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Is there a word that best describes food and drink taken at the same time? I've thought of refreshments and consumables but neither seem right to me.

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"food" actually refers to both food and drinks – Pacerier Nov 24 '11 at 12:13
"food and drink" itself is fairly idiomatic. – Mechanical snail May 30 '12 at 9:49

15 Answers

up vote 43 down vote accepted

Sustenance refers to food and drink.

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That's good enough for me, thanks – Scott Brown Nov 24 '11 at 11:52
in American Heritage Dictionary: 2. The supporting of life or health; maintenance: "to deliver in every morning six beeves, forty sheep, and other victuals for my sustenance" (Jonathan Swift) – 9dan Nov 25 '11 at 13:53
+1 for a silver badge! – Daniel δ Dec 9 '11 at 20:49
@ScottBrown You might say, this answer "sustains" you! ;) :P :) :D :S – bobobobo Jun 2 '12 at 17:56
up vote 28 down vote

Victuals might at a pinch be extended to include drink as well as food.

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up vote 20 down vote

"Victuals" is the correct word for food and drink; or you can use the old English form of the word "vittles". Drink or beverages alone are sometimes referred to as "libations".

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+1 for mentioning 'vittles' :) – Amazed Nov 23 '11 at 22:36
up vote 19 down vote

According to US Legal, aliments are food or drinks that can provide nourishment and support life.

Apparently in the legal context they may also include clothing, but this was news to me.

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Unfortunately if you actually used that word most people would assume you have misspelled ailments. – Ben Brocka Nov 23 '11 at 22:54
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Aliments has been declining over a couple of centuries, and it's certainly dated, but I'd hardly say it's obsolete. Maybe it's more familiar to me because I know it in French, but alimentation seems like a pretty ordinary word I'd expect competent speakers to know - if only because they were taught about the alimentary canal/tract/system in biology. And thinking about it, if I asked for aliments in French, I'd expect drink as well as food (though I'd never expect to be offered clothing!). – FumbleFingers Nov 23 '11 at 23:45
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To me, the first thing I think of is the alimentary canal. And since there's only a few situations where I'm likely to think about my alimentary canal that in turn leads me to think, well, let's say "food poisoning". – Steve314 Nov 24 '11 at 1:53
Steve314: The French would be insulted. They pride themselves on their haute cuisine. – FumbleFingers Nov 24 '11 at 4:39
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@onomatomaniak: Trying to imagine the context, I suppose I might be expecting oysters, champagne, and maybe some erotic lingerie wrapped around an attractive young lady - but most likely it would turn out to be a dream anyway, and I'd wake up to find I was chewing my pillow! :) – FumbleFingers Nov 24 '11 at 14:16
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up vote 10 down vote

In my opinion, it depends on what other things you might want to connote. For example, refreshments is a great word for food and drink together - especially food and drink at group functions like meetings and parties.

"I look forward to seeing you at the all-hands meeting. Don't forget that refreshments will be provided."

If you are talking about procuring food and drink together, you might call them groceries.

Victuals and vittles are also correct, but are not used in American vernacular (at least not on the east coast).

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up vote 7 down vote

I'm a bit surprised that nourishment hasn't come up as an answer itself, although it was used in the definition of another word...

nour·ish·ment/ˈnəriSHmənt/ Noun:

  1. The substances necessary for growth, health, and good condition.
  2. Food.

The first definition would seem to include drink as well as food.

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up vote 3 down vote

Fare - the food and drink that are regularly served or consumed

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up vote 3 down vote

I've always liked "comestibles" though there may be a discussion as to whether this includes drinks or not, but then the boundary between food and drink can be a bit fuzzy.

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up vote 2 down vote

Is not "meal" appropriate that includes the process of eating and drinking?

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Yesterday I went to the store and bought meal for the week. ??? – GEdgar Nov 23 '11 at 22:30
"meals for the week" sounds fine, but agreed this may not be ideal for all contexts – Joseph Weissman Nov 24 '11 at 7:16
up vote 2 down vote

Hmmm, on the vernacular front, I would propose CHOW, GRUB or FARE.

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up vote 2 down vote

While we're coming up with slightly archaic terms, "provender" is listed in some places as meaning "food" but in others as being a synonym for "provisions".

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up vote 1 down vote

Although "food and drink" is an accepted phrase, technically at least, there is no reason why drink should not be considered as food -- think "liquid foods". That way, I find food a sufficient word for all things that go into the alimentary canal for nutritional purposes, in whatever solid, liquid, gaseous (or plasma?) state.

I think for some living beings, their food consists exclusively of liquids. Some elderly people live on liquids alone.

So why not just say food where there is no ambiguity and food and drink where absolutely necessary?

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up vote 0 down vote

You can use wherewithal or nourishment.

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up vote 0 down vote

For any fans of internet culture, the answer is clearly Noms, popularized by sites like icanhazcheeseburger.com (LOLCats), wins.failblog.org and others.

I was surprised that it didn't have widespread use outside of the internet - until I picked up my kids from daycare and the carer said "they've been good today - they had all their noms"

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I am an occasional Failblog reader. Noms? I guess I need to read the words, not merely look at the pictures. That doesn't sound even vaguely familiar to me. – Feral Oink Nov 25 '11 at 9:39
up vote 0 down vote

You could use the word edibles.

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edibles is defined as "fit to be eaten", therefore does only imply food and not drink. (M-W: merriam-webster.com/dictionary/edibles) – canpolat Aug 5 '12 at 20:53

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