April 16, 2015
Kevin Bachhuber. Courtesy of Big Cricket Farms
Rich in protein and requiring relatively few resources to raise, the United Nations says insects should be on our plates.
Though bugs make up part of a healthy, diverse diet in many non-Western cultures, Americans and Europeans generally consider eating insects to be disgusting, even ‘primitive.’ But a growing movement by edible insect enthusiasts like Kevin Bachhuber is looking to change this perception.
Eating certain types of insects is common is Thailand, where Bachhuber picked up a taste for them in 2006 while traveling. Fried crickets are a common bar food, and though “it feels a little Fear-Factor-y at first,” he says a couple beers help wash them down the first time. From then on, he says, “They’re really good!”
On returning to the U.S., Bachhuber looked for crickets, hoping to fry up his own snacks. But it was 2006, and crickets weren’t on anyone’s menu.