The idiom ‘food for thought’ refers to anything that encourages or inspires us to think about something in more detail or to analyse and question an issue or idea.
Usually, documentaries give us food for thought. As they address an issue or a phenomenon, dig deeper into the issue, ask thoughtful questions, invite the audience to question the information and get the audience thinking about the phenomena in a new way.
Good documentaries can last with the viewer and inspire him/her to dig deeper, ask questions and think critically about the issue at hand. A good documentary should give their viewers food for thought.
You can also see this form of mental stimulus in books, movies, poems, exposing yourself to different cultures, academic writings, advertisements, music, newspaper articles, lectures, languages, art, conversations among friends or colleagues…the opportunities to get food for thought are endless!
