Edible Flowers 101

You can buy yourself flowers. And eat them too! Edible flowers are a great way to liven up any dish! And the flowers are best if you grow them yourself – that way you know they are fresh and free of pesticides.

In season:

Different varieties of plants and flowers have varying times of the year they are widely available. Grocery stores will often sell small packages of already cut edible flowers in the produce section.

What to look for:

Before consuming flowers be sure to check that they are safe to eat. Look for fresh flowers that are vibrant and in full bloom. Common edible flowers are zucchini flowers, lavender, and basil. Don’t buy flowers to eat from the florist as they have probably been treated with pesticides or other chemicals.

How to store them:

Eat your blooms as soon as they are cut. Or place freshly cut flowers on damp paper towel and place in an airtight container in the fridge. Try your hand at growing your own edible flower garden with flowers such as lilacs, dandelions, pansies, and marigolds.

Why you should try it:

There are many different kinds of flowers that are perfectly safe and perfectly delicious to eat. Edible flowers not only add a beautiful visual to finished dishes they can also add all kinds of new and interesting flavours to unique salads. And just the petals can can be coated in sugar or even pickled.