I Ate a Cricket

I ate a cricket today. It looked like this:

IMG_4204

Last April, I backed a Kickstarter campaign for Chirps, chips made out of cricket flour. They were going to be high in protein and good for sustainability.

The delivery arrived this past weekend, and they even included an extra bag of chips since they delivered about 6 months later than their projected date (a very nice touch).

I have to say, they were worth the wait. I’ve tried two flavors so far–original and barbecue–and both are excellent. Neither taste like insects. I suspect a big part of this has to do with the heavy dose of poppy seeds in the chips. I really like poppy seeds, so I have no problem with that.

Also, I really like that they’re high in protein, as I’m trying to cut back on other meat intake. Eating insects is way better for the environment than eating any other animal. They’re also gluten free and have 40% less fat than regular chips.

I must sound like I’m being paid to promote these chips! I’m really not. I’m just a backer who is proud to support the creation of something new and awesome.

If you’re curious about how the chips taste and you’re not within range of eating my chips, Chirps was nice to include a promo code for 20% off orders through their website: SOFLY20. I’d recommend the barbecue flavor (the original flavor is good for dipping in salsa, but it doesn’t have much inherent flavor other than poppy seeds).

What do you think? Would you like to see more foods made out of cricket flour? Have you ever eaten an insect?

10 thoughts on “I Ate a Cricket”

    • That’s a lot of nopes, Jasmin! You should give the chips a try– I admit I was a little weary about the idea of eating crickets, but they really were quite tasty. It’s also nice to know that the black flecks visible in the chips are seeds and not bug parts. đŸ™‚

      Reply
  1. Im allergic against chitin (the stuff the shells are made of) – so my first question is: Is it chitin-free?
    And I know that, because I ate grasshoper already đŸ˜‰

    Reply
    • Peer: I looked at the bag, and the word “chitin” doesn’t appear on it, but if you’re really interested, I would recommend contacting the company to make sure. Sorry to hear about your grasshopper experience!

      Reply
  2. I ate a few cooked insects in Thailand. Really enjoyed the taste and crunchiness!

    With some barbed legs, you do need to nibble (as opposed to taking a big bite then chewing) to prevent the barbs getting into your gums. As long as you do that, no problem. Anyway, nibbling can be fun!

    Also ate some insects by accident and some out of curiousity when I was younger (wouldn’t eat raw insects again – too bitter).

    Out of curiousity, have you eaten insects before, to be able to say that these don’t taste like them? :-p

    Yes, I think that people should make food out of whatever is good for us, and get over squeamishness.

    Reply
  3. Ewww, it doesn’t help, Katy. If you lie to me about it, yeah, I’ll try it. I like chips. But now I know what it is. It’s a big NOPE!

    Reply
  4. So there are times when I wonder aloud “Gee, is there any indication of whether Jamey’s professional interest in Kickstarter has gotten to a slightly scary point?”

    This isn’t one of them. No, I’d rather not eat insects (especially since I ‘rescue’ crickets from my basement on a frequent basis), but I understand your reasons for doing so. In all seriousness, though, I’m concerned about the sustainability of insect harvesting. Crickets are a vital part of the food chain for birds, snakes and rodents, and removing them in large numbers for production may have unforeseen consequences. Alternatively, crickets can be farmed or stocked (do they hunt the crickets?) but then there are concerns about maintaining a healthy stock – like salmon and pigs, crickets can catch diseases from being in captivity as well.

    Also, I don’t buy the comparison between crickets and beef (YES I LOOKED AT THE WEBPAGE AND I’M GLAD THERE’S NO ACTUAL PICTURES OF CRICKETS BUT I’M NEVER DRINKING A FRAPPUCCINO OR EATING SPRINKLES AGAIN). No one eats beef chips. I can’t get over the ick factor. I’d go vegetarian before I’d go entophage.

    And no, I don’t think about what part of the pig I’m eating when I eat sausage or ribs or ham. I do stop eating when I picture its face though.

    Please understand, though, next time we have a game night at my place, and you ask what you can bring, my answer will only be one word: “wine”.

    Reply
    • JT: So you’re saying you want to try a cricket chip? đŸ™‚

      I don’t think crickets are being herded into farms, removing them from the ecosystem. Rather, they’re being bred and farmed. I’m sure the cricket farmers are keeping diseases out of the flour–they’re monitored by the FDA.

      I’m actually kind of hooked on the chips. They’re really tasty, and I like the extra shot of protein.

      Reply

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