Edible bugs for kids; we tell you why. Kids have a deep sense of nature and wanting to protect the natural world. Why not get them involved in preparing a kids’ classic with a twist ?You only need rice pops, milk chocolate and some roasted insects. Melt the chocolate in a pan, mix in the rice and the insects. Pour into small cupcake paper cups and let it cool.
Edible bugs for kids
Have you ever thought about getting your family into bug eating ? It might sound a little strange at first, but billion of people around the world eat insects as insects are actually really tasty, and also good for you. By eating insects, even if just a couple of times a week you will help the planet greatly. Let’s explore why kids like you should give edible insects a try!
What Are Edible Insects?
Edible insects are safe and healthy bugs you can eat. In the UK we can only sell some insect species, like for example crickets, locusts and mealworms, but in other countries a lot more species are available, from ants to beetles and even scorpions. If you find the sight of insects in your food puts you off, remember that you have the option to turn them into snacks by grinding them first and mixing them in with other ingredients.
Why children should try eating insects?
The main reason why children will not try insects, is that they are influenced by some adults that treat the idea as gross! in spite of edible insects having been shown by research to be healthy and eco-friendly. We have seen this first hand, for example when running edible insect tasting events in schools; the kids would be very curious about trying, but the same cannot be said about the teachers ! Similarly when running events like Scouts conventions and similar large gathering, we’ve seen how children of all ages are curious about trying eating insects but not the accompanying adults !
Here is a quick recap on why children and adults alike should incorporate edible insects in their diet.
- Very Healthy for You
- Insects are rich in protein, which are essential for your muscles health.
- They’re also full of important macro nutrients like iron, calcium, vitamins and omega fatty acids.
- Good for the Planet
- Raising insects uses less water and requires less space and land than raising cows or chickens.
- They feed on vegetable surplus and create very little pollution, hence they are an eco-friendly food choice.
- They Taste Good
- Crickets and mealworms have a mild flavour. Some people compare then to seeds , others prawns or pork scratchings. In other words, when it comes to edible insects, it is very difficult to describe what they taste like ! It would be fair to say that edible crickets taste like crickets, and that edible mealworms taste like mealworms !
- Millions of People Eat Them
- In countries like Mexico and Thailand, eating bugs is normal and they are considered a delicacy.
- Fried insects, for example, are a popular snack in some places and you can buy them at market stalls.
- Be a Food Adventurer
- Trying new foods, like insects, can be a fun and exciting way to stretch the horizons of you taste buds.
Ready to get start your own entomophagy experiment ?
Edible insects are crunchy, tasty, and great for you and the planet. Go ahead, take a bite, and be part of the bug-eating adventure!
- Try them covered in chocolate with some Choco-pops.
- Ask your parents to help you cook a bug recipe, like cricket tacos or cricket guacamole.
- Share what you learn with your friends—it’s fun to eat bugs together!