Bugs for breakfast lunch and tea?

I’m not saying I’ve been running out into the garden each morning and finding a patch of worms and scoffing them down. However, the use of insects as a food source of the future and a source of protein has had a growing push. Projections from the World Bank are already estimating that between 40-60 million people will be pushed into extreme poverty and millions of others into poverty due to economic consequences from the coronavirus pandemic. Mix this with growing populations and predicted food shortages in the future and the fact is, many people are going to struggle to feed themselves. On top of this, our current methods of farming protein are not sustainable. Over one third of the world’s population rely on seafood for 20 percent of their protein intake and the oceans and reefs are currently facing massive challenges with raising sea temperatures, acidification (leading to coral bleaching) and overfishing (source). Additionally, our meat productions are one of the biggest contributors to our changing climate due to their high release of methane gases, consequent deforestation and carbon emissions for production and vast demand (source).  So, could the future be bugs and three veg instead of meat and three veg?

Current edible bug farms use less energy, less water and creates less greenhouse gases than traditional forms of farming protein. You can even buy edible bugs, and cricket meal online and edible bug shops (source). Eating insects is already very common throughout a lot of South East Asian countries and if global populations continue to grow as well as the demand for sustainable protein, it could become a part of an everyday diet everywhere. I have tried crickets and mealworms and personally don’t see a problem. They are small and crunchy and just like any other snack. However, I will admit a spider on a stick might give me some trouble.  Would you give it a go? Cricket chips or cricket meal muffins? Would you use them in your cooking?