I grew up eating weeds–not because we were poor, but because my grandparents and parents valued certain wild plants for both their palatability and their nourishment. In the northeastern United States, edible wild plants grew everywhere and were easily harvested. Mustard greens, dandelion greens, and burdock stems (cardoon) were family favorites. Later, as an adult, my interest in foraging continued and I learned to enjoy eating weeds like lamb’s quarters, amaranth, purslane and others.
Knowing what is edible and how to prepare it will become increasingly important as time goes on. Eating weeds can be good for your health, your quality of life, and your pocketbook.
Eattheweeds.com is one site that provides information about edible wild plants.
Tags: burdock, dandelion, edible weeds, wild foods
