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 Word Forms

• 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

"These are a long-overdue first step, but the government is far away from meeting its manifesto commitment to end junk food advertising to kids."

From BBC

"People in poorer areas are surrounded by junk food advertising, more unhealthy takeaways, and face bigger barriers to buying healthy food," she says.

From BBC

It means junk foods including pizza, chocolate, and cereal will have to be removed from shop entrances and the end of aisles, while sugary drink refills and some buy-one-get-one-free deals will also end.

From BBC

He is an observational comedian, with an eye to the foibles of everyday life — long-term marriage, encounters at airports, the temptations of junk food — but he never pokes fun at anyone but himself.

From Los Angeles Times

Because of this, she says she never thought of junk food as unhealthy.

From BBC