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Anyone who’s ever tuned into Naked and Afraid has probably imagined themselves—hypothetically, and probably more clothed—facing the contestants’ dangerous situations. Whether fully dressed or not, if you were left stranded in an unknown wilderness for weeks, could you survive off the land until help arrives or evacuation becomes possible?
In these situations, survival hinges on knowing what’s edible and what’s not. So even though you might meet your end from a bear attack, infected wound, or freezing temperatures, at least you won’t starve.
10. “All-Inclusive” Plants & Flowers
Many plants and flowers can be safely consumed, but some come with restrictions such as ‘eat the leaf, not the stem.’ Knowing which plants and flowers are safe to eat entirely without worrying about species-specific exceptions is a huge advantage in a pinch.
For instance, amaranth is a weed indigenous to the Americas that can be eaten without any preparation. Though it’s best to boil it to eliminate the tougher-to-digest oxalic acid and nitrates it contains—along with the small spines sometimes found on its leaves—it’s still safe to eat raw.
Whether it’s four-leafed or not, clover is a key plant for survivalists. It typically grows in dense patches and can be eaten either raw or boiled. The red varieties, in particular, are highly nutritious, offering varying amounts of calcium, potassium, and vitamin C.
Chicory is another widely recognized and easy-to-identify plant, native to Europe but commonly found across North America. Known for its distinctive lavender and blue flowers, chicory is edible in every part—from flowers to leaves to roots. Though it’s best when boiled, it can also be consumed raw if necessary.
Frequently cursed by lawn owners everywhere, the (f*cking) dandelion might just be the most versatile of this group. This hardy weed flower is unavoidable and completely edible (though its taste leaves much to be desired, but when you’re in a pinch, you can’t be picky). Boiling the plant also allows you to drink the water as a nutritious infusion.
9. “Selective Edible” Plants & Flowers
While it's beneficial, for both practicality and simplicity, to know which plants are fully edible, some partially edible plants provide clear clues on which parts to consume and which to discard.
For instance, if you're stranded in the Eastern Hemisphere, burdock is a commonly found plant that grows quite large in the wild. Its tip has a spiky, pollen-filled bulb that clearly signals ‘don’t eat me’—like a sunflower, but with yellow spikes protruding from it. However, its leaves are entirely edible, and its stalks can be eaten once the outer layer is peeled away.
In marshy areas, one of the most common and easily recognizable plants is the cattail. Found throughout much of the Northern Hemisphere and Australia, this fast-growing, unattractive tallgrass is one of the reasons New Jersey often gets teased by New York.
Each cattail plant features both male and female flowers on the same stalk. The male flower drops off the stalk once it pollinates the female. Before this happens, its unspent pollen is an excellent source of protein. The female flower, which looks like a fuzzy hotdog, stays green before pollination and can be harvested and eaten, usually after being mashed with water. The roots of cattails, rich in starch, can also be softened in water and consumed.
8. Squirrels
While not exactly appetizing at first glance, squirrels are some of the most widely distributed mammals on Earth, found on every continent except Antarctica and Australia.
Not as repulsive as rats, and certainly less likely than bats to spark a global pandemic (looking at you), squirrels can offer a decent amount of protein in a survival situation. An adult squirrel can provide nearly half a pound of meat—if you manage to catch it, that is.
Catching a squirrel is easiest with bait and a trap, but if those aren’t available, you can use a simple piece of wire or even plant-based cordage. The trick lies in the fact that squirrels prefer climbing trees at an angle rather than directly up the trunk. By positioning a low-hanging, slanted branch or leaning a fallen one against a tree, you can create a noose that tightens around the squirrel’s neck when it struggles.
Squirrel meat has been such a vital resource that entire guides exist to teach methods of skinning them to maximize the meat you get. Though the process might be unpleasant, squirrels have long been part of human diets. A bold piece from Fine Dining Lovers in October 2020 proclaimed, “Squirrel Is Back on the Menu.”
Squirrels: the unexpected white meat.
7. Snakes
For those focused on survival, snake meat offers a classic 'risk vs. reward' dilemma. It’s rewarding because snake meat is typically flavorful and nutritious, but it’s risky because, well, it could kill you if you’re not careful in catching it.
When hunting snakes for a meal, it’s crucial to distinguish the venomous ones from the harmless look-alikes. Some snakes appear dangerous but aren’t, and others that seem safe can be deadly. Geography plays a key role here. If you’re lost in the woods of the northeastern U.S. or Canada, you’re in luck: the only venomous snakes are the northern copperhead and the timber rattlesnake, neither of which pose a fatal threat.
If you find yourself in Central or South America, approach snakes with extreme caution—or better yet, avoid them altogether. The region is home to nearly 400 species of venomous snakes, including the infamous Fer-de-Lance, or 'spearhead' due to its pointed head. With inch-long fangs and deadly venom, it’s the deadliest reptile in the Americas. In Africa, where cobras, black mambas, and puff adders are plentiful, it’s probably best to skip the snake hunting—unless you’re a wildlife expert like Irwin.
If you’re armed only with basic tools—long sticks and rocks—the best way to deal with a snake is to pin its head with a long stick and crush its skull with another. If you can get close enough, a sizable stone can also do the job. If you have a knife or sharp stone, decapitating the snake ensures it’s definitely dead.
6. Mushrooms That Won’t Make You Die
Any serious conversation about edible wild mushrooms must include a warning about the poisonous ones (see the next entry). First, let’s focus on the varieties that are safe and easy to identify.
One of the top contenders in this safe category is the hen-of-the-woods mushroom. Native to China, Japan, and North America, it’s a favorite for novice mushroom hunters because it lacks any dangerous look-alikes. These mushrooms are grayish-brown with white undercaps, weighing anywhere from 3 to 15 pounds, and typically grow in the autumn. A helpful identifying feature is the absence of striated lines or gills, which are common in many other mushrooms.
Another low-risk option is the oyster mushroom. Found across forests worldwide and rich in B vitamins, these mushrooms grow in shelf-like clusters on dead or decaying trees. Their caps, which are oyster-shaped, range in color from white to brownish-gray and can measure between 2 to 8 inches across. The undersides of their caps feature tightly spaced gills that extend down their short, sometimes absent, stems, and are typically white or tan.
Another edible but oddly named mushroom is the sulphur shelf, also known as chicken-of-the-woods. These thrive in forests throughout Europe and North America, growing on dead or dying trees and extracting their remaining nutrients. Despite its name, it’s quite nutritious.
Sulphur shelf mushrooms are typically orange or yellow and grow in overlapping, shelf-like formations. However, if you spot them growing on a conifer—usually a cone-bearing tree, like an evergreen—DO NOT EAT. This could be a dangerous lookalike capable of triggering severe allergic reactions.
5. Mushrooms That Might Make You Die
Death caps: Aptly named because Amanita phalloides isn’t terrifying enough, these mushrooms are some of the deadliest fungi on Earth and are responsible for the majority of mushroom-related fatalities globally. Their danger lies in the deadly poison they contain and the fact that they resemble the harmless Paddy Straw mushroom. The caps are generally off-white, sometimes tinged with green or yellow. An unmistakable clue is their foul, bleach-like odor.
Another deadly mushroom is Conocybe filaris, which can be found across Europe, Asia, and North America. Small but highly toxic, they emerge from grassy areas and decaying wood. Their caps are conical and typically no larger than an inch in diameter. A distinguishing feature is the prominent tan annulus, a collar-like ring around the stem. Conocybe filaris is fatal if consumed and has several harmless lookalikes, so it’s safest to avoid mushrooms that even vaguely resemble it.
False morels are another dangerous impostor, named for their resemblance to the edible true morel. Both types of morels can be found in wooded areas, especially near ash, aspen, elm, and oak trees. They come in various shapes and colors, including ridged, wrinkled, waved, and smooth forms. The easiest way to tell the real deal from its poisonous counterpart is to cut them open. True morels are hollow, whereas false morels are solid all the way through.
4. Berries
For a survivalist beginner, berries are often a safer option than mushrooms. While a toxic mushroom could be deadly, an inedible berry will only result in varying degrees of sickness.
When it comes to berry picking, there are a few essential guidelines. Stay away from yellow, white, and green berries, while black and purple ones are generally safe. Red berries can be questionable, but they’re usually fine unless they grow in tightly packed clusters. A good rule of thumb: aggregate berries, which consist of fruit clusters called carpels (like blackberries and raspberries), are almost always safe to eat.
Examples of berries that fall under these safe categories include elderberries, huckleberries, cloudberries (which resemble orange raspberries), muscadines, and the oddly named chokeberry.
So, which berries should you avoid? First off, steer clear of anything that looks like it belongs to the holiday season. Holly berries contain saponin, which can cause extreme vomiting, while mistletoe’s white berries have phoratoxin, which can lead to stomach issues and a slow heartbeat. Jerusalem cherry plants, also known as Christmas oranges, produce yellow-red berries that contain solanine, potentially causing gastrointestinal distress and heart arrhythmia. Thanks, Baby Jesus.
Other harmful berries include pokeweed, which tricks the untrained eye with its grape-like, purple berries—an established color for 'safe' berries. As pokeweed matures, it becomes increasingly toxic, and consuming too much of it can even be deadly. Also, avoid ivy and vine berries in general, regardless of their color. Many of these contain saponin, while others, such as the berries of Virginia creeper, have dangerously high levels of calcium oxalate, which can damage the kidneys.
3. Maybe Your Belt (But Definitely Not Your Shoes)
Yes, you can actually eat leather. Well… sort of. It all depends. Before you attempt to prepare a fillet of (shoe) sole, understand that not all leather is made—or tanned—the same way, and this distinction makes all the difference between something you can safely consume and something that could be poisonous.
In its purest form, leather is entirely edible, containing roughly 35% protein and 65% water. However, different leathers are tanned in various ways, and chemically-tanned leathers are unsafe to eat. For instance, a tanning agent called anthracene can harm the kidneys and liver, while common finishing chemicals such as formaldehyde and arsenic are well-known toxins.
Shoe leather is a definite no-go, as it’s almost always tanned with harsh chemicals. A study of 21 pairs of branded leather shoes revealed varying levels of arsenic, cadmium, cobalt, copper, lead, nickel, and zinc. Every pair contained high levels of trivalent chromium, and all but one had mercury. So please, skip the shoe stew. Luggage and wallets also often contain these dangerous chemicals.
The three safest leather products to eat are saddles, holsters, and belts, as these are commonly tanned with vegetable oil. Assuming you’re not stranded in 19th-century Tombstone, Arizona, a belt is the most likely option for your survival menu. However, before your leather lunch begins, you'll need to boil water—so a fire and some kind of heatable container are necessary. Soak the leather for a long time, then brace yourself and pretend it’s a fast-food burger.
2. Worms
Worms are gross, and a recent peer-reviewed study confirmed they have cooties. But they’re edible and easy to find, so they make the list.
If you find yourself stranded in a wooded area (and it hasn’t recently rained, which would make the task much easier), the best place to catch worms is by clearing a layer of ground-level vegetation, ideally leafy. Worms thrive in moist soil, and this will generally be the dampest dirt around. If you're waiting to be rescued, laying a piece of cardboard over the moist ground is a surefire way to attract a steady supply of worms.
Another quick trick to summon worms requires something you may or may not have: dish soap or laundry detergent. If you do, mix it with water and spray it generously on the ground. Worms despise soap (because, well, they're filthy and live in dirt) and will emerge to the surface within minutes.
That these wriggling, creepy-crawly creatures are a superfood is a testament to both the existence of God and His sense of humor. If you can get past the squeamishness, worms are packed with protein, as well as iron and amino acids. They also contain copper, manganese, and zinc. If you absolutely have to, smoking them over a fire is a method of preparation favored by some indigenous tribes in South America.
1. Roots
While mushrooms and berries present a high-risk, high-reward scenario, roots are more of a high-energy, high-reward proposition. Digging them up takes effort, but once you succeed, they offer a valuable survival resource. This is because roots serve as a plant’s primary energy storage, making them a fantastic source of nourishment.
One of the most common plants with edible roots is the daylily, originally from Asia but now widespread in North America and Europe. Daylilies are tough, resilient plants, earning them the nickname 'gutter lilies' due to their ability to grow through pavement cracks and along roadsides. They're easy to spot during summer with their large, flat flowers, which are also edible. Their roots are said to be tasty even when raw, but be sure to eat only fresh, white tubers.
In warmer climates, kudzu is another accessible root source. This invasive plant has large green leaves grouped in threes and fragrant grape-like flowers. As with most roots, the younger portions are much tastier. Carefully remove the soil from around the plant’s base, then gently lift the roots out and separate them.
Kudzu leaves are edible, but a word of caution: kudzu often grows in areas where poison ivy is also present, so be sure to harvest with care.
