Could cheaper edible insects change the way we eat ?
Are you looking to buy cheap edible insects for Halloween ? Have you considered eating bugs beyond Halloween ? Historians and anthropologists have studied the possible reasons why insects are not commonly eaten in the West, from cultural attitudes to unfamiliarity, and some have even explored how factors like affordability might influence acceptance.
In many Western countries, edible insects remain expensive and are often seen as novelty or luxury items rather than mainstream foods. But what if the price dropped significantly? Could cheap edible insects – from crickets to mealworms – shift from being a curiosity to a common part of our diets, as lower costs might make them more appealing and accessible to a wider range of consumers?
Halloween: From scary snack to sustainable treat
Every October, sales of edible bugs surge as people buy them for Halloween parties, trick-or-treat bowls, or spooky novelty gifts. Edible crickets, mealworms, and even edible locusts often get used for their shock factor – something creepy to dare your friends to eat.
But this year, we’re running a special Halloween sale to encourage people to see beyond the scary image. Instead of thinking of them only as spooky props, we want to highlight that these insects are genuinely sustainable, high-protein, and nutritious foods.
Our hope is that by making our edible insects substantially more affordable during Halloween, people will try them for fun – and keep eating them afterwards for their health and sustainability benefits. For this purpose we have created a hugely reduced price 500g ”Not just for Halloween’ edible insect offer on our website (just select 500g cheap Halloween special from the drop down – free P&P). Why not go from a creepy-crawly trick to a guilt-free treat? Alternatively for an all year round low cost edible insects offer, you can also try one of our every day cheap edible insects option.
Is edible insect price the biggest barrier to entry ?
Right now, edible insects are still seen as a premium product. A small bag of roasted crickets can cost more than a steak. This makes it difficult for consumers to experiment or make insects a regular grocery purchase. If production scales up, however, prices could fall – and that might be the tipping point. After all, people in the West embraced sushi, tofu, and even plant-based meats once they became affordable and widely available.
Imagine being able to buy cheap edible crickets – not as an exotic snack, but as an everyday protein source. Or what if you could make your own cricket powder made by easily grinding dried crickets, suitable for making cricket flour ? With their low environmental footprint and high nutritional value, insects could easily compete with chicken or fish in the weekly shop.
Creativity in the kitchen
Part of the reluctance around eating insects comes from presentation. A whole roasted cricket might not appeal to everyone, but ground into flour or incorporated into familiar dishes, they become far less intimidating.
Some simple ideas to try:
- Adding cheap edible cricket powder to breads, muffins, or pancakes for a protein boost.
- Mixing cheap edible bugs like mealworms into a chili, curry, or pasta sauce where they blend seamlessly with other ingredients.
- Creating energy bars, granola, or smoothies using powdered insect protein.
If affordable edible bugs were readily available, chefs and home cooks could experiment more freely, normalising their use in everyday recipes.
You can also check out our Bug Bites recipes and the Bug Burger if you want to create something surprisingly delicious.
Regulations: A hurdle in the UK
Another factor is legislation. Brexit complicated the sale of edible insects in the UK. Under EU ‘novel food’ laws, retailers and producers could sell insect-based foods freely. After the transition period, however, UK authorities introduced new approval processes, forcing producers and retailers to navigate stricter rules.
This has created uncertainty and slowed down wider adoption. Some products have disappeared from shelves while awaiting clearance, making it harder for consumers to even access insect-based foods. Future regulations will decide whether the UK can expand the sale of edible insects. If lawmakers clarify the rules and producers lower costs, edible bugs could finally go mainstream.
The future of cheap edible insects in the West
So, would people in the West eat insects if they were a lot cheaper? We think the answer is likely yes – especially if they’re presented in familiar, tasty, and convenient ways. Price has always been a powerful driver of food trends, and only once insects are no longer a luxury item, they will follow the same path as sushi or plant-based meats: from unusual to everyday.
At Horizon Insects, we see a clear path forward. As farming scales up, regulations settle, and recipes get more creative, edible crickets, bugs, and mealworms could become as normal as chicken or lentils. And maybe Halloween will mark the moment many people first tasted this sustainable future.
