How to Make Spanish Family Time Fun: 15 Food & Drink Words + a Recipe
If your child lights up at taco night but sighs at Spanish homework, it’s time to bring language learning to the table—literally! For middle school beginners who have never taken Spanish before, learning through Spanish food vocabulary offers an easy win. Every meal becomes a mini lesson, every recipe a cultural adventure.
Spanish food vocabulary is especially powerful because it connects to daily life. Kids see, taste, and use these words in context—helping them remember faster and feel more confident speaking aloud. Instead of memorizing disconnected words, they’re describing real things around them: “Pass the spoon,” “The salsa is spicy,” “I like rice with beans.”
In this blog, you’ll learn more than 20 essential food and drink words grouped by theme, discover fun example phrases, and finish with a simple bilingual recipe the whole family can enjoy together.
En la Cocina (In the Kitchen)
Let’s start where every good meal begins—the kitchen! Learning these words helps your child describe what they see while cooking or setting the table.
La estufa – stove
Where food gets its warmth and flavor.
Ejemplo: La sopa está en la estufa. — “The soup is on the stove.”
La sartén – pan
Used for frying eggs, tortillas, or veggies.
Ejemplo: Fríe los huevos en la sartén. — “Fry the eggs in the pan.”
La olla – pot
Perfect for soups or stews—common in Latin American dishes like sancocho.
Ejemplo: La abuela cocina frijoles en la olla. — “Grandma cooks beans in the pot.”
El cuchillo – knife
Be careful! This word is essential when prepping ingredients.
Ejemplo: Corta el tomate con el cuchillo. — “Cut the tomato with the knife.”
La cuchara – spoon
Used for mixing, serving, and tasting.
Ejemplo: Necesito una cuchara para la sopa. — “I need a spoon for the soup.”
El tazón – bowl
You’ll use it for salads, mixing batters, or guacamole!
Ejemplo: Pon los ingredientes en el tazón. — “Put the ingredients in the bowl.”
Learning these words makes kitchen time bilingual and practical. Try labeling each item with sticky notes in Spanish to reinforce vocabulary while cooking.
Ingredientes Sabrosos (Tasty Ingredients)
Now that you can describe the kitchen, let’s fill it with flavor! These words help your child talk about everyday foods they actually eat.
El aguacate – avocado
A favorite in Latin American dishes like guacamole.
Ejemplo: El aguacate está muy maduro. — “The avocado is very ripe.”
El maíz – corn
A key ingredient in tortillas, tamales, and arepas across Latin America.
Ejemplo: El maíz es importante en la comida mexicana. — “Corn is important in Mexican food.”
El arroz – rice
Common in meals from Mexico to Spain.
Ejemplo: Comemos arroz con pollo los domingos. — “We eat rice with chicken on Sundays.”
Los frijoles – beans
Protein-packed and versatile—great to teach kids about cultural staples.
Ejemplo: Los frijoles negros son deliciosos. — “Black beans are delicious.”
El ajo – garlic
Adds flavor to almost everything!
Ejemplo: Agrega ajo al guacamole. — “Add garlic to the guacamole.”
La cebolla – onion
Found in countless dishes—sauté, grill, or chop it fine.
Ejemplo: Pica la cebolla con cuidado. — “Chop the onion carefully.”
El chile – pepper/chili
Spice levels vary across countries—Mexican chiles are famous!
Ejemplo: Esta salsa tiene mucho chile. — “This sauce has a lot of chili.”
El queso – cheese
Used in everything from quesadillas to empanadas.
Ejemplo: El queso se derrite en la tortilla. — “The cheese melts on the tortilla.”
El limón – lime
Often green, not yellow! A common confusion for English speakers.
Ejemplo: Exprime el limón sobre el pescado. — “Squeeze the lime over the fish.”
Each of these words connects learners to Latin American culture and teaches that Spanish-speaking countries share some ingredients—but prepare them in unique ways.
Bebidas y Sabores (Drinks & Flavors)
No meal is complete without something to drink! These words add flavor and help your child express their preferences naturally.
El jugo – juice
Popular flavors include jugo de naranja (orange juice) or jugo de piña (pineapple juice).
Ejemplo: Quiero un jugo de mango. — “I want a mango juice.”
La horchata – rice milk drink
A sweet, milky beverage from Mexico, Central America, and Spain.
Ejemplo: La horchata es mi bebida favorita. — “Horchata is my favorite drink.”
El agua de jamaica – hibiscus tea
A refreshing ruby-red drink popular in Mexico.
Ejemplo: El agua de jamaica es dulce y fría. — “Hibiscus tea is sweet and cold.”
El café con leche – coffee with milk
For adults, it’s a breakfast staple across Latin America and Spain.
Ejemplo: Mi mamá toma café con leche cada mañana. — “My mom drinks coffee with milk every morning.”
Dulce – sweet
Describes desserts, drinks, or even personalities.
Ejemplo: El pastel está muy dulce. — “The cake is very sweet.”
Picante – spicy
A key taste word your child will love to say!
Ejemplo: Esta salsa está picante. — “This sauce is spicy.”
Salado – salty
Use it to describe snacks or main dishes.
Ejemplo: Las papas fritas son saladas. — “The fries are salty.”
Agrio – sour
Perfect for describing lime, vinegar, or yogurt.
Ejemplo: El limón es agrio. — “The lime is sour.”
En la Mesa (At the Table)
Now it’s time to enjoy your meal! These words bring family conversations to life and make dinner time interactive in Spanish.
El plato – plate
Use it for serving food.
Ejemplo: Pon el pollo en el plato. — “Put the chicken on the plate.”
El vaso – glass
For water, juice, or milk.
Ejemplo: Mi vaso está vacío. — “My glass is empty.”
La servilleta – napkin
Essential for neat eaters (and messier ones too!).
Ejemplo: Pásame la servilleta, por favor. — “Pass me the napkin, please.”
El tenedor – fork
One of the three main eating utensils.
Ejemplo: No tengo tenedor. — “I don’t have a fork.”
Brindar – to toast
A beautiful cultural word—used to celebrate special moments.
Ejemplo: Brindemos por la familia. — “Let’s toast to family.”
¡Buen provecho! – Enjoy your meal!
Common phrase said before eating in Spanish-speaking countries.
Ejemplo: ¡Buen provecho, todos! — “Enjoy your meal, everyone!”
Family Recipe: Guacamole de la Familia
A simple recipe to bring all this vocabulary to life!
Ingredientes:
- 2 aguacates (avocados)
- 1 tomate (tomato)
- 1/4 cebolla (onion)
- 1 diente de ajo (garlic clove)
- 1 limón (lime)
- sal (salt) to taste
Instrucciones:
- Lava los aguacates y corta por la mitad. (Wash the avocados and cut them in half.)
- Quita el hueso y saca la pulpa y colócala en un tazón. (Take out the pit, scoop out the pulp and place it in a bowl.)
- Agrega tomate, cebolla, ajo y jugo de limón. (Add tomato, onion, garlic, and lime juice.)
- Mezcla todo con una cuchara y agrega sal. (Mix everything with a spoon and add salt.)
- Sirve con totopos o pan. (Serve with tortilla chips or bread.)
Now you’ve practiced dozens of words while preparing a dish your family will love!
Bonus Mini Activity using Spanish Food Vocabulary: “¿Qué hay en la mesa?”
After dinner, play a quick game:
Parent: ¿Qué hay en la mesa? (What’s on the table?)
Child: Hay un vaso, un tenedor y una servilleta. (There’s a glass, a fork, and a napkin.)
For extra fun, use a timer and see who can name more items in 30 seconds!
Spanish Food Vocabulary: From Family Fun to Real Spanish Fluency
Cooking, eating, and learning together in Spanish helps turn ordinary family moments into lasting language memories. The vocabulary you’ve learned today is more than words—it’s a foundation your child can build on with every meal and every conversation.
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