Sometimes, dreams about food can have a very simple cause; this dream might just be indicating that you went to bed feeling hungry. Perhaps you’ve been thinking about food a lot lately, maybe because you’ve been taking a cooking class, watching the cooking channel, trying a new diet, or thinking about going vegetarian. We tend to dream about things that have been on our minds when we’re awake, so dreaming about food might simply mean food has been on your mind recently.

However, dreams about food can also have a more symbolic meaning. In dreams, food symbolizes knowledge, energy, nourishment, and fulfillment. These emotions are directly connected to our emotions, intellect, and spirituality. You’re familiar with the expression “food for thought,” right? Dreaming about food might indicate that you are feeling eager, or “hungry,” for new information or ideas. For instance, you might have a dream about food if you’ve recently started researching an interesting new topic after watching a documentary or reading a news article that inspired you to learn more.