The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 9 letter word MERINGUES
I've seen this crossword clue in The Daily Telegraph
M
E
R
I
N
G
U
E
S
Buddy explains!

The straight part
We know that "bits of food" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case bits of food = meringues.The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does MERINGUES mean?
MERINGUES noun- A mixture consisting of beaten egg whites and sugar which is added to the tops of pies then browned.
- A shell made of this mixture which serves as the receptacle for fruit, ice cream or sherbet.