Lewis Pidoux, 41, has found a remarkable way to cut his monthly grocery bill by about £200 by foraging wild mushrooms, nettles, dandelions, and other natural ingredients from local parks. What began as childhood memories of picking blackberries with his father has blossomed into a passionate lifestyle that now makes up nearly 20% of his diet.
Inspired in his early 20s and driven by his love for long-distance walks, Lewis creates inventive dishes like nettle pakora and acorn pancakes from his foraged finds. Recently, he transitioned to part-time hours as a chef to focus more on his growing YouTube channel, where he educates viewers about the benefits of wild foods.
Living in Bristol and working at Toby Carvery, Lewis spends roughly £80 a week on groceries, but his foraging significantly offsets these costs, especially during spring when wild produce is abundant. During colder months, when foraging is limited, he estimates his savings drop to around £100.
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Lewis emphasizes that foraging is more than a trend or niche hobby; it’s a timeless way humans have connected to their environment and sourced food. “It’s part of us all,” he says. He notes that many wild mushrooms, like prized porcinis, can be costly in stores, making foraging an economical and sustainable alternative.
Over the past six years, Lewis has shared his knowledge on YouTube, seeing a notable increase in interest during the pandemic as people sought to spend more time outdoors and worried about possible food shortages. Typical meals from his foraged pantry include acorn pancakes or dandelion smoothies for breakfast, sea beet frittatas and wild mushroom broth at lunch, and chickpea and nettle curries or southern-fried ‘chicken of the woods’ mushroom dishes for dinner.
While some experts have expressed concern about foraging risks and the impact on natural habitats, Lewis believes the community is diverse and mindful. He advocates for taking only what you need and respecting nature, stressing that sustainable foraging and education are crucial to preserving wild spaces. Lewis also points out important legal and safety considerations, reminding newcomers that protected plants and private lands are off-limits, and hazardous species like giant hogweed should be avoided.
He advises beginners to learn slowly and focus on a few plants at a time, attend guided tours, read widely, and keep a journal to track their knowledge. Critically, he warns against relying on plant-identification apps, sharing his own near-miss with the deadly hemlock water dropwort, which was mistakenly identified by an app as safe wild celery.
In warmer months, Lewis lives almost entirely on foraged fruits and greens, only buying meat and root vegetables. In winter, he supplements with shop-bought nuts and seeds but stays committed to wild ingredients whenever possible. His staple foraged foods include wild garlic, dandelions, nettles, and mushrooms.
Looking ahead, Lewis is considering documenting a challenge where he lives entirely on foraged food for several months, emulating our ancestors who harvested extensively in autumn to sustain themselves through winter. His inspiring story highlights how reconnecting with nature through foraging can bring both health benefits and significant savings.