We all remember sitting around the dinner table as kids, staring down a bunch of vegetables that we didn’t want to eat. Sure, that assortment of broccoli and cauliflower might not be so appetizing, but it’s all worth it for the dessert.
Fast forward to today — you’re lost in the middle of nowhere and your cell phone is dead. You’re searching for a way out of your sticky situation when something crappy happens: your stomach growls with hunger.
What do you do? Luckily, you’ve got options — five of them. These are a few plants that you can eat to fight off starvation. These might not be the chocolate cake you were hoping for, but when you get hungry enough, mama won’t have to tell you twice to eat these.
The yummy broadleaf plantain
Broadleaf Plantain
This small plant can be identified by its rubbery texture and the parallel veins that run along the leaves. The broadleaf plantain is packed with such vitamin as A, C, and K. Although the entire plant is edible, it’s recommended that you only eat the leaves, as they’re nice and tender.
It’s chow time.
Wild Bee Balm
Mainly identified by its lavender flowers, it grows mostly in dry thickets and woodland edges. Known for its edible leaves, wild bee balm can also be boiled to make for a tasty, pre-bedtime tea.
Dig in.
Prickly Pear Cactus
Found in the deserts of North America, this fruit looks like reddish, purplish pear. Before consuming this potential life-saving plant, be sure to remove all the spines from the outer skin. If you don’t, you’re in for a world of hurt.
Mayapple
This plant grows in woodland areas and is considered dangerous to eat before it’s ripe. Once the fruit has from green and firm to yellow and soft, it’s safe to consume.
Almost too pretty to eat.
Mallow
This pretty flower is totally edible and is commonly used as an alternative to lettuce. Mallow is loaded with vitamins A and C, calcium, and iron. You’ll find this plant most often in tropical or subtropical environments and it can be easily identified by its five pink or white petals
As always, be extremely careful if decided to consume one of these plants. It’s possible to have allergies to any new food source.