Bugs are served on the dinner plates of half the world daily and have been for hundreds of years, yet, so many of us in western society struggle with the thought of eating them. It makes many of us feel a little squeamish! For some of us, there is nothing we’d rather do less! Are we right?

To be able to overcome this fear and start enjoying eating insects, we need to figure out why we feel this way. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations estimates that two billion people consume insects as a regular part of their diet. So why is it that us, in the west, feel this way? Our ancestors certainly never had this problem.

The agricultural revolution in the west changed the way that bugs were viewed. No longer were they a tasty meal, but rather a pest that interfered with crops. A pest that farmers needed to control. Hop forward a few years and pesticides were being invented, which then meant that all the tasty little bugs we had become so used to eating were now potentially dangerous!

As the agricultural revolution swept the world, we began to see those who still ate bugs as a regular part of their diet as primitive… and most of us are still feeling this way.

These views can easily be changed; believe or not, lobsters were once served as prison food across America. Caviar (sturgeon eggs) were viewed as lower than peasant food. Sturgeon were dirty fish that lived in the bottom of murky rivers that nobody wanted to eat, never mind their eggs. Our perception of these foods in society has changed dramatically. Lobster and caviar are now luxury items.

Should I be afraid of eating bugs now?

Absolutely not. Insects are now farmed in modern clean facilities. Antibiotics aren’t used in the farming process, in stark contrast to how much meat is farmed these days! Due to this, there is a reduced risk of super bacteria which makes it safer to eat insects than chicken, beef or pork!

We know nobody is used to butchering animals these days so don’t worry we don’t expect you to eat the insect whole, whilst picking the legs out of your teeth. We’ve taken care of all of that for you, Hoppa’s products are ready to eat! It’s so easy for us to benefit from their nutrition by making a few small changes to our regular grocery shop.

Why not skip the regular pasta this week and opt for our Cricket Fusilli or Penne pasta? Top it with some veg and you’ll be getting your protein from the pasta itself and as it’s a complete protein there is no need to add any meat!

Are you a gym go-er? Maybe that is your resolution for 2020. To get fit. Well, why not swap the protein powder you usually use for our cricket protein powder. A sustainable protein that is natural, low in sugar and dairy-free. Hoppa’s Cricket protein is the best protein powder you can choose!

Amid challenges in food production and the fear of unsustainable farming practises, many people believe that eating bugs will become commonplace, by which time no one will be scared to do so. So why not get over that fear today. Get ahead of the game and give eating crickets a go sooner rather than later?