Food for Survival in the Woods

Healthy individuals can live weeks or even months without food but eventually, hunger must be satisfied or human survival is doomed. The woods can be a great place to find food if you know what to look for.

  1. Fruit Bearing Plants

    • Some edible plants growing wild in the woods bear fruits such as blackberries, strawberries and teaberries. Examine the berry's color to determine if it's edible. Ten percent of white and yellow berries and 90 percent of blue and black berries are OK to eat, while the remainders are poisonous. Red berries have an equal chance of being safe or harmful but raspberries and other aggregate (bumpy) types are almost always OK.

    Weeds and Flowers

    • Other plant food sources for survival found in the woods are wildflowers and weeds such as dandelions, day lilies and chives. Allergic reactions may occur from eating edible plants in a survival situation. As a precaution, consume only a small teaspoon-sized amount of a questionable plant and then wait 45 minutes. If there are no ill effects like cramps, vomiting or nausea, it should be OK to eat the food.

    Bug and Insects

    • The easiest animals to catch in the woods are bugs and insects such as grasshoppers, flies and ants, which can be nutritious sources of proteins and fats. Many insects contain deadly parasites, therefore cooking before eating is recommended. Avoid brightly colored insects such as caterpillars, they are often poisonous. Proceed with consumption if a bug has six legs or less and don't eat the legs, head or wings of any insect.