One thing that every survivalist knows is that dandelions are one of the most nutritious and plentiful of foods found in the wild. If you are dealing with a post-apocalyptic scenario where you must forage for food then dandelions are very much needed.
Dandelions can be eaten plain or in a salad. However the larger leaves are bitter so save younger shoots for eating fresh. The best tasting leaves are the ones that have not yet turned green. They can also be steamed, broiled or fried like spinach.
You can also eat Dandelion flowers. You can brew tea out of the entire plant including the roots. Dandelion root tea is similar to coffee. It stimulates without having too much caffeine in it. The root can also be dried, ground up and shaken on other food stuffs to up the nutritional content.
Dandelions are nutrient rich. They contain potassium, sodium, phosphorus and iron. The leaves are a richer source of vitamin A than carrots. There are generous amounts of vitamins B, C and D in this miraculous edible plant. Herbalists value the herb mostly for its benefits for the urinary and glandular systems and as a liver and kidney tonic, due to its ability to enhance the efficiency of the body’s eliminative and detoxifying functions. It is a mild laxative and diuretic. It also purifies blood, heals, constipation and allays the discomfort inflammatory skin conditions, joint pain, eczema and liver dysfunction—including liver conditions such as hepatitis and jaundice. As a tonic dandelion strengthens the kidneys and is a diuretic that helps eliminate poisons from the body.
Plantains are another kind of weed. There are both the U.S. and the English plantain. It is also sometimes called ribbed grass because it looks like a plant version of corked wool. The narrow leaved variety can be boiled or eaten like salad.
Cattails are another nutritious and useful survival food. Cattail pollen can be collected in the spring and baked as bread. The green flower heads can be cooked or steamed like a vegetable. Ne shoots can be collected and cooked like asparagus. Roots of both mature and immature plants can be dug up at any time of the year and cooked and steamed like a potato.