Examples of wild food

Laws: You can't pick wild flowers - some are protected. It's important to show respect for landowners, other foragers and the land itself. Never uproot a wild plant without permission from the landowner (to do so is illegal under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981). It is also illegal to pick, uproot, collect the seed from, or sell, any of particularly rare or vulnerable species. All information can be found through the local council.

Hairy Bittercress - It's found in damp spots near broken ground and streams. It is a fan shape of small leaves with little white flowers. It can be used in salads and tastes like mustard cress.

Cleavers - These are the plants that in childhood you would throw at someone and it would stick to their clothes. You can find them in hedgerows and you would peel off the leaves and use them in salads- they taste a bit like peas.

Hawthorn leaves - They used to call hawthorn leaves 'poor man's bread and cheese'. Children would just munch these out of the hedgerows. There are found on the Hawthorn tree and can be eaten raw.

Wood Sorrel - This is found tucked away in forests, in shaded spots. It looks similar to clover, with three heart shaped leaves. Sorrel has a sharp, lemony taste and can be uses as a garnish or to make soup. Like ordinary sorrel you should use it in small amounts - Sorrel contains oxalic acid, which is what gives it it's sour taste and is toxic in excess.

Hedge Sorrel - Generally distributed throughout the British Isles. This is a spear shaped leaf, which can be made into a delicious sauce. It's also good in salads and can be used to make soup. It has a tarty-lemony flavour.

Sea Purslane - This is found beneath the tide line along estuaries. It's different to sea weed, with small grey/green leaves. It can be cook like Sea Beet (see below). A succulent leaf and slightly salty when eaten raw.

Sea Beet - This plant is found above the tide line and has thick, spear-shaped green leaves. You should cut the stalks with a knife and not tear them. Cook them like spinach- after cooking the sea beet maintains its rich and creamy texture and is exquisite with fish or seafood.

Wild Garlic & flowers - This plant is found in damp woodlands. The leaves are dark green and spear-like. The delicate white flowers, also edible, start appearing in April and last til June. Once picked, seal the leaves in a plastic bag/container, otherwise the garlic smell can be overpowering. The torn leaves have the strongest flavour and can be eaten in salads or cooked in soups and sauces. The flowers can be added to salads or deep fried in a tempura batter. As wild flowers are protected, only collect flowers from your own land and only if growing in perfusion or get permission.

Stinging Nettles - Most of us have been stung by a common nettle- it can be confused with white and red dead nettle. The non-stinging dead nettles can be distinguished by the small pink/ white flowers that appear on the stem. Dead nettles are also edible (but must be properly identified and not confused with similar plants), but don't have the depth of flavour of the stinging nettle. The shoots should be picked when young and bright green, before the nettles are too tall and start to flower. Wear thick gloves when picking nettles- the sting of the leaf lasts until it has been cooked. They have a spinach-like taste.