I'd really like ______ to eat right now. I'm really hungry!
I think "anything" fits here best.
I think in this way she is really hungry and can eat anything right now. In other words, she exaggerates that she is so hungry she could even eat worms.
Am I right?
The formal rule is this: something is declarative and anything is interrogative or negative. Then, there's usage. Also, this is not the entire story on something, anything and nothing, which are similar to some, any, and none in usage.
However, you can also use something in the interrogative:
- Does he want something to eat right now?
Then, there's negative interrogative:
What is not used is: He wants [declarative] anything to eat right now. The declarative has to be something. Unless you are mean:
I want (just) anything at all to eat. That's how hungry I am.
All the above fits with the verb: I'd like.
With the verb "like", "something" sounds better, because the person expresses a preference.
I'd like something sweet to eat.
I'd like something hot to eat.
"anything" would tend to be used with modal verbs "can" or "could" expressing capability or possibility to convey the idea that any kind of food would be welcome:
I'd really like ______ to eat right now. I'm really hungry!
This would be correct English but unusual usage.
If said then exaggerated emphasis would usually be placed on "anything" to make the point that this is hyperbole (exaggeration intended for emphasis).
This would be a normal statement. The point is clear enough for most cases. Placing heavy emphasis on "really" would achieve much the same result as in the first example.
The expression "I could eat a horse " is a very "time honoured" one which is in common usage and which conveys your point well.
The other answers address the main question.
However, it is more usual to say:
I'd really like to eat something right now.
("to eat" before "something")
I would really love something to eat right now, anything at all would be nice.
