As good as gold (Ser más buena que el pan)

This is a lovely expression.

What could be nicer than being ‘as good as gold’?

Strangely enough, it’s not actually the word “GOLD” used in this Spanish expression but “BREAD”. 

It’s clear that the Spanish expression is a little more modest using “bread” rather than the  “gold” which is used in the English expression.

However, when you are hungry, warm tasty bread is going to always be more in demand than gold ingots.

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To be as good as gold = SER MÁS BUENA QUE EL PAN

(Literally: “To be better than bread”)

How and when would you be able to use this expression?

Imagine a situation (CONTEXT) :

It’s a warm Sunday afternoon in a beach bar in your village, overlooking the warm Mediterranean sea.

You are out with your closest friends having lunch, perhaps ‘paella’, and a small glass of ‘rosado’ wine to accompany the fine food.

The children are  five year-old Sam,  and  nine month-old , Robyn.

Sam, plays happily on the sand, going in and out of the water, jumping the waves.   He loves the tasty paella and lots of salad, and even a little ‘bread’ .

We are all impressed by his good manners and excellent behaviour.

We thought:

¡Es más bueno que el pan!

Literally : He’s better than bread =(He’s as good as gold)

Then, we looked around to the little Robyn, only 9 months old, and see she is gazing into her surroundings, investigating the properties of paella, savouring everything there is to be savoured. At her early age she already knows more about Spanish cuisine than many of us will ever do.

Not a complaint, not a cry comes from her lips, as she munches her way through comforting cool cucumber and perfect paella.

All I could think of saying was:

¡Es más buena que el pan!

Literally : She’s better than bread =(She’s as good as gold)

What wonderful children. A credit to themselves and to their parents!

Thank you for a delicious lunch.