Buggy good food!

I thought I’d write this to say that although the idea of bugs in our food may sound horrible, I have tried it myself and found it rather good.
I have tasted a fruit & nut (and bug) bar with dates, honey, oats, almonds and cricket flour and am happy to say that it was like any other bar I’ve consumed in the past. There was no awful taste or smell and the texture was perfectly normal too. 

So why are food companies considering using insects in our food?

Climate benefits

As meat production can put a great energy demand on the world, people are looking more & more for other sources of easily produced, healthy protein and low and behold, we have found one! Insects are easier to rear than other animals, they release far less greenhouse gas & produce good turnover so should be cheap to purchase.

Nutritional benefits

Insects are also full of protein, fibre, minerals (iron, zinc etc) & good fat (some mealworms contain the same amount of omega 3 as fish) which makes them a great choice! Furthermore, they can be made into products such as flour so that it is easier to add to typical recipes but it also makes it more appealing to consume, and lets be honest, the manufacturers know that they need to make these products taste good so that they sell, therefore they’re unlikely to taste the way you’re probably imaging.

Getting over the "ick" factor
Again, I realise most people find this thought unpleasant but lets face it, those of us who eat meat aren’t put off by the thought of eating that creature so why should insects be any different? If from a reputable company that has sourced the best quality produce & has undergone safety checks then personally I’d feel quite content consuming such food.
I feel there is a prejudgement about this which should really be given a chance before being discarded. If most people could be a little adventurous and keep in mind how many meats/organs of other creatures we consume (as well as the fact that there’s considerable nutrition in bugs) then this type of food would surely find a place in the market and as a regular in our diets in the near future without having to feel like you’re attempting a bush tucker trial.

As mentioned earlier, I have tried a few insect (cricket) based energy/protein bars myself and they tasted delicious! It's like any other ingredient, once you mix it with the right flavours, it can be delicious as well as nutritious.
Check out sensbar for more details on their lovely bars, my personal favourite was the pineapple and coconut energy bar. I've also gone into more detail about the bars in my sens bar post here

Nourishing insect (cricket) based protein & energy bars