Cibo vs. pasto
While both the Italian words cibo and pasto relate to eating, they are not interchangeable. Cibo refers to the actual food substance itself, while pasto refers to the specific event of eating, known as a meal.
Cibo
A1This word means food in a general and uncountable sense. It refers to the physical substance that people and animals eat to sustain themselves.
Il cibo italiano è famoso in tutto il mondo.
(Italian food is famous all over the world.)
Devo andare a comprare il cibo per il gatto.
(I have to go buy food for the cat.)
Questo ristorante serve cibo di ottima qualità.
(This restaurant serves excellent quality food.)
Non sprecare il cibo, è una risorsa preziosa.
(Don't waste food, it is a precious resource.)
Mi piace provare cibo di culture diverse quando viaggio.
(I like to try food from different cultures when I travel.)
Pasto
A2This word means meal. It refers to a specific, structured occasion when food is eaten, such as breakfast, lunch, or dinner.
La colazione è il primo pasto della giornata.
(Breakfast is the first meal of the day.)
Oggi ho saltato il pasto di mezzogiorno perché ero di fretta.
(Today I skipped the midday meal because I was in a hurry.)
Abbiamo fatto un pasto delizioso in quella trattoria.
(We had a delicious meal in that trattoria.)
A che ora consumi il tuo ultimo pasto della giornata?
(At what time do you have your last meal of the day?)
Un pasto completo spesso include un primo, un secondo e un dolce.
(A full meal often includes a first course, a main course, and a dessert.)
Summary
In essence, the difference is simple: cibo is *what* you eat (the substance), while pasto is *when* you eat (the event). You use cibo to prepare a pasto. A single pasto (meal) is composed of different kinds of cibo (food).