If you are what you eat , call me " the hereafter . "
Crickets, mealworms, ants. Over the past eight years, the Aussie media industry has taken a keen interest in these insects. Why? Well, because they believe that such beasties could soon be your go-to snack.
Yet, despite the fact that gobbling up insects has been lauded by the media, this source of protein hasn’t taken off. The average Aussie isn’t having a big bowl of crickets each and every breakfast.
With all of this in mind, why does the media love the idea of us eating insects? And why is “the future of food” still a lifetime away?
Well, from March until November, I made a few types of insects a part of my regular diet. I wanted to get down to the bottom of these two mysteries.
Smash cut: August 14. The first day of my insect-eating escapade. I had just received a fresh box of insects from the good people at Circle Harvest. And I was ready to dive the heck in.
Which brings us to my first meal — Circle Harvest’s Saltbush and Rosemary Mealworms. No, I didn’t chow down on handfuls of these survivalist-style. Instead, I incorporated them into a fried rice dish.
So, how was my first bite? Well, to be honest, it was scrumptious. The mealworms were salted up with an earthy aftertaste.
According to Skye Blackburn, an Entomologist and Food Scientist who created Circle Harvest, these mealworms aren’t just delicious. They are also a sustainable form of protein, compared to traditional types of meats.
After this convo with Blackburn wrapped up, a culinary whirlwind took place. A whirlwind that lasted for months.
However, this adventure wasn’t all fun and games. Tragically, Circle Harvet’s Cricket Protein Powder was feral.
Fortunately though, my insect adventure ended on a peak. ‘Cause the last meal I had was tyrant ants covered in lemon-lime lollies.
Smash cut: November 22. It’s now been a week since I’ve wrapped up my insect-eating escapade. So, would I do something like this again? Will I make insects a regular part of my diet?
Spoilers: Yes, 1000% yes. I’m still enjoying cricket protein cookies to this very day.
What’s more, most Aussies that I’ve chatted to about this experience also seem to be interested in dining on insects themselves.
It’s worth noting though that there are several other challenges that our insect biz still has to overcome. For instance, despite the fact that the price of insects has remained relatively stable over the past few years, these feeds are still rather pricey.
Therefore, if you’re going to order some Circle Harvest products, I’d recommend getting a value pack. Not only do these deals give you a variety of meals, they’ll save you anywhere between $3.00 and $22.00, which is such a slay.
