Despite your best laid plans to have a well-stocked pantry in case of an emergency, there is a chance you will be forced to leave your home without your food supply. You will be forced to rely on what you can find in your environment. It is also important to point out that despite feeling hungry, you don’t technically have to find food right away. You can survive for three weeks without food, but it isn’t pleasant. You will also need to have some caloric intake to keep up your strength and stamina.
Your first response may be to go out and hunt down a wild animal to feast upon. That is not the best idea unless you are an experienced hunter and have an effective weapon to bring down an animal. You are best served foraging. It requires less caloric expenditure and gives you an immediate source of food. As part of your survival training, you need to become familiar with the plants in your area. There are plenty of plants that are edible and can provide you with the nutrition you need to keep going. Take the time to study edible plants today.
The following plants, which are often dubbed as obnoxious weeds, are edible and actually rather healthy.
- Dandelions-Rich in Vitamin A and B. Can be eaten raw or cooked. Roots are high in fiber.
- Chickweed-Rich in a variety of minerals and vitamins. Can be eaten raw or cooked
- Clovers-Can be eaten raw, but they taste better boiled.
- Cattails-The cattail seedpod (brown part at the top) can be heated and eat like corn on the cob. The roots are also edible.
- Plantain-Rich in Vitamin A, potassium and calcium. Best eaten when leaves are young.
- Purslane-Loaded with vitamins and minerals. Has a unique sour taste.
There are plenty of other plants that are out there that are edible. It would be almost impossible to memorize and identify every single edible plant that is out there. If you happen to have a book with you, you are in good shape, if not, you are going to have to go through trial and error.
Testing the Safety of a Plant
If you are not sure about the safety of a plant, go through the following steps.
1-Rub a small section of the plant on the inside of your forearm. Wait 30 minutes and inspect the area. If it turns red or you have a burning sensation, don’t eat the plant. If no negative reaction, move on to the next step.
2-Put a small portion of the plant on your tongue and wait another 15 minutes. If there is an adverse reaction, don’t eat the plant.
3-If no reaction, eat a small portion of the plant. It is important you don’t eat anything else for the next 8 to 24 hours while you wait to see if there is an adverse reaction. Any vomiting, stomach cramps or diarrhea indicates the plant is not one you want to eat. If you do not have any negative reactions, the plant is safe to eat in moderation.
Warning Signs
There are some warning signs you should be aware of when you are scouting for plants to eat.
- Milky fluid seeping from stems
- Foliage that looks like parsley
- Foliage with three leaves, “Leaves of three, stay away from me.”
- Plants with thorns or prickly, fine hairs
Mushrooms
Unless you are a mushroom expert, avoid them at all costs. There are too many that are deadly and unless you know exactly what they are, they are not worth the risk.
Nuts and Berries
Berries are abundant in the wild, but not all berries are safe to eat no matter how juicy and delicious they appear. Unless you are certain of what the berries are, do not eat the berries until you have tested them with the steps above.
Here is a little saying that can help you remember which berries are safe to eat.
White and yellow kill a fellow.
Purple and blue good for you.
Red could be good, could be dead.
Nuts are always an excellent option if you are lucky enough to be stranded in an area where they grow naturally. Nuts are high in protein and filling. Even if you are not in a warm area where nuts tend to grow, you can also find nuts inside pinecones. The nuts are tiny and can be a little tough to extract, but they are delicious and great for you. Pull pinecones from the trees to find pine nuts. The pine cones on the ground have likely already been picked clean by squirrels.
