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Richard Mabey
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Food for Free Paperback – 1 Oct. 2001

by Richard Mabey (Author)
4.6 out of 5 stars 4,758 ratings

Illustrated throughout with stunning colour photographs this fully-revised edition of a Collins bestseller explains the best ways to make use of the foods we can find in the wild.

Food for Free by Richard Mabey was first published in 1972, since then it has been reprinted 11 times. An all-colour, revised version produced in 1989 has sold over 30,000 copies in the trade. A guide to over 200 types of food that can be gathered in the wild in Britain, Food for Free explores the history and folklore of the foods as well as explaining how we identify them and the best ways to cook and eat them.

The new edition will bring the subject right up to date. Organized by season rather than food type Food for Free will take us through the year. Richard Mabey’s fully-revised text will be accompanied by stunning photographs, new recipes and a wealth of practical information on collecting, cooking and preparing.

Beautifully illustrated, beautifully written and produced in a new, larger format Food for Free is designed to inspire us to take more notice of what is around us, how we can make use of it and how we can conserve it for future generations.

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  1. Print length
    192 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Collins
  4. Publication date
    1 Oct. 2001
  5. Dimensions
    18.42 x 1.27 x 22.86 cm
  6. ISBN-10
    0002201593
  7. ISBN-13
    978-0002201599
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Product description

From the Back Cover

Illustrated throughout with stunning colour photographs this fully-revised edition of a Collins bestseller explains the best ways to make use of the foods we can find in the wild.

'Food for Free' by Richard Mabey was first published in 1972, since then it has been reprinted 11 times. An all-colour, revised version produced in 1989 has sold over 30,000 copies in the trade. A guide to over 200 types of food that can be gathered in the wild in Britain, 'Food for Free' explores the history and folklore of the foods as well as explaining how we identify them and the best ways to cook and eat them.

The new edition will bring the subject right up to date. Organized by season rather than food type 'Food for Free' will take us through the year. Richard Mabey’s fully-revised text will be accompanied by stunning photographs, new recipes and a wealth of practical information on collecting, cooking and preparing.

Beautifully illustrated, beautifully written and produced in a new, larger format 'Food for Free' is designed to inspire us to take more notice of what is around us, how we can make use of it and how we can conserve it for future generations.

About the Author

Richard Mabey is a naturalist and award-winning author and journalist. He won wide acclaim on the publication of the original Food for Free in 1972 – which has never been out of print since – and again with the publication of the colour edition in 1989. Among his many other acclaimed publications are Gilbert White (Whitbread Biography of the Year) and the ground-breaking bestseller Flora Britannica, which won the British Book Awards' Illustrated Book of the Year and the Botanical Society of the British Isles' President's Award and was runner-up for the BP Natural World Book Prize. He collaborated with Mark Cocker on Birds Britannica, and his book Nature Cure, described as 'a brilliant, candid and heartfelt memoir', was shortlisted for four prestigious prizes: the Whitbread Biography, the J.R. Ackerley for autobiography, Mind (for its investigation into depression) and the Ondaatje for the evocation of the spirit of place. He is an active member of national and local conservation groups and lives in Norfolk.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Collins
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ 1 Oct. 2001
  • Edition ‏ : ‎ New edition
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 192 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0002201593
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0002201599
  • Item weight ‏ : ‎ 612 g
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 18.42 x 1.27 x 22.86 cm
  • Best Sellers Rank: 904,155 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • Customer reviews:
    4.6 out of 5 stars 4,758 ratings

About the author

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Richard Mabey

Richard Mabey

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Richard Mabey is widely hailed as Britain's fore-most nature writer. He is the author of the groundbreaking book on foraging in the countryside Food for Free and the editor of The Oxford Book of Nature Writing. He has narrated and produced popular BBC television and radio series, and has written for the Guardian, Granta, and other publications. He lives in Norfolk, England.

Customer reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars
4,758 global ratings

Customers say

Customers find this field guide concise and informative, with clear photos of each plant or fungus that make it easy to use as a reference. The book is praised for its comprehensive coverage of edible plants throughout Britain, and customers appreciate that it's the ideal size for carrying around. They consider it a good tool to have with them and worth the money.

Select to learn more

Information qualityPocket sizePocket convenienceUsePictures qualityIdentificationValue for moneyPocket fit
298 customers mention ‘Information quality’281 positive17 negative

Customers find the book informative and concise, describing it as a great field guide and quick reference guide.

"This book is very informative and very useful. It is easy to understand and I've already put it to use identifying stuff in my area, it's great." Read more

"...Very helpful and informative but if you are getting older, like me, take your reading glasses as the print is rather small!" Read more

"...Jam packed with great photo's, illustrations and descriptions. A must have book if wild edibles are an interest." Read more

"Found this small book so full of useful information and just the right size to take walking in the country side. Very pleased with purchase." Read more

247 customers mention ‘Pocket size’191 positive56 negative

Customers appreciate the book's compact size, describing it as a handy pocket-sized guide.

"I bought two foraging books & this one is top notch, small, so in will fit into any pocket & very informative, showing nuts, berries, fungi &..." Read more

"...As a first reference book I'd say this is very, very useful. It's pocket sized so I can carry it around with me, but it's full of information so..." Read more

"Pocket sized, I'd guess 4 inch long by 3 wide maybe 1 thick. Fits nicely in my jeans front or back pocket and an inch or so below the pocket lip...." Read more

"...Also, the book is very small, pocket size, so there isn't much room for drawings, photos or diagrams that would improve the chances of identifying..." Read more

119 customers mention ‘Pocket convenience’118 positive1 negative

Customers appreciate the book's portability, noting it's good to take with them and useful to pop in their pocket during walks, with one customer mentioning it's perfect for backpacking and wild camping.

"Lovely little pocket guide, easy to carry and covers a wide range of wild food." Read more

"It is a pocket book,there for easy to carry around if out an about,might order the bigger one,it has a wealth of information on various plants and..." Read more

"a good pocket guide to take out with you." Read more

"A great pocket guide" Read more

104 customers mention ‘Use’103 positive1 negative

Customers find the book handy when out and about, with one mentioning it's particularly valuable for foragers.

"A useful book but the pictures and descriptions in these books never go far enough imho..." Read more

"This book is very informative and very useful. It is easy to understand and I've already put it to use identifying stuff in my area, it's great." Read more

"Handy little book with excellent photos. Good for reference on the go. Includes lots of useful info like habitats and when to see." Read more

"Very useful and packed with all sorts of food for free to collect" Read more

99 customers mention ‘Pictures quality’84 positive15 negative

Customers appreciate the book's pictures, which include clear photos of each plant and fungus, making them easy to use as a reference.

"...Covers everything foung growing in UK. Clear description and good pictures. Use this alot when out walking!" Read more

"Simple, clear diagrams and photos, recipe ideas and everything you need to know to become a good, safe forager, handy pocket sized to" Read more

"Lots of information and great pictures, perfect for popping in your bag or pocket for referencing" Read more

"...Has illustrations and also photographs which is very helpful when identifying. Clear descriptions including areas found, time of year etc...." Read more

63 customers mention ‘Identification’54 positive9 negative

Customers appreciate the book's identification features, which include detailed descriptions and lists of edible plants throughout Britain, making it a comprehensive field guide.

"...ITS GOT SOME GOOD TIPS AND HELPS YOU SEE WHAT BERRIES YOU CAN EAT." Read more

"Handy book for out & about in your pocket for easy identification of plants" Read more

"...This book has clear pictures of each plant or flower to aid identification." Read more

"Lists all the plants, flowers and fruits, etc that you have already seen and those you are likely to find.... It's UK so all of it is useful...." Read more

61 customers mention ‘Value for money’59 positive2 negative

Customers find the book good value for money.

"...carrying around, very detailed descriptions/ pictures and it was a good price. Defensively reccomend." Read more

"...rambles across the fields with the dog learnt a lot from this book..Good value ,well worth the money would recommend this book" Read more

"Good buy..." Read more

"Good item well worth the money." Read more

54 customers mention ‘Pocket fit’53 positive1 negative

Customers like that the book fits nicely in their pocket.

"...run back in the 70's, it's brilliant and not just because it fits in your pocket, the old versions back in the 70's and 80's only had the lovely..." Read more

"Very good informative book fits in pocket so when out walking gives easy access to finding out what type of plant you are looking at and whether it..." Read more

"...Something to refer to in the wild that fits in my pocket then fills my basket. If anybody wants larger photos don't get the Collins gem version...." Read more

"A little gem. Fits easily in your pocket for walks and is great at helping me identify commonly found edibles along the way!" Read more

Truly a little gem
5 out of 5 stars
Truly a little gem
Super little book, filled with useful information. Brought back memories of foraging with my grandfather. I have forgotten much of what I learned as a child, simply because I stopped doing it. This book reminded me. I can now enjoy foraging again with my own grand child. It's small, yes, but no less useful. Fits nicely into a pocket to take out on walks. I've just purchases another copy as a gift.
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Top reviews from United Kingdom

  • Chris
    5.0 out of 5 stars Perfect companion for hiking
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 17 April 2022
    Verified Purchase
    If you have any interest in foraging, this little portable book is ideal.
    It is small enough to fit in your back pocket, very portable little thing.
    The plants in the book have illustrations and photos so it’s pretty easy to recognise what you’re looking at, even for a novice like me.
    It goes in to a bit of detail on how you would prep and use the plants you’re able to forage, which is really useful too.
    There’s so many uses for this book - parents out with their kids teaching them a little about nature - all kids love this sort of thing they really do, keep it with you when camping to see what you can add to the campfire, keep it handy when on a hike so you can pick up some snacks along the way, it’s even a great addition for survivalists to learn how to live off the land.
    Great little book, very useful when there’s no phone coverage, and very cheap too.
    What’s not to like?
    12 people found this helpful
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  • Carlos
    5.0 out of 5 stars Very informative book.
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 19 August 2025
    Verified Purchase
    Definitely one of the best books on edible plants.
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  • trine123
    4.0 out of 5 stars Collins Gem - Food for Free
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 17 October 2012
    Verified Purchase
    I recently borrowed an earlier version of this book (Harper Collins Natural History 1989) from a friend and was so impressed I wanted one of my own (and in fact one for a friend too, who was also impressed by the book). The newer version is more compact.
    Compared to the earlier version, there is now an index for the recipes, and new recipes have been added. This is quite useful. Unfortunately a few plants have been all but left out, I'm not sure if this is because some of these plants are now endangered or have disappeared altogether. E.g. there was no reference to the marsh mallow - I plant I find particularly intriguing! A more serious omission in my view is the poisonous plants: there is a whole group of plants (e.g. cow parsley, wild parsnip) which to me look almost identical, in the field, to the dropworts and hemlock - very poisonous; the new version does mention some of these in passing (but not in the index) and suggests using a well illustrated field guide in combination with this Gem. I think I found it more practical to have clear descriptions, with clear warnings, in the one book, as in the earlier version.
    However, the layout of the new guide, in spite of its tiny size, is beautifully clear and it contains photographs, which is a big improvement. Its size (approx. 12*8*1 cm) means it fits easily in any of my pockets. I can hardly wait for next spring to gather beech leaves and try the beech leaf noyau, a `thickish, sweet spirit ...devastating in its effects' ... !
    13 people found this helpful
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  • Tom
    5.0 out of 5 stars Good purchase.
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 6 June 2025
    Verified Purchase
    Small, helpful and easy to use.
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  • Mr. P
    5.0 out of 5 stars A brilliant little pocked size foraging guide
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 19 September 2010
    Verified Purchase
    This is a great little guide whether you intend to set out on a forage or are just ambling around the countryside and fancy taking something tasty home. It lists pretty much all your standard countryside fare - nuts, berries, flowers, edible foliage, vegetables, seeds etc. - and gives clear guides on identification, when to pick and what to use them for. It also lists shellfish and seaweeds in similar detail, and although there is a good mushroom section with the easiest to identify species, if you haven't been mushroom picking before do get at least one other book on mushrooms to compare with and make very certain of what you are picking.

    There is also a great introduction to edible foraging and the law, and a month by month pick guide as well as some basic info on making, jams etc. The only things that let it down in my eyes are its size - while nicely compact it would be easier to read if it were a tad bigger, and it could do with more pictures, although you can say this of any flora guide. It also makes no mention of the many wild foods you can pick to use for wine and beer making, but this is probably outside of the book's scope.

    All in all a fantastic little guide and amazing value. Go out there and pick some fat hen!
    4 people found this helpful
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  • Joy
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great book
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 5 September 2025
    Verified Purchase
    Book came in great condition, and good quality.
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  • Sc
    3.0 out of 5 stars Small
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 20 September 2025
    Verified Purchase
    I mistook this for a much larger book.
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  • Kindle Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing quality
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 22 January 2025
    Verified Purchase
    Amazing quality , loads of informations into this book , quite small so perfect for in the pocket while foraging
    Customer image
    Kindle Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars
    Amazing quality

    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 22 January 2025
    Amazing quality , loads of informations into this book , quite small so perfect for in the pocket while foraging
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    3 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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  • Juan Manuel Marín Fernández
    3.0 out of 5 stars Mini
    Reviewed in Spain on 12 May 2014
    Verified Purchase
    Por la foto, me lo esperaba más grande, pero es un tamaño mini, lo cual es positivo si se quiere llevar al campo.
    Muy interesantes las recetas y los usos populares.
    Report
  • Smith
    5.0 out of 5 stars Really interesting and helpfull!!
    Reviewed in the Netherlands on 10 August 2023
    Verified Purchase
    There's a ton of good recipes and really good descriptions of the plants and mushrooms so it's easier to identify. I am in love with this book and think everyone should have it in their possession!
    Customer image
    Smith
    5.0 out of 5 stars
    Really interesting and helpfull!!

    Reviewed in the Netherlands on 10 August 2023
    There's a ton of good recipes and really good descriptions of the plants and mushrooms so it's easier to identify. I am in love with this book and think everyone should have it in their possession!
    Images in this review
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  • Alexander Flø Bjerkvik
    5.0 out of 5 stars One of the best
    Reviewed in the United States on 9 April 2022
    Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase
    I have read many foraging books, and this one is great for beginners or when you need a refresher. Images are great, and content is written well.
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  • Lyra
    5.0 out of 5 stars format de poche et rempli d'informations utiles
    Reviewed in France on 13 September 2013
    Verified Purchase
    livre trs pratique d'avoir dans le sac à dos, rempli de photos claires et de descriptions de la façon de récolter des plantes les plus communes trouvées en Europe.
    Report
  • Amazon Kunde
    5.0 out of 5 stars Lovely book with small flaws
    Reviewed in Germany on 29 May 2025
    Verified Purchase
    The recipes, depictions and descriptions are all lovely. Not a fan of the included mushroom section, as someone who regularly forages for mushrooms. There’s not enough information for safe identification and since it’s a small chapter anyway I would have just left it out for a separate book. The plants however make up almost the whole book and for those I would 100% recommend if you live in the UK or northern to mid-Europe. The size is also great for bringing with you on hikes and relaxed strolls through nature.
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