I ate minced cricket meat and it was delicious. This is why we should all eat insects

In Britain, eating insects may seem like something only horrible showbiz characters on I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! whether adventurous participants in Fear Factor are forced to do so.

But edible critters are an emerging market that promises not only extremely high-protein meals, but also much more sustainable production – for obvious reasons, they require far less land, water and resources than livestock.

I was always curious and excited at the prospect: if I can eat a pig, why can’t I eat a fly?

And besides, many countries around the world have delicacies made from creepy creatures.

So when I got this offer, I was excited to sample the latest offering from meal prep brand STOCKED – which is teaming up with insect food company Yum Bug to create a ‘Chilli con Cricket’ meal that ‘swaps beef for bugs’.

The ‘rich, slow-cooked chilli is packed with smoky chipotle peppers, warming spices and black beans’ claims to be as hearty as regular meat, but of course it’s minced cricket instead of minced cow.

STOCKED claims their offering tastes ‘just like the real thing’ – and they’re absolutely right.

I was downright disappointed and bored by how regular the brew tasted. Everything from the smell to the texture resembles beef in every way.

The ingredients list describes the curious mix as ‘Cricket Mix (crickets/shellfish)’ – but if there is any seafood in the mix, it was completely undetectable to my tongue.

The spices are delicately balanced to create all the smoky flavors that won’t leave you wanting anything in terms of taste.

The cooking method was also quick and easy to follow. STOCKED offers you frozen portioned cubes that you can divide into as large or small a meal as you want.

I decided to take two for a tasty and easy meat wrap. The instructions are simple enough: fill your cubes with some water and let them simmer in a covered pan.

Within 12 minutes (six minutes per stone) I was done and ready to eat. The food smelled absolutely delicious as it cooked – I’m sure if someone came in and didn’t know any better they would ask for a plate.

I put the meat in a wrap and decided not to add anything I normally would – like cheese, some rice or extra veggies – to make sure I didn’t cover up the flavor of the minced meat.

I prepared myself to feel something with the first bite – I imagined a strange aftertaste, a strange bitterness or maybe even a cricket bone – but absolutely nothing came.

It tasted like a perfectly normal meat wrap – which made me wish I had decorated it with more toppings to enhance the flavor.

My only issue is that it was a little too tomatoey for me, but that can be softened by adding other ingredients to the meal.

Leo Taylor, CEO and co-founder of Yum Bug, said: ‘We are on a mission to create a more sustainable food system by showing people that insects are actually just delicious food.

‘By teaming up with STOCKED to create the new Chilli con Cricket, people now have the perfect way to try crickets at home in a quick, sustainable and delicious meal.’

Yum Bug is also planning major restaurant partnerships this year and recently launched London’s first permanent bug-based restaurant in Finsbury Park.

“STOCKED was born out of a hatred of waste,” says Sam Moss, co-founder of STOCKED.

‘Our innovative packaging is a way to fit more food into fewer packages and our Blocks allow people to choose their own portions. This means busy foodies can eat what’s good for them every time and limit what ends up in the trash.

‘Our customers also care about the planet, which is why we always have an eye for innovative brands that contribute to making our food system more sustainable. Then came Yum Bug!

“Our partnership with Yum Bug is all about introducing our customers to a new protein source in a dish they love, and hopefully introducing a few insect lovers to the beauty of Blocks as well.”

The minced meat not only tasted good, but also made me feel incredibly full for hours. Yum Bug’s website states that their ground beef contains “up to 50 percent more protein than beef, for 15 times less CO2,” and that doesn’t surprise me. My partner was amazed at how little my usually ravenous appetite was when it came to mealtime. .

If you’re more squeamish about insects, this is a great first start – I’m excited for many more insects now!

In 2022, a study suggested that swapping animal products for future foods such as insect proteins or cultured milk could reduce global warming, water and land use by more than 80 percent.

Researchers used computer models to find the optimal food combination to meet nutritional needs while also minimizing global warming and water and land use.

They found that if people in Europe replaced meat and dairy with food produced using new technologies, such as making fake steak from bovine cells, this could significantly reduce any environmental impact.

Not only that, but it would be According to experts from the University of Helsinki, they are nutritionally adequate and meet the limitations of what can feasibly be consumed.

They said alternative diets, such as vegetarian, vegan or flexitarian, had shown the health and environmental benefits of a shift to lower meat consumption.

But novel or future foods (NFFs) – including cultured milk, insect meal or mycoprotein – may provide a more complete range of essential nutrients compared to currently available plant-based protein (PBPR) options such as legumes, legumes and grains, according to the researchers.

They said NFFs also tend to be more efficient with land and water than existing animal-based products.

But it seems the solution is much harder to implement for picky eaters around the world.

That same year, a study said that seven in ten people are unwilling to follow a ‘bush tucker trial diet’ – including insects such as mealworms – to save the planet.

The findings come from a study of alternative foods such as insects, laboratory meat and plant proteins, which are seen as better for the environment than meat and dairy.

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) survey found that 67 percent of people said ‘nothing would make them try edible insects’, 13 percent could be convinced if they knew it was safe to eat, and 11 percent would do so if they “looked tasty.” and 37 percent were willing to grind insects into food.

‘Bushtucker trials’ were made famous by the TV show I’m a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here, in which contestants are forced to eat creepy crawlies.

The FSA said it is working to ensure people can enjoy ‘innovative food… while still having complete confidence in their safety’.

While six in 10 respondents were willing to try plant-based proteins in their diet, the biggest barrier was a preference for traditional meat (36 percent), the survey results showed.

Of those who said they were unwilling to try laboratory meat, 27 percent said they could be convinced if they knew it was safe to eat, and 23 percent if they could trust it was properly regulated.