food / groceries
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food / groceries
All things that people eat or drink in order to nourish themselves. The term includes both solid food and drinks.
Am Samstag gehe ich immer Lebensmittel für die ganze Woche einkaufen.
On Saturday I always go grocery shopping for the whole week.
The word 'Lebensmittel' (food/groceries) is made up of 'Leben' (life) and 'Mittel' (means). So it literally means 'means of life' and describes everything we eat and drink to survive.
Eine ausgewogene Ernährung besteht aus verschiedenen Lebensmitteln.
A balanced diet consists of various foods.
Although the word has a singular form, in everyday language it is almost always used in the plural, 'die Lebensmittel' (food/groceries). People talk about groceries in general or buy several of them. The singular 'das Lebensmittel' (food item) is rare and sounds more abstract or scientific.
Für das Rezept fehlen uns noch einige Lebensmittel.
We are still missing a few groceries for the recipe.
Common verbs with this noun are 'Lebensmittel einkaufen' (to buy groceries), 'spenden' (to donate), or 'herstellen' (to produce). Typical adjectives are 'frische' (fresh), 'haltbare' (non-perishable), or 'biologische' (organic) Lebensmittel.
Viele Menschen spenden haltbare Lebensmittel an Bedürftige.
Many people donate non-perishable food to those in need.
food / meal / eating
'das Essen' and 'das Lebensmittel' both have to do with things that people consume. 'Essen' is used in everyday language for prepared dishes or for what is currently on the plate. 'Lebensmittel' is more factual and means products that you can buy, store, or use for cooking, including drinks. In the supermarket, when talking about prices, or when talking about shelf life, 'Lebensmittel' is more precise. At the table or while cooking, 'Essen' sounds more natural. The words can be confused because 'Lebensmittel' can later become 'Essen'.
Für die Reise kaufen wir haltbare Lebensmittel und genug Wasser.
For the trip, we're buying non-perishable food and enough water.
Erik achtet auf gesundes Essen, aber am Wochenende isst er auch gern Pizza.
Erik pays attention to healthy food, but on weekends he also likes eating pizza.