We all know that before we eat any food we need to make a brocha. What is the halacha if someone makes a brocha, and then decides to eat something else of the same brocha? The answer to this question is subject to controversy amongst the achronim. The ruling of the Mishna Berura 206:22 is that if the food which the original brocha was said is already finished, one may eat another of that same food, provided that there was no decision to not eat any more. If however some of the original food is still in front of you, another food of the same brocha may be eaten, provided that it is a similar type of food. For example, if the brocha was made on an apple, so long as some of the apple is still not eaten, you may also eat an orange, even if there was no intention to eat the orange at the time of the brocha. If the second food is not similar to the first, a new brocha must be made.
There are two exceptions to this rule. First, things that are normally eaten together are covered under the same brocha. If a “shehakol” is made on chicken, if you normally have a drink with chicken, then even if you did not have the drink in mind while making the brocha, the drink is covered by the brocha. Second, the Rama suggests to always have in mind to eat whatever you want. This way all foods are covered, and one may eat any food (that is in your ability to get) of the same brocha without any of the above stipulations.

Rabbi Tzvi Aryeh Hyman, Mir Yeshiva
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