Want to wow your guests at cookouts? Then try serving up your meals with edible flowers! There are many edible flowers that can be great additions to your favorite recipes, from garnishes to seasonings to the main course.
Tips For Growing and Using Edible Flowers
Follow these tips to safely harvest and eat flowers from your garden:
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- Go Organic and Homegrown: Don’t eat flowers that have been sprayed with pesticides or any other chemicals. Stick with organic, homegrown blossoms, and avoid flowers from florists and garden centers.
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- Know Your Flowers: Only eat flowers that you know are edible, because some are poisonous! And don’t assume that a flower is edible just because it’s served with food – not all flower garnishes are edible.
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- Avoid Roadside Flowers: Flowers beside the road are badly contaminated from vehicle emissions and shouldn’t be eaten.
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- Eat Only Flower Petals: Remove the stamens and pistils from flowers before eating. The remaining flower can sometimes be used one piece, while others have a bitter base that needs to be removed.
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- Consider Allergies: People who suffer from seasonal allergies may have a reaction to edible flowers as well. Introduce them gradually to your diet to be sure you can tolerate them.
- Experiment: Different varieties of flowers, and flowers grown in different conditions, will have different flavors. Experiment to find out what works best in your garden.
Read on to find out about 10 easy to grow, edible flowers to help get you started, along with tips for how to use edible flowers in the kitchen.
