Having a list of food quotes for Instagram posts and captions is always handy. What do you post when you don’t have a gorgeous recipe or plated meal to photograph?
You’re looking for filler posts – and quote posts on Instagram are always a great idea.
Finding the right quote can really make an Instagram post or reel pop.
And sometimes a short funny food quote is all you need.
I’ve done research for you, curating some of the best food quotes for various food topics.
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Top Food Quotes For Instagram Posts And Captions
From ancient quotes to the most recent influential food writers, chefs and critics, you’ll find over 150 of the best food quotes in this post.
Whether you’re posting fresh content, or promoting your blog content on Instagram, these will grab your reader’s attention!
I hope you find the right quote in this list of 150-plus food quotes!
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General Food Quotes
These are general quotes on food that are perfect for the occasional Instagram post when you don’t have much to say.
- “Food is symbolic of love when words are inadequate.” – Alan D. Wolfelt
- “Food is not rational. Food is culture, habit, craving and identity.” – Jonathan Safran Foer
- “After a good dinner one can forgive anybody, even one’s own relations.” – Oscar Wilde
- “One cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one has not dined well.” – Virginia Woolf
- “Food is the most primitive form of comfort.” – Sheila Graham
- “People who love to eat are always the best people.” – Julia Child
- “Food, to me, is always about cooking and eating with those you love and care for.” – David Chang
- “The belly rules the mind.” – Spanish Proverb
- “First we eat, then we do everything else.” – M.F.K. Fisher
- “Food brings people together on many different levels. It’s nourishment of the soul and body; it’s truly love.” – Giada De Laurentiis
- “There is no sincerer love than the love of food.” – George Bernard Shaw
- “Food is our common ground, a universal experience.” – James Beard
- “We all eat, and it would be a sad waste of opportunity to eat badly.” – Anna Thomas
Food And Love Quotes
Food and love go hand-in-hand, so you’re going to need some good food and love quotes!
- “The way to a man’s heart is through his stomach.” – Fanny Fern
- “Love and sausage are alike. Can never have enough of either.” – Tripp Evans
- “Food is symbolic of love when words are inadequate.” – Alan D. Wolfelt
- “Love, like a chicken salad or restaurant hash, must be taken with blind faith or it loses its flavor.” – Helen Rowland
- “Food is love made visible.” – Sarah Ban Breathnach
- “In love as in cooking, you’ve got to give it your all, or it’s nothing at all.” – Harriet Van Horne
- “Eating is intimate. It’s very sensual. When you invite someone to sit at your table and you want to cook for them, you’re inviting a person into your life.” – Maya Angelou
Food And Family Quotes
From childhood, we learn how to eat with family at breakfast, lunch and dinner. Here are a few food and family quotes.
These are great food quotes for Instagram posts on eating with kids and family celebrations.
- “The fondest memories are made when gathered around the table.” – Unknown
- “Family and friends gather around food, and that’s what makes us feel closest.” – Lidia Bastianich
- “Home is where the heart is, but the kitchen is where the real magic happens.” – Unknown
- “A family that eats together stays together.” – Unknown
- “The shared meal elevates eating from a mechanical process of fueling the body to a ritual of family and community, from the mere animal biology to an act of culture.” – Michael Pollan
- “Food tastes better when you eat it with your family.” – Unknown
- “Family is like fudge, mostly sweet with a few nuts.” – Unknown
Food And Life Quotes
There’s something about food that makes us philosophical about life. So let’s add some quotes that fit this topic.
- “Life is too short to eat boring food.” – Unknown
- “Cooking is all about people. Food is maybe the only universal thing that really has the power to bring everyone together. No matter what culture, everywhere around the world, people get together to eat.” – Guy Fieri
- “You don’t need a silver fork to eat good food.” – Paul Prudhomme
- “To eat is a necessity, but to eat intelligently is an art.” – François de La Rochefoucauld
- “In the sweetness of friendship, let there be laughter, and sharing of pleasures. For in the dew of little things, the heart finds its morning and is refreshed.” – Khalil Gibran
- “The only time to eat diet food is while you’re waiting for the steak to cook.” – Julia Child
- “Food is the ingredient that binds us together.” – Unknown
Italian Food Quotes
A top favourite of many people, Italian food unfortunately doesn’t have too many quotes about it. But of those that are floating around, here are a few good ones.
I love Sophia Loren’s quote!
This would make an excellent food quote for Instagram posts of big bowls or plates of delicious-looking pasta.
- “Life is a combination of magic and pasta.” – Federico Fellini
- “The trouble with eating Italian food is that five or six days later you’re hungry again.” -George Miller
- “There’s nothing more romantic than Italian food.” -Elisha Cuthbert
- “You may have the universe if I may have Italy.” – Giuseppe Verdi
- “Italian food is a culture, not just a cuisine.” -Unknown
- “Everything you see I owe to spaghetti.” – Sophia Loren
French Food Quotes
On the flip side, there’s much to be said about French food. This just is the tip of the iceberg.
- “Good food is the foundation of genuine happiness.” – Auguste Escoffier
- “The French approach to food is characteristic they bring to their consideration of the table the same appreciation, respect, intelligence and lively interest that they have for the other arts, for painting, for literature, and for the theatre.” – Norman Douglas
- “In France, cooking is a serious art form and a national sport.” – Julia Child
- “If you’re afraid of butter, use cream.” – Julia Child
- “You can’t have the butter and the price of the butter.” – French Proverb
- “One doesn’t make an omelet without breaking a few eggs.” – French Proverb
- “French cuisine is the foundation of most Western cuisines, from Italian to Spanish to American. It’s disciplined, yet it’s also a bit of a mess, and it allows for endless improvisation.” – David Lebovitz
- “French cuisine is not about technique. It’s about fresh ingredients. It’s about how you season them. It’s about how you cook them. It’s about how you use them.” – Joel Robuchon
Chinese Food Quotes
Just like French food, there’s quite a bit said about Chinese food too! Enjoy these Chinese food quotes.
- “To the ruler, the people are heaven; to the people, food is heaven.” – Ancient Chinese Proverb
- “Eating is a necessity, but cooking is an art.” – Unknown
- The way you cut your meat reflects the way you live.” – Confucius
- “Better to be deprived of food for three days, than tea for one.” – Ancient Chinese proverb
- “He that takes medicine and neglects diet, wastes the skills of the physician.” – Chinese proverb
- “Chinese food tries to engage the mind, not just the palate. To provoke the intellect.”- Nicole Mones
- “Chinese food is a celebration of taste, color, and aroma.”- Martin Yan
- “Chinese cuisine is a rich tapestry of flavors, textures, and aromas that dance on the taste buds.” -Ken Hom
- “In Chinese culture, food is medicine; food is culture; food is a way of celebrating.” = Martin Yan
- “Chinese food is not just about flavor; it’s about texture, color, and the harmony of all these elements.”- Ching-He Huang
Japanese Food Quotes
There’s more to Japanese food than sushi. And there are so many beaitufl Japanese food quotes too!
- “Happiness is… Japanese food.” – Anonymous
- “Food is symbolic of love when words are inadequate.” – Japanese Proverb
- “Ramen is not a dish, it’s an art form. It’s something that takes a lot of love and patience to make.” – Ivan Orkin
- “Japanese food is pure, delicate, and healthy. It reflects the culture and craftsmanship of a nation.” – Joel Robuchon
- “Sushi is the most divine, the most poetic of all the foods one can eat. For me, it’s like a religion.” – Jean-Anthelme Brillat-Savarin
- “Don’t just eat. Taste. Don’t just smell. Savor. When you connect with the flavors, you’ll truly discover the culture.” – Atsuko Ikeda
- “Japanese cuisine is a celebration of the seasons, a delicate art form wrapped in precision and tradition.” – Nobu Matsuhisa
- “Japanese food is not just about taste; it’s about the harmony of ingredients and presentation.” – Masaharu Morimoto
- “The beauty of Japanese cuisine lies in its simplicity, where every ingredient is respected and showcased in its purest form.” – Takashi Yagihashi
- “Japanese food is very pretty and undoubtedly a suitable cuisine in the sense that it’s delicious, you can enjoy it just looking at it, and you can even play with it.” – Natsuki Takaya
Mexican Food Quotes
From these Mexican food quotes, it seems that it has a bit of a bad rep… exciting, renegade but apparently also high quality.
- “Mexican food is so full of color, life, and music. It’s like a piñata exploding in your mouth.” – Kate McLennan
- “Mexican food is an art form, and a staple in our lives. It’s a source of pride for us.” – Sandra Cisneros
- “Life is a combination of magic and tacos.” – Unknown
- “The only bad taco is the one you didn’t eat.” – Unknown
- “Mexican food is far more varied than people think. It changes like dialects.” – Gustavo Arellano
- “You don’t need a silver fork to eat good food.” – Paul Prudhomme (referring to the humble nature of Mexican street food)
- “Salsa is the Spanish word for sauce, and it’s the best way to describe the Mexican people: hot, spicy, and a little saucy!” – Carmen Agra Deedy
- “To me, if life boils down to one thing, it’s movement. To live is to keep moving.” – Jerry Seinfeld (in reference to the lively and dynamic nature of Mexican cuisine)
- “Mexican food is an art form, and in my opinion, the most artistic of all.” – Daniella Monet
- “Tacos are the answer. It doesn’t matter what the question is.” – Unknown
- “Mexican food is not for the faint of heart.” – Melissa De La Cruz
- “In Mexican culture, we have a word for sushi: bait.” – Jose Simon
Indian Food Quotes
Next on our list of food quotes for Instagram is Indian food quotes.
Spicy, hot and exciting – these Indian food quotes work well with colourful Instagram posts of delicious Indian dishes.
- “Spices are the keys to the Indian heart.” – Yotam Ottolenghi
- “Indian food is the only one in the world in which you get the same exact taste every time you eat it.” – Douglas Adams
- “The Indian cuisine is as rich and diverse as its culture, with flavors and ingredients that are unlike anything else in the world.” – Unknown
- “Indian food is the best food in the world.” – Reza Aslan
- “Indian food is the great cuisine of the world. It has all the elements that other cuisines don’t have.” – Mark Wiens
- “Indian cuisine is a mosaic that mirrors the cultural diversity of this vast country. Each region boasts its own unique flavors, and the result is a symphony of spices and aromas.” – Madhur Jaffrey
- “Indian food is the only one in the world in which one can get every taste – sweet, sour, salty, pungent, and bitter.” – Madhur Jaffrey
- “Indian food is the great unifier, a cuisine that transcends all boundaries and brings people together through the joy of eating.” – Vikas Khanna
- “Indian cooking is not just about heat; it’s about the combination of flavors, textures, and the delicate balance of spices that make each dish unique.” – Sanjeev Kapoor
- “Indian food is like classical music; it takes time to master and appreciate its complexity, but once you do, it becomes a lifelong love affair.” – Floyd Cardoz
American Food Quotes
We can’t omit American food quotes from this list.
Here are several classics, including those from my favourite chef, food personality and author, Anthony Bourdain.
- “I am not a glutton – I am an explorer of food.” – Erma Bombeck
- “American food is the food of the immigrant. We bring traditions from our homes and our families and create something uniquely American.” – Roy Choi
- “The hamburger is a great place to start in understanding the culture of food in America.” – Danny Meyer
- “I think what makes American food so exciting is the complexity and the simplicity of it. It’s a cuisine that is diverse, but humble.” – Daniel Boulud
- “The 12-step chocoholics program: Never be more than 12 steps away from chocolate!” – Terry Moore
- “You can’t just eat good food. You’ve got to talk about it too.” – Kurt Vonnegut
- “America is a confirmed sandwich nation. Everywhere you look, there are sandwiches.” – Jim Lebenthal
- “The story of America’s quest for freedom is inscribed on her history in the blood of her patriots.” – Randy Vader
- “The 4th of July is the day we celebrate American independence and, of course, eat a lot of hot dogs. It’s a holiday for eating.” – Marcus Samuelsson
- “American food is all about extremes, whether it’s super-sized, super sweet, or super savory.” – Simon Majumdar
- “American food may be fast food and unhealthy food, but it’s also genuinely good food.” – Anthony Bourdain
- “Food is everything we are. It’s an extension of nationalist feeling, ethnic feeling, your personal history, your province, your region, your tribe, your grandma.” – Anthony Bourdain
PRO TIP: Want more of Anthony Bourdain’s quotes? Some of his earlier stuff might work perfectly for your content. Check out Anthony Bourdain’s X (Twitter) account for some great content.
Healthy Eating Quotes
If healthy eating is your thing, these food quotes for Instagram posts and captions will work!
- “Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.” – Hippocrates
- “Healthy eating is a way of life, so it’s important to establish routines that are simple, realistically, and ultimately livable.” – Horace
- “The food you eat can be either the safest and most powerful form of medicine or the slowest form of poison.” – Ann Wigmore
- “Your diet is a bank account. Good food choices are good investments.” – Bethenny Frankel
- “Eat clean, stay fit, and have a burger to stay sane.” – Gigi Hadi
- “You are what you eat, so don’t be fast, cheap, easy, or fake.” – Unknown
- “When diet is wrong, medicine is of no use. When diet is correct, medicine is of no need.” – Ayurvedic Proverb
- “Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants.” – Michael Pollan
- “Take care of your body. It’s the only place you have to live.” – Jim Rohn
- “The doctor of the future will no longer treat the human frame with drugs, but rather will cure and prevent disease with nutrition.” – Thomas Edison
- “The food you eat can either be the safest and most powerful form of medicine, or the slowest form of poison.” – Ann Wigmore
- “An apple a day keeps the doctor away.” – Proverb
- “Don’t eat anything your great-grandmother wouldn’t recognize as food.” – Michael Pollan
- “Your body is a temple, but only if you treat it as one.” – Astrid Alauda
- “Good nutrition creates health in all areas of our existence. All parts are interconnected.” – T. Colin Campbell
Dessert Quotes
On the flipside of healthy eating, these dessert quotes are quite fun and decadent!
- “Stressed spelled backward is desserts. Coincidence? I don’t think so!” – Unknown
- “There is no better way to bring people together than with desserts.” – Gail Simmons
- “Desserts are the fairy tales of the kitchen, a happily-ever-after to supper.” – Terri Guillemets
- “Life is short, eat dessert first.” – Jacques Torres
- “Dessert is like a feel-good song, and the best ones make you dance.” – Chef Edward Lee
- “Life is short, eat dessert first.” – Ernestine Ulmer
- “Stressed spelled backward is desserts. Coincidence? I think not!” – Unknown
- “Dessert is like a feel-good song, and the best ones make you dance.” – Edward Lee
- “Desserts are the sweetest form of art.” – Joe Grana
- “Dessert is probably the most important stage of the meal since it will be the last thing your guests remember before they pass out all over the table.” – William Powell
- “Desserts are the most crucial part of any meal.” – Linda Sunshine
- “A party without cake is just a meeting.” – Julia Child
- “Cakes are healthy too; you just eat a small slice.” – Mary Berry
- “Dessert is to a meal what a dress is to a woman.” – Béatrice Peltre
- “The only time to eat diet food is while you’re waiting for the steak to cook.” – Julia Child
- “Dessert is meant to be shared with friends. When you find someone who loves dessert as much as you do, hold onto them.” – Unknown
- “Dessert is like a feel-good song, and the best ones make you dance.” – Chef Edward Lee
- “Happiness is knowing there is a cake in the oven.” – Unknown
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Short Funny Food Quotes
I couldn’t finish off this list without a few short funny food quotes and captions for Instagram posts.
- “I’m on a seafood diet. I see food, and I eat it.” – Unknown
- “Will work for tacos.” – Unknown
- “I’m soy into you.” – Unknown
- “I cook with wine. Sometimes, I even add it to the food.” – W.C. Fields
- “I have mixed drinks about feelings.” – Unknown
- “Life is short. Eat dessert first, work later.” – Unknown
- “I followed my heart, and it led me to the fridge.” – Unknown
- “Pizza is my valentine.” – Unknown
- “I’m in a committed relationship with food.” – Unknown
- “There’s nothing better than cake but more cake.” -Harry S. Truman
- “I followed my heart, and it led me to the fridge.” – Unknown
- “I’m just a girl, standing in front of a salad, asking it to be a donut.” – Unknown
- “I like hashtags because they look like waffles.” – Unknown
- “The only thing I like better than talking about food is eating.” – John Walters
- “If you were a vegetable, you’d be a cute-cumber!” – Unknown
- “Carbs might be my soulmate.” – Unknown
- “I’m on a whiskey diet. I’ve lost three days already.” – Tommy Cooper
- “I don’t trust people who dislike pizza.” – Unknown
- “I don’t need a hairstylist; my pillow gives me a new hairstyle every morning.” – Unknown (for those messy bedhead brunch photos)
Start Producing Gorgeous Food Instagram Posts And Reels
Now you have some fantastic food quotes for Instagram posts and reels.
Start taking good food photos and sharing them with others!
If you’re lacking beautiful food photos check out some of the best stock photo sites for styled food shots:
- IvoryMix (over 1000 food-related photos)
- Styled Stock Society
More expensive but high-quality food photos can be found at:
I’ve also got for you a list of travel quotes that include food travel quotes.
And if you’re a food blogger, check out:
- How To Start A Profitable Food Blog
- How To Write A Tasty Food Blog Post
- Food Blog Post Ideas Your Readers Will Love
- How To Make Your Food Blog Profitable
QUESTION: What’s your favourite food quote?
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I love the Japanese food quotes! I am obsessed with Japanese food and eat it as much as I can.
Me too! Sushi, teriyaki salmon… it’s all so yummy!