Foods are prone to spoilage due to microbial, chemical, or physical processes, which can affect their nutritional value, color, texture, and edibility. Wild edible and medicinal plants are rich in bioactive compounds such as phenolics, flavonoids, tannins, essential oils, and alkaloids, giving them strong antioxidant and antimicrobial properties. Traditionally used for both food and medicine, these plants are now increasingly recognized as effective and sustainable alternatives to synthetic food preservatives. Their natural compounds inhibit food spoilage by preventing oxidation, reducing lipid peroxidation, and suppressing the growth of harmful bacteria, yeasts, and molds. Essential oils extracted from plants like thyme, clove, oregano, and garlic demonstrate broad spectrum antimicrobial activity through cell membrane disruption and other mechanisms. The ethnobotanical knowledge surrounding wild plants guides their sustainable harvesting and use, though this knowledge is threatened by cultural and societal changes. Modern research continues to clarify the molecular mechanisms of plant-derived compounds, such as activation of antioxidant defense pathways, enhancing their value for food safety and preservation, aquaculture, and human health.