Foraging for wild edible plants and fungi can be a fun, healthy, money-saving, and sustainable activity. Many nutritious foods grow right in our own backyards and neighborhoods.
Learning how to properly identify and harvest wild foods allows us to take advantage of nature’s bounty.
Some common wild edibles in the United States include dandelion greens, chickweed, purslane, lamb’s quarters, plantain, wood sorrel, and violets. These leafy greens can be eaten raw in salads or lightly cooked.
Elderberries, blackberries, raspberries, blueberries, mulberries, and wild grapes can be made into jams, juices, or eaten fresh. Fiddlehead ferns and daylily shoots are foraged in the spring.
Autumn provides bounties of nuts like acorns, walnuts, and hickory nuts. Mushrooms like morels, chanterelles, puffballs, and chicken of the woods are savory finds.
Foraging connects us more deeply with the natural world. It enables us to enjoy fresh, nutritious foods while getting outdoor exercise. With proper identification and sustainable harvesting, foraging can be rewarding for both personal health and environmental health.
Want to know more about what plants are edible, and how to prepare them? Click HERE for more!
