FFk35: Foraging with kids, five ideas and some blackberry recipes

In today's episode Joanne talks through some of the rules and precautions you need to think through if you want to try foraging with kids.

This last Thursday episode of the month is normally reserved for talking about how to store, freeze and use up a group of foods, and this month's food is blackberries. Because we already covered berries in detail back in June, Joanne does cover how to store and use up blackberries and talks to Kate Hall about freezing them. But that short section leaves some time to discuss one of the things that comes up when parents think about picking blackberries and that's the general topic of whether it's ok to forage with kids in general.

Joanne runs through some of the common rules and etiquette of foraging and some ideas for exploring wild plants with kids, including some ideas that don't require eating anything!

There are lots of links to foraging sites, videos of plants, and recipes for blackberries and other plants.

DISCLAIMER: Of course when it comes to anything out in nature, there is an inherent balance of risk and listeners need to take good advice from various sources and decide the right balance of risk for themselves, you have to be certain that you know what you are eating or you should not eat it or let your child eat it. Some wild plants are poisonous and you should make sure you are properly informed. For that reason, below are links to lots of different resources of foraging advice in the UK but The Food For Kids Podcast is not advising you to forage with children and eat the things you find and does not take any responsibility for the foraging you decide to do, this is just a jumping off point for you to think about and go and find out more, and the links given are just sugestions as starting points, not endorsements. Joanne gives suggestions for ways to explore wild plants with children without eating anything you gather so if in doubt, you can explore without eating. All foraging with your children is at your own risk.

Links:

Website with full section on foraging with kids: https://www.thegrizzlyforager.co.uk/for-kids/

Great article about foraging with kids: https://growinghealthykids.co.uk/teach-your-kids-to-forage/

Great website on wild play: https://gowildgowest.co.uk

PIcking blackberries blog: https://www.thefoodies.org/how-to-pick-blackberries-with-kids/

Blackberry ice pops: https://www.thefoodies.org/blackberry-yoghurt-ice-pops/

Blackberry apple cake: https://jesseatsandtravels.com/apple-and-blackberry-cake/#recipe 

Blackberry apple crumble cake: https://family-friends-food.com/blackberry-apple-crumble-cake/

Kate's videos on freezing blackberries: https://www.instagram.com/canifreezeit/reel/Cpn2Oh7oDAK/

Article about foraging cleavers with kids: https://www.thegrizzlyforager.co.uk/cleavers/

Video about foraging for cleavers: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VtavLPq8OmY

Cleaver and cucumber drink: https://www.foreadventure.co.uk/adventure/sticky-weed-refreshing-and-revitalising-cleavers-water-with-lemon-and-cucumber/

Article about foraging wild garlic: https://www.countryfile.com/how-to/food-recipes/wild-garlic-guide-where-to-find-how-to-cook-it-and-recipe-ideas

Video about how to identify wild garlic: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4OaVXERcJIY

Video on foraging wild garlic safely: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y-a5YyduErE

Video on foraging for dandelions: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oe6kvIpKZTg

Dandelion fritters recipe: https://natureintoaction.com/2022/04/27/making-dandelion-fritters-with-kids/

Dandelion "honey" recipe: https://veganonboard.com/vegan-dandelion-honey/ 

Article on harvesting nettles with kids: https://nourishingmeals.com/2010/02/harvesting-nettles-children

Video of picking nettles with kids: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-QYf6uUIz-E

Recipe for nettle soup: https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/nettle-soup

Music "Happy Days" by Simon Folwar via Uppbeat