Most city people grab their food from the grocery store. But some forage for meals instead.

Both people and animals can forage. That means to search for food in the wild. (Or, in the case of the zoo koalas, people forage on behalf of animals!) What you’ll find depends on where you live. Before you start, remember: Not all plants are safe. Before you take a bite of that grass or flower (or feed it to a pet!), make sure it’s actually edible! And wild mushrooms? We don’t recommend eating those at all. Only a real expert can guide you through these often-toxic fungi.

God made the world teeming with plants to nourish His creatures. Even paved cities packed with tall buildings have wild plants peeking through cracks. City-dwellers often find these edible plants:

Burdock. You know those annoying burrs that stick to your clothes? You can eat them! Well, not the burr part but the leaves, roots, and insides of the flower stalks. Some say burdock tea soothes an upset stomach.

Prickly pear cactus. Live in the desert? Grab a prickly pear fruit . . . or eat the cactus flesh. Caution: Don’t eat the spikes! Mexicans have consumed prickly pear for a long time in juices, jams, and tacos.

Clover. You can enjoy every part of this common plant. But too much clover might give you a stomachache. The buds taste grassy.

Wild strawberries. Yep—those baby fruits on the edge of your lawn are strawberries. Wild ones. Though not as sweet as the biggies, they’re completely edible. And if you live where they grow, you’ll probably succeed in cultivating big berries too.

Dandelion. Don’t cry “Weed!” when you spot this edible, nutritious herb. It grows naturally in North America, Europe, and Asia. You can eat the flowers and leaves in salads and sautés. Harvest the roots for tea—unless you have a ragweed allergy. Then it’s likely dandelion won’t be good for you either!