student asking question

Isn't "ingredient" a right expression for food? Can I use "component or material" instead?

teacher

Native speaker’s answer

Rebecca

To answer your first question, yes. The word "ingredient" is the correct expression when discussing what exactly is in a specific food or meal. However, it should not be used in place of food, such as pizza, pasta, or curry. "Ingredients" are substances when mixed together that make up the food as a whole. For example, if you were making homemade bread, you need several ingredients: flour, yeast, sugar, salt, and water. These ingredients when mixed together and baked, make delicious homemade bread. You can use the words "component" or "materials" to identify what ingredients are in the food like it was used in this video. Here are a few examples of the correct and incorrect ways to use the word "ingredients." Ex: We need a few ingredients in order to make the pizza. (O) Ex: I want to eat the ingredients on the pizza. (X) Ex: I need these ingredients: rice, potatoes, curry, and broccoli. (O) Ex: We will be eating the ingredients rice, potatoes, curry, and broccoli. (X)

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