Weird foods from around the world

This ESL worksheet on unusual foods from around the world is most suitable for B2-level English learners who are curious about global cuisine, cultural traditions, and adventurous eating. The lesson includes vocabulary to describe the texture, smell, and taste of food, as well as functional language to express your opinion about food, encouraging students to explore cultural diversity and culinary traditions. Other lessons you might like are: “Phrasal verbs: eating“, “Idioms: eating and drinking“, “Superfoods“, and “Is a vegan diet the best?“.

Speaking: Introduction to Unusual Foods
The lesson begins with a speaking warm-up where students discuss their favorite and least favorite foods, as well as foods they consider strange or unusual. Guided questions encourage learners to share experiences, cultural associations, and personal memories related to food, setting the stage for exploring unusual dishes from around the world.

Vocabulary: Describing Flavors, Textures, and Smells
Students match foods to descriptive terms for taste, texture, and aroma, then provide additional examples of foods that fit each category. This section builds essential vocabulary for talking about food in a precise and engaging way.

Functional Language: Expressing Opinions About Food
Learners practice expressing positive, negative, and neutral opinions using functional expressions such as “I find ___ absolutely delicious,” “___ just isn’t for me,” and “___ is an acquired taste.” This section reinforces language for personal expression, discussion, and debate.

Reading: Weird Foods from Around the World
Students read detailed descriptions of 4 unusual foods (durian, escamoles, hákarl, and fried tarantulas). The reading also introduces more food-related vocabulary, such as foodie, picky eater, squeamish, palatable, repulsive, and edible. Students match the words to their definitions, and discuss questions to practice them.

Listening: 7 Craziest Foods Around the World.

Students watch a video called “7 craziest foods around the world“, and complete 2 listening comprehension activities.

Speaking: Post-Listening Discussion and Personal Reflection
Students discuss the foods they found most challenging or intriguing, rate the difficulty of trying each dish, and reflect on their own willingness to experiment with unusual foods. Guided questions encourage learners to consider cultural openness, adventurous eating, and memorable experiences related to food.

For more speaking practice, you can use the conversation cards.