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Making Dandelion Jelly

How to Make Dandelion Tea

Teaching Children to Forage

"I would especially like to thank my mother," writes Robert K. Henderson in his acknowledgements for The Neighborhood Forager, "who suffered the raised eebrows of others when I forgot my lunch in Grade 6 and foraged one from schoolyard weeds." This makes me laugh out loud - and remember when my six year old daughter began showing some newly-found neighborhood friends the weeds in our yard that were edible. Yes, some peoplewill think you and your kids are odd. (But they'll be delighted if they ever get lost in the wilderness with you.) That's one caution.

A much greater caution, however, is that children must learn that not every wild thing is safe to eat. As I've taught my daughter about foraging, I always emphasize, every time we set out to find wild edibles, that many plants are poisonous and can cause serious illness or even death. As some would say, I want her to give her "the fear of God" about wild food, even as I teach her how to identify edibles. In that vein, I would also never teach a child to forage for food that could easily be mistaken for something dangerous.

Where to Start

The best place to begin foraging lessons is in your own yard. If you have a vegetable patch, you might start there. All the veggies and fruits we eat were once wild. If your child is interested, do some Google searches to learn the wild history of some favorite foods. (Two good places to start are "History of Some Fruits and Vegetables" and "A Brief History of Some of Our Favorite Garden Vegetables.")

Next, start taking a close look at weeds in your yard. A couple of foraging handbooks for your region are vital here. Show your child how to carefully examine the weed's leaf shape, stalk, flower, and other characteristics in order to properly identify it.

My Favorite Beginner's Forage

In my opinion, there's no better place for any forager to begin than with dandelions. I doubt there is a region anywhere in the United States where dandelions are not prolific. Almost everybody has at least some in their yard (or can find them growing out of the sidewalk). They are very easy to identify, and there is no dangerous plant that can be confused for them. (Although it's not a bad idea to read up on plants commonly misidentified as dandelions, such as the "false dandelion.") Every part of the dandelion plant is not only safe to eat, but highly nutritious, too. Truly it's a plant even a young child can learn to identify and enjoy.

The roots of dandelions may not please many children, although I suggest roasting them like a carrot or parsnip. (In fact, roast them with other root veggies and your kids may not even know what they are eating until you tell them.) The leaves of dandelions will be a hit if your children enjoy kale and collards. You can easily teach a child to like the stems in salads or as a quick outdoor treat. They can also learn to apply to sap from dandelion stems to cuts and scraps, which is said to help them heal.

But it's those bright yellow flowers most kids will find most appealing. They can eat them fresh off the plant (after they are washed), in a salad, in fritters - and, in the ultimate kid-friendly foraging treat: Cookies.

The fact is, the flowers by themselves aren't that flavorful, so nobody is likely to taste them in the cookies. But kids enjoy the process of making them, and the yumminess of the cookies is likely to make them realize that even weeds can be fun (not to mention beneficial) to eat.

Making Dandelion Cookies

Eating Dandelion Flowers

To most people, dandelions - with their bright yellow flowers - are just an annoying weed. But I've learned a secret our ancestor's knew well: Dandelions are fantastic food and good medicine.

I've blogged before about foraging for dandelions, eating their leaves("dandelion greens"), and using theirroots as a medicinal tea (sometimes called a substitute for coffee). Today, however, I want to focus on the weed's sunny yellow petals.

Nutritional Information on Dandelion Flowers

Uncovering nutritional information about dandelion flowers is much more difficult than digging up the goods on dandelion roots and leaves (which are both highly nutritious). However, I did find a couple of sources claiming the flowers are a superb source of lecithin - which is believed to maintain brain function and may slow or stop Alzheimer's disease. Lecithin is also supposed to be good for the liver.

Another source says dandelion flowers are a good source of vitamins A, B, and C, beta-carotene, iron, zinc, and potassium.

And if you can't stand the bitterness in dandelion roots or leaves, take note: The flowers are mildly sweet. One caution, however; if you have allergies to ragweed, marigold, mums, daisies, or yarrow, you might be allergic to dandelion flowers, too.

Harvesting Dandelion Flowers

First, choose only dandelions you are certain haven't been sprayed with chemicals. Road side or park dandelions are not recommended. Instead, choose weeds from your own yard, or from a wilderness area.


To harvest, simply pick off the flowers. Wash in a colander under cold, running water. I recommend letting the flowers dry a bit before you attempt to remove the petals, or you'll find the petals stick to your fingers. When the flowers are dry, remove as much of the green parts as possible without making the flowers fall apart. Use as soon as possible.

NOTE: Most sources stress that when using dandelion flowers, all the green parts must be removed. I have found that it doesn't matter a bit if some green pieces get mixed in - and as I explain below, sometimes the green parts actually improve the recipe.

How to Eat Dandelion Flowers

Tea is a popular way to get the benefits of dandelion flowers. Pluck the petals from 8 to 10 flowers and pack them into a tea ball. Place the tea ball in a cup and pour boiling water over it. Steep for about 10 - 15 minutes. Serve hot or cold.
I find this tea almost tasteless, which is probably why many people add fresh lemon or lime juice to it. A better solution, I think, is to leave the green parts attached to the petals, following all the other directions given above. This produces a mild tea with a pleasant earthy flavor.

You can also make the tea with dehydrated dandelion flowers. (Dehydrate flowers, with green parts in tact, on 95 degrees F. until completely dry. You may find that some of the flowers go to seed while in the dehydrator; discard those.) Follow the same procedure but use about 6 to 8 dehydrated dandelion flowers. If you prefer the tea without the green parts of the flower, I find it best to store dehydrated flowers with their green parts intact; you can remove the petals as you need them for tea or other recipes.

Frying the flowers is another popular way to consume them. Mix together about 2 tablespoons of cornmeal, seasoned with salt and pepper, plus a pinch of oregano and thyme. Beat an egg and dip the flowers, one at a time, in it. Then roll the flowers in the cornmeal mixture. Fry in a pan with a little heated olive oil in it.

You might also try dandelion wine (something I haven't tried yet, but hear is good; there's also pink dandelion wine), dandelion flower fritters, dandelion flower syrup, or dandelion flower jelly (see my tutorial here). Some people just put the raw flowers or petals into salads, too.