7 Everyday "Weeds" That Are Secretly Edible

Here's a list of 7 edible "weeds" that you've probably seen and didn't know you could eat! I'll eat any of these, and the kids have tried most of them (liking only the sweeter ones).

My husband eats all of them too. Although he loves picking random leaves and "trying" them so I'm not sure he's a good judge of what's "editable".

1. Dandelion

Did you know those pesky dandelions are edible? We used to eat them when I was growing up. I remember hearing a story of a man who had to pick them to eat when he was little because his family didn't have enough food. Then, when his daughter grew up and became successful, she took him to a fancy restaurant where they served dandelion salad. He started laughing that it was a "fancy" restaurant serving what he used to eat growing up. He didn't realize he was so refined!

Anyway, we used to eat the flowers, stems, and leaves. I hear the roots are also edible, but you'd need to wash them first. Although, now that I say that, you should probably wash the whole thing before eating it. We didn't, but you should.

2. Chickweed

Harder to spot than the other items on this list, but chickweed is delicious. Deceptively named a "weed" by who knows who, chickweed is another pick-and-eat in my house, but you should probably wash it first.

I'm just realizing now that they do, in fact, have a flower, although I've never seen it. We typically just pick off the leaves and eat them. Chickweed has small, oval leaves with pointed tips. The leaves grow in pairs opposite each other along the stem.

Anyway, the leaves, stem, and flower are all edible on this plant.

3. White Clover

Another tasty treat that's been labeled a weed by "big garden" (that's not a real thing—I just made that up). Clover is another plant that grows basically everywhere, and people call them weeds. We used to eat them all the time. Sometimes we'd just be sitting in the yard and pick them for something to munch on.

You can identify them by their flowers, which are small, white, and form dense, almost ball-shaped clusters.

We'd pop the flower in our mouths and munch on them. Apparently, the leaves, stem, and flower are all edible. We typically only ate the flower, though.

4. Wild Raspberries

These are one of my favorites to this day. I love going on bike rides and finding them. We always called them wild berries. I was taught that raspberries didn't grow in the wild, but I just looked it up and, boy, was I wrong! Apparently, people call them wild raspberries. I call them delicious. They're smaller than the raspberries you buy in the grocery store and pack a lot more flavor. These are my favorite, and the kids love them too.

These aren't typically considered weeds by most, but they can grow a little out of control if you're not careful. We have a ton of them along the bike trail where we live.

They are ready to eat when they become a beautiful red. They should almost fall off the vine when you go to pick them, too.

5. Honeysuckles

These aren't found on a lot of "edible plant" lists because technically they aren't completely edible. But the syrup inside the flower is amazing! A top two on my list of edible plants my family loves to eat to this day. These are technically invasive, so a lot of people don't like them. Personally, that's like saying, "Someone left all this delicious food in my house for me to eat whenever I want. Ugh, such an inconvenience."

They have the weirdest flower you've probably ever seen (unless you're a botanist, then you've probably seen weirder). What you do is pick the flower. At the base of the flower is a bit of green. Grab that part tightly and pull it out. The long thing in the middle of the flower will slide out, and you'll see a drop of "honey" on it. Apparently, the long thing is called a style. Who knew? I didn't.

6. Sour Grass

Not one we had around where I grew up, but this is another "weed" that's edible. Sour grass can be eaten but not in large quantities—something about calcium absorption. But when I see it around, I'll pick one or two and have a little snack.

The flowers are small and delicate, usually with five petals. They are typically yellow where we live. The flower is almost always closed up, too.

The leaves, flowers, and stems are all edible on this one too. We typically only eat the flower.

7. Black Mulberry

I wasn't sure if I wanted to put these on the list because some darker berries aren't good to eat, but I decided, what the heck, and put them on the list anyway. These little buggers grow on big trees—we have one in our backyard. They tend to just fall off the tree. If you're unlucky enough to park under one of these trees at the wrong time of year, your car will get covered in a black, jam-like covering. Anyway, these are pretty good—not as good as the wild raspberries but definitely edible.

We like eating the different colors because when they are lighter, almost white, they can have a little more flavor.

Safety Precautions:

• Proper Identification: Always be certain of a plant's identity before consuming it. Some edible plants have toxic look-alikes.
• Avoid Contaminated Areas: Do not harvest plants from areas that may be polluted with pesticides, herbicides, or heavy metals (e.g., roadsides, industrial sites).
• Allergies and Sensitivities: Start by trying a small amount to ensure you don't have an adverse reaction.
• Preparation Methods: Some plants require specific preparation to be safe.

Disclaimer: This information is intended for educational purposes. Consult with a local foraging expert or botanist if you're new to wild plant consumption.