Food for thought is a fact, question or idea that's worth thinking about carefully. A visitor survey can give a museum food for thought about opening hours. As a reply to a suggestion, That's food for thought sounds polite: interesting, we'll think about it, but nothing has been decided. It works in conversation and in essays.
When would you say food for thought?
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give someone food for thought; provide plenty of food for thought
- The visitor survey gave the museum team food for thought about opening hours.
- Her comparison of the two routes provided plenty of food for thought.
- That is food for thought, but we have not decided whether to change the schedule.
What changed
First versionThe interview gave me food for thoughts about changing careers.
RevisionThe interview gave me food for thought about changing careers.
Ideas and thoughts usually come in the plural, so thoughts feels right. But in this idiom thought is uncountable, meaning thinking, and it has no s: food for thought. The s was removed. There's no a before food either.
An idea is a specific thought or plan: I have an idea for the project. Food for thought is something that only made you start thinking; a plan is still far away. Brain food is completely different: food that's good for your brain, like nuts and fish.
Your turn
The discussion gave us plenty of food ___ thought.
Show the answer
for — The fixed phrase is food for thought, with for, like food for the mind. To doesn't work here.
Write about a fact, conversation or book that made you see your studies or work differently.
The empty bike racks gave the planning team food for thought about where people actually travel.
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