junk food

noun

1. food, as potato chips or candy, that is high in calories but of little nutritional value.
2. anything that is attractive and diverting but of negligible substance:

   the junk food offered by daytime television.

junk food

noun

1. food that is low in nutritional value, often highly processed or ready-prepared, and eaten instead of or in addition to well-balanced meals

Other Words From

• junk-food adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of junk food¹

An Americanism dating back to 1970–75

Idioms and Phrases

Prepackaged snack food that is high in calories but low in nutritional value; also, anything attractive but negligible in value. For example, Nell loves potato chips and other junk food , or When I'm sick in bed I often resort to TV soap operas and similar junk food . [c. 1970]

Example Sentences

When you're only eating junk food every day, it affects your body.

From Salon

The more junk food was available, the board added, the more likely it was that people would get fat.

From BBC

Budget: Get rid of the junk food vending machines.

From Los Angeles Times

Other countries are also considering a ban on TV adverts for junk food aimed at young people.

From BBC

A ban on junk food adverts being shown on TV before 21:00 will come into force on 1 October 2025, the government has confirmed.

From BBC