Generally, food is not a survival priority. It is nowhere near as important as is water. In fact, it is such a low priority and procuring it in the wild is a complicated subject (you could fill a library with books on the subject) that we will just graze upon it. And, that only because most people consider it so very important, even though it is not. I do love to eat so it is one of my priorities. Some basic information will keep you out of trouble. I did a quick search of google search and found 10,500,000 sites on edible wild foods.
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Always eat sparingly; you risk severe upset due to the unfamiliar foods. If you have little or no water, don't eat! It takes water for your body to digest and metabolize food. Don't eat unless you have at least two or more quarts of water available per day.
Plants offer the most common and ready wild food source. Some basic rules to stay safe (there are always exceptions, but don't risk it unless you are positive): Avoid all plants with white sap, tiny hairs, umbrella shaped flowers and white or green berries. Red berries are less risky, but eat only if you recognize them as safe. Black or blue berries are generally safe. Aggregate berries, like raspberries, are always edible. Single fruits on a stem are generally safe. Avoid mushrooms and fungi, plants with bulb roots and fruits from plants with shiny leaves.
Edibility Test
Best to avoid-Cautiously test any plant you are unsure of. Be sure there is enough around to be worth the effort. Test only a single specimen at a time per person. First, rub it on a sensitive part of your body--the inside of the wrist for example--and wait five minutes for signs of any adverse effect. Next, chew a very small amount for five minutes and see if there is any adverse effect. Do not swallow at all during this test. If, after this, you and your mouth still feel fine, swallow it. Wait eight hours and if no adverse effects, eat a small handful. Wait another eight hours; if nothing happens, go for it. Remember to eat sparingly.
Go Fish
Catching and preparing wild game is possible, but generally impractical for the inexperienced. With the proper training, it is a more viable alternative. Fish, on the other hand, are much more easily caught and prepared by even those lacking experience. You can fish even in winter by chopping a hole in the ice, but be very careful not to fall through. Use your survival fishing equipment or improvise hooks out of safety pins or the like. For line you can use wire or cord. Worms dug from along the bank or bugs will generally work fine as bait.
A spear can be readily fashioned and spear heads improvised or simply sharpen the end and add a few notches to keep the fish from coming off. In a pinch you can even catch fish with your bare hands. The secret to fishing is to be quiet and patient. Avoid white water, fish the quiet pools and eddies behind rocks or along banks. Slice open the belly and remove the entrails, cut off the head if it bothers you, and cook.
Insects, grubs and the like are another viable and readily available food source, but most people have a strong aversion to them. Raw or cooked, they offer an excellent source of protein. When cooking wild foods, plants or meat, boiling is the preferred method because the resulting broth captures much of the important nutrients and they do not go to waste. But, you have to drink the broth to benefit.
