for a future meal

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "for a future meal" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when referring to food that is being prepared or saved for consumption at a later time. Example: "I decided to cook extra pasta for a future meal, so I wouldn't have to cook again tomorrow."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

6 human-written examples

He gave me a $50 credit for a future meal.

The New York Times

The bottle, the private preserve of the group, was then returned to the waitress for a future meal.

The New York Times

If you're feeling mega-organised, make double the amount of sauce (up to the point before you add the seafood and herbs) and keep half in the freezer, ready for a future meal.

The Guardian

Place the peaches, orange and lemon slices and vanilla pod in a glass serving bowl and pour over the wine and citrus syrup (if you have too much syrup, freeze it and scrape beautiful frozen flakes of it into glasses to serve as a pre-dessert for a future meal).

The Guardian - Lifestyle

If I was happy with the taste of something I made, I would be sure to save half or more for a future meal.

Vice

Freeze half for a future meal or break it down into single servings to be used as lunch meals.

WikiHow

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

54 human-written examples

That is, being distracted because you have hunger sensations is likely related to mind-wandering about a future meal.

Cognitive Research: Principles and Implications

Save good vegetable scraps for making into stocks which can be used as a flavoursome soup base, or frozen for future meals.

WikiHow

They are businesses that put profit above everything else, even what they call the "humane" treatment of the animals who they are preparing for future meals.

Huffington Post

Preparing chicken with carrots to freeze for someone else to eat at some future meal?

The New York Times - Magazine

"They asked for a future.

Independent

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use this phrase when describing meal prepping activities, like freezing portions or setting aside leftovers.

Common error

Avoid using "for a future meal" when referring to ingredients or steps involved in preparing a meal that will be eaten immediately. Instead, focus on the present actions: 'I'm preparing this dish' not 'I'm preparing this for a future meal'.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "for a future meal" functions as a prepositional phrase, typically used as an adverbial modifier to indicate the purpose or intended use of an action. Ludwig confirms its grammatical correctness.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Wiki

33%

Science

17%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "for a future meal" is a grammatically correct and understandable expression used to indicate planning or preparing food for consumption at a later time. Ludwig's analysis reveals that it appears most frequently in news and media contexts, with some usage in wikis and scientific articles. The phrase serves as an adverbial modifier, expressing intent or purpose and is suitable for a range of registers, tending toward neutral. While not exceedingly common, its meaning is clear, and its use is appropriate when describing food preparation for later consumption.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

for a subsequent meal

Uses a more formal synonym for "future", suggesting a slightly more elevated register.

for a meal later on

Rearranges the phrase to place emphasis on the time aspect, "later on".

for later consumption

Focuses on the act of eating at a later time, removing the specific mention of a "meal".

to save for later

Emphasizes the act of preserving food for future use, rather than the specific event of a meal.

for the next meal

Specifies the immediately following meal occasion, reducing the generality of "future".

for future dining

Replaces "meal" with "dining", which can imply a more formal or elaborate eating occasion.

for a meal down the road

Uses the idiom "down the road" to indicate the future, adding a touch of informality.

for a planned meal

Highlights the intentional aspect of preparing food for a specific meal in the future.

for a later repast

Replaces "meal" with the more formal term "repast", elevating the tone.

for future sustenance

Focuses on the nutritional aspect of the meal, using "sustenance" instead of "meal".

FAQs

How can I use "for a future meal" in a sentence?

You can use "for a future meal" to describe preparing food now to be eaten later. For example, "I'm making extra sauce to freeze "for a future meal"".

What's a more formal way to say "for a future meal"?

A more formal alternative is "for a subsequent meal". This substitutes "future" with the more sophisticated "subsequent", maintaining the same core meaning.

Is it correct to say "for future meal" without the article 'a'?

While understandable, "for future meal" is grammatically incorrect. The indefinite article 'a' specifies a single, unspecified meal in the future, making ""for a future meal"" the correct form.

What are some situations where I might use the phrase "for a future meal"?

Use ""for a future meal"" when meal prepping, saving leftovers, or planning batch cooking. It clarifies the intention to consume the food at a later time.