seeds (UK) vs. Cilantro Seeds (US)

Coriander seeds in the UK refer to what Americans call cilantro seeds.

Cookery (UK) vs. Cooking (US)

Cookery in the UK refers to the art of preparing food, known simply as cooking in the US.

Desiccated Coconut (UK) vs. Shredded Coconut (US)

Desiccated coconut in the UK is finely shredded, dried coconut known as shredded coconut in the US.

Double Cream (UK) vs. Heavy Cream (US)

Double cream in the UK is similar to heavy cream in the US, with a high-fat content.

Hundreds and Thousands (UK) vs. Sprinkles (US)

Hundreds and thousands in the UK refer to what Americans call sprinkles, tiny sugar decorations for desserts.

Iced Bun (UK) vs. Frosted Bun (US)

Iced buns in the UK are sweet buns topped with icing, similar to frosted buns in the US.

Oxheart (UK) vs. Tomato (US)

Oxheart in the UK refers to a specific variety of large, heart-shaped tomatoes known simply as tomatoes in the US.

Ploughman’s Lunch (UK) vs. Farmer’s Lunch (US)

Ploughman’s lunch in the UK is a traditional meal of bread, cheese, and pickles, similar to what might be called a farmer’s lunch in the US.

Rock Cakes (UK) vs. Rock Buns (US)

Rock cakes in the UK are small, crumbly cakes similar to what Americans call rock buns.

Suet Pudding (UK) vs. Suet Cake (US)

Suet pudding in the UK is a steamed or boiled dessert made with suet, similar to a suet cake in the US.

Tea Cake (UK) vs. Tea Bread (US)

Teacake in the UK is a sweet, bread-like cake often served with tea, known as tea bread in the US.

Trifle (UK) vs. Layered Dessert (US)

Trifle in the UK is a layered dessert with sponge cake, custard, and fruit, similar to what might be called a layered dessert in the US.

Yorkshire Pudding (UK) vs. Popovers (US)

Yorkshire pudding in the UK is a baked batter dish served with roast beef, similar to popovers in the US

Aubergine (UK) vs. Eggplant (US)

Aubergine is the British term for the purple vegetable known as eggplant in the US.

Biscuit (UK) vs. Cookie (US)

In the UK, biscuits are sweet baked goods, similar to what Americans call cookies.

Crisps (UK) vs. Chips (US)

Crisps in the UK are thin, fried potato slices known as chips in the US.

Chips (UK) vs. Fries (US)

British chips are thick-cut fried potatoes, called fries in the US.

Courgette (UK) vs. Zucchini (US)

Courgette is the British term for the green summer squash known as zucchini in the US.

Sweets (UK) vs. Candy (US)

In the UK, sweets refer to confectionery, while in the US, they are called candy.

Porridge (UK) vs. Oatmeal (US)

Porridge in the UK is typically made from oats and is called oatmeal in the US.

Banger (UK) vs. Sausage (US)

Banger is a colloquial British term for sausage.

Jacket Potato (UK) vs. Baked Potato (US)

A jacket potato in the UK is known as a baked potato in the US.

Fairy Cake (UK) vs. Cupcake (US)

Fairy cakes in the UK are similar to the American cupcakes but typically smaller.

Icing Sugar (UK) vs. Powdered Sugar (US)

Icing sugar in the UK is finely ground sugar known as powdered sugar in the US.

Minced Meat (UK) vs. Ground Meat (US)

Minced meat in the UK is ground meat in the US, typically beef.

Spring Onion (UK) vs. Green Onion (US)

Spring onions in the UK are known as green onions in the US.

Prawn (UK) vs. Shrimp (US)

Prawns in the UK refer to what Americans call shrimp.

Runner Beans (UK) vs. String Beans (US)

Runner beans in the UK are called string beans in the US.

Rocket (UK) vs. Arugula (US)

Rocket is the British term for the leafy green known as arugula in the US.

Swede (UK) vs. Rutabaga (US)

Swede in the UK refers to the root vegetable called rutabaga in the US.

Takeaway (UK) vs. Takeout (US)

Takeaway in the UK means food taken out from a restaurant, known as takeout in the US.

Treacle (UK) vs. Molasses (US)

Treacle in the UK is a syrupy byproduct of sugar refining called molasses in the US.

Jam (UK) vs. Jelly (US)

Jam in the UK refers to what Americans call jelly, a spread made from fruit and sugar.

Trolley (UK) vs. Shopping Cart (US)

Trolley in the UK refers to what Americans call a shopping cart.

Pudding (UK) vs. Dessert (US)

In the UK, pudding is a general term for dessert, while in the US, it refers to a specific creamy dessert.

Coriander (UK) vs. Cilantro (US)

Coriander in the UK is the same as cilantro in the US, referring to the leaves of the coriander plant.

Maize (UK) vs. Corn (US)

Maize is the British term for the grain crop known as corn in the US.

Gammon (UK) vs. Ham (US)

Gammon in the UK is a type of cured pork, known as ham in the US.

Pancake (UK) vs. Flapjack (US)

Pancakes in the UK are thin and similar to crepes, while flapjacks in the US are thick and similar to UK pancakes.

Lollipop (UK) vs. Sucker (US)

Lollipop in the UK refers to what Americans call a sucker, a hard candy on a stick.

Mince Pie (UK) vs. Meat Pie (US)

Mince pies in the UK are sweet pies with fruit filling, while meat pies in the US contain meat.

Biscuit (US) vs. Scone (UK)

In the US, biscuits are soft bread rolls, while in the UK, scones are similar but often sweeter.

Ice Lolly (UK) vs. Popsicle (US)

Ice lolly in the UK refers to what Americans call a popsicle, a frozen treat on a stick.

Rasher (UK) vs. Bacon Strip (US)

Rasher in the UK is a thin slice of bacon, known as a bacon strip in the US.

Scallion (US) vs. Spring Onion (UK)

Scallion in the US refers to what the British call spring onion.

Canteen (UK) vs. Cafeteria (US)

A canteen in the UK is a place where food is served, similar to a cafeteria in the US.

Drink Names

Here in this section, you will learn amazing drink names in American and British English.

Drink Names

Tea (UK) vs. Iced Tea (US)

Tea in the UK typically refers to a hot beverage, while iced tea in the US is a cold, sweetened version.

Brandy (UK) vs. Cognac (US)

Brandy in the UK refers to a distilled wine spirit, whereas Cognac is a type of brandy from France, more commonly used in the US.

Claret (UK) vs. Red Wine (US)

Claret in the UK refers to Bordeaux or red wine in the US.

Lager Top (UK) vs. Beer with a Splash of Lemonade (US)

Lager Top in the UK is a lager beer with a splash of lemonade, a concept less common in the US.

Blackcurrant Cordial (UK) vs. Blackcurrant Syrup (US)

Blackcurrant cordial in the UK is a concentrated syrup, called blackcurrant syrup in the US.

Draught Beer (UK) vs. Draft Beer (US)

Draught beer in the UK is served from a keg, called draft beer in the US.

Grog (UK) vs. Rum Mix (US)

Grog in the UK refers to a mixture of rum and water, often with lime and sugar, known as a rum mix in the US.

Lemon Barley Water (UK) vs. Lemonade (US)

Lemon barley water in the UK is a drink made from barley and lemon, while lemonade in the US is a sweetened lemon drink.

Malt Whisky (UK) vs. Single Malt Scotch (US)

Malt whisky in the UK is a whisky made from malted barley, known as single malt scotch in the US.

Prosecco (UK) vs. Sparkling Wine (US)

Prosecco in the UK is an Italian sparkling wine, called sparkling wine in the US.

Scotch (UK) vs. Whiskey (US)

Scotch in the UK refers to whisky from Scotland, known as whiskey in the US.

Sherry (UK) vs. Aperitif (US)

Sherry in the UK is a fortified wine often served before meals, called aperitif in the US.

Cordial (UK) vs. Liqueur (US)

Cordial in the UK is a sweetened spirit, known as liqueur in the US.

Top Deck (UK) vs. Beer with Soda (US)

Top deck in the UK is a mixture of beer and soda, similar to a beer with soda in the US.

Weissbier (UK) vs. Wheat Beer (US)

Weissbier in the UK is a German-style wheat beer, known as wheat beer in the US.

Zinfandel (UK) vs. White Zinfandel (US)

Zinfandel in the UK refers to a type of red wine, while white zinfandel in the US is a sweeter, pink variant.

Cask Ale (UK) vs. Real Ale (US)

Cask ale in the UK is unfiltered and unpasteurized beer, known as real ale in the US.

Digestif (UK) vs. After-Dinner Drink (US)

Digestif in the UK is a drink served after a meal, called an after-dinner drink in the US.

Fortified Wine (UK) vs. Dessert Wine (US)

Fortified wine in the UK is a wine with added spirits, often served as a dessert wine in the US.

Kombucha (UK) vs. Fermented Tea (US)

Kombucha in the UK is a fermented tea drink, known as fermented tea in the US.

Lager Shandy (UK) vs. Beer Lemonade Mix (US)

Lager shandy in the UK is a mix of lager and lemonade, similar to a beer lemonade mix in the US.

Spritzer (UK) vs. Wine Cooler (US)

Spritzer in the UK is a mix of wine and soda water, known as a wine cooler in the US.

Ale (UK) vs. Craft Beer (US)

Ale in the UK refers to a traditional beer style, often called craft beer in the US.

Bitter Lemon (UK) vs. Lemon Tonic (US)

Bitter lemon in the UK is a lemon-flavoured tonic, known as a lemon tonic in the US.

Cider Shandy (UK) vs. Hard Cider Lemonade Mix (US)

Cider shandy in the UK is a mix of cider and lemonade, similar to a hard cider lemonade mix in the US.

Ginger Wine (UK) vs. Ginger Liqueur (US)

Ginger wine in the UK is a sweet, fortified wine flavoured with ginger, known as ginger liqueur in the US.

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