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Free Food
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researcher
Posts: 1,539 Forumite
What are the foods that you can get for free (not grow your own)?
This is my list:
Blackberries from hedgerows - (used for pies and jams).
Field mushrooms - some are the size of dinner plates and can be preserved to use in winter casseroles!
Forest fungi (you need a good book to identify them, use the library). I go to forestry commission land and when you know what to look for there are loads.
Hazelnuts - I roast and use for muesli, cakes etc
Damsons - pies and jams.
Wild garlic - lovely sautéed.
Samphire - spelt wrong? (found around coastal areas) - I love it pickled.
Sweet Chestnuts - from tree in loacl wood.
I'm sure I'll think of more later!
This is my list:
Blackberries from hedgerows - (used for pies and jams).
Field mushrooms - some are the size of dinner plates and can be preserved to use in winter casseroles!
Forest fungi (you need a good book to identify them, use the library). I go to forestry commission land and when you know what to look for there are loads.
Hazelnuts - I roast and use for muesli, cakes etc
Damsons - pies and jams.
Wild garlic - lovely sautéed.
Samphire - spelt wrong? (found around coastal areas) - I love it pickled.
Sweet Chestnuts - from tree in loacl wood.
I'm sure I'll think of more later!
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Comments
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Sugar,ketchup, mayo, etc from restaraunts/McyD's/freesamples of coffee
I have a square plastic box which has condiments/free samples in that we take on our annual jaunt to Caistor in a caravan. It saves taking jars or pots of stuff .
I have even got some little pots of jam/marmalade in there .My Grandchildren call it Grannies 'box of tricks' as I can usually find something in there that they eat or spread on their toast. They think it's great as it is all small sample things I even save little hand wipes from various places. They are all vacuum packed and sealed
Very useful on lots of occasions0 -
Probably too late for ELDERFLOWERS for making BBC - Food - Recipes - Elderflower cordial but those in the North may still be lucky.
Townies may be best advised to visit the market at the end of the day. Very often the Market traders will leave stuff which isn't worth their while taking home. They also leave things like beetroot leaves (they make excellent spinach) slightly over ripe mango's melons. Had a half a box of tired parsnips a couple of weeks ago.
It's also worth looking in the skips at the back of bakers/supermarkets.
Some multiple bakers dispose of all stock at the end of day by putting it in large plastic bags which go for disposal. My chickens love it when I return with a bag of fresh sandwiches.
I just hate waste and very much support the idea and ethos of FREEGANSMy weight loss following Doktor Dahlqvist' Dietary Program
Start 23rd Jan 2008 14st 9lbs Current 10st 12lbs0 -
Ah, but Elderberries will soon be available - I forgot those.0
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Blackberries - from the hedges
Sweet chestnuts from the forest
Peas - gardener gives us some every year, we pod and freeze
Cauliflour - again the gardener gives us some
Sloes - from the hedges
Prawns - from the sea
Winkles - from the seaComping, Clicking & Saving for Change0 -
JackieO wrote:Sugar,ketchup, mayo, etc from restaraunts/McyD's/freesamples of coffee
I have a square plastic box which has condiments/free samples in that we take on our annual jaunt to Caistor in a caravan. It saves taking jars or pots of stuff .
I have even got some little pots of jam/marmalade in there .My Grandchildren call it Grannies 'box of tricks' as I can usually find something in there that they eat or spread on their toast. They think it's great as it is all small sample things I even save little hand wipes from various places. They are all vacuum packed and sealed
Very useful on lots of occasions
I do the same!!!!!! also always take the children blackberry picking, they think its a great day out, and we get the free blackberries too!!!!0 -
Tis will sound silly, but it is true - I went into the chip shop 5 minutes before they were due to close for a large bag of chips. they said I didn't have to pay for them and gave me a fish, a savaloy and a battered sausage free too!
That's Mister Chips in Westwood, Peterborough!Hi, we’ve had to remove your signature. If you’re not sure why please read the forum rules or email the forum team if you’re still unsure - MSE ForumTeam0 -
Blackberries - great mixed in HM yogurt, for making jam / jelly and this year we'll be trying to make blackberry wine
Elderflowers - made elderflower cordial this year and have some in plastic milk cartons frozen for later in the year. Will also be trying elderberry wine.
Nettles (young or the top few leaves) - makes wonderful soup using Hugh FW's recipe from Cook on the Wildside.
Cherries - made wine from these last year and have a new batch in the making this year. Of course we eat one or too as well
This year we are also going to try:
Sloes (Sloe Gin and Sloe Wine)
Rosehips (Rosehip Syrup)
A friend at OH's workplace also brings us some bits and pieces from his garden when he has a glut. We process and give something back to him e.g. marrow and ginger jam.Enjoying an MSE OS life
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Are hazelnuts ready now? I have lots of these trees in my park, but I reckon if the squirells haven't decimated the crop yet, then they are not ripe yet...
And what do you do with them? Roast in the oven? And end up with shop bought type nuts? I have no idea...:wall:0 -
There is a good book I have got from the library Food For Free.Here dead we lie because we did not choose
To live and shame the land from which we sprung.
Life, to be sure, is nothing much to lose,
But young men think it is,
And we were young.
A E Housman0 -
No-one has mentioned road kill _pale_ My Dad would always stop the car for a dead rabbit at the side of the road - I'd threaten to walk! But it did used to make a tasty pie. :rolleyes:
Couldn't do it myself, but saw a programme on tv about people who'd only eat meat killed this way.0
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