07/16/2026
🥬 With store bought produce trying to explode our butts, what do you do if you want some fresh greens??
Have you looked on your lawn??
Hear me out.
The following common “weeds” in your yard are COMPLETELY edible and, as long as you didn’t use any pesticides and your dog didn’t p*e on it all summer, they’re yummy!
This is in no way an all inclusive list - these are just some that are plentiful in our area of upstate NY. 🫶🏻
1. Plantain leaf. Slightly bitter. Stringy like celery, so chop leaves perpendicular to the veins unless you want to floss your teeth with your salad.
2. Purslane. Popular ground cover, fleshy like a succulent. Some people describe it as slightly lemon-ish? Great raw or cooked in stews and soups.
3. Wild violets. Though the blooms are gone, their greenery remains. It’s lettuce like with a slightly sweet taste.
Probably the safest bet for those who don’t like trying new flavors.
4. Dandelions. Yep, they’re a pain in the ass when they overtake your garden, but they’re edible and nutritious!
Bitter herbal taste, good for those who like bolder flavor in a salad or made into something like pesto.
5. Wild lettuce. Salty, bitter, and delicious. Bonus: the sap inside has some of the best pain relief properties you’ll find in nature.
6. Hostas. The early spring shoots are most commonly used, but the whole plant is edible throughout the growing season. Different varieties have different flavors, so try different ones! Overall people say they taste like lettuce mixed with asparagus…which makes sense because it’s from the same family as asparagus!
What other non-conventional edible plants do you know of?
Feel free to add them in the comments, and please SHARE this post!
