Thoughts on cricket protein and/or cricket flour?

Options
Geocitiesuser
Geocitiesuser Posts: 1,429 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Apparently people are trying to bring this to market as a more ecologically friendly food source. I saw someone post a cricket protein bar the other day. I think I remember seeing one in GNC but I was scared to buy it.

Has anyone tried either of these? How was flavor and texture?

To be clear I'm not asking if the idea of eating crickets is gross or not, I just want to know if it actually TASTES gross or not? My understanding is that most insects have a bit of a nutty flavor?

Replies

  • Old_Cat_Lady
    Old_Cat_Lady Posts: 1,193 Member
    Options
    I could not find them on the GNC site. Another site had them for $3 a piece not including shipping. With those costs, I don't think the product will catch on.
  • SundropEclipse
    SundropEclipse Posts: 84 Member
    Options
    Earlier this year I had the opportunity to try a cupcake made with cricket flour. Tasted great and the only time I noticed a difference was in the aftertaste. The flavour was a bit woody/fibery, like the skin on a nut or a shell fragment on a piece of coconut. I would definitely purchase it for baking if it was available in my area. As a protein (such as in stirfries) I couldn't say.
  • wintermadness1
    wintermadness1 Posts: 13 Member
    Options
    Supposedly we'll all be eating bugs soon, according to those who claim the meat industry is unsustainable. It'll have a hard time catching on in the western world though. Plenty of the rest of the world already eats bugs as a normal part of their diet, so they'll be fine...unless western demand for insect protein drives up the prices and makes it unaffordable to those for whom it was a staple for centuries, like what happened with quinoa and whatever other "ancient grains" were a hipster foodie trend-of-the-week.
  • livingleanlivingclean
    livingleanlivingclean Posts: 11,751 Member
    Options
    My local health food shop sells little pots of flavoured crickets as snacks - I'm curious to try, but they are ridiculously expensive and the macros aren't that great...
  • Alatariel75
    Alatariel75 Posts: 17,959 Member
    Options
    I've had fried crickets in Thailand. They're crunchy and kind of nutty. Pretty inoffensive.
  • Jelaan
    Jelaan Posts: 815 Member
    Options
    Hmm ... well our chinese water dragon thinks they are delicious, and he is really picky. Seriously though, at the CNE here in Toronto last year, in the food building they had a booth that was serving insects as a topping for burgers and hot dogs. We went to check it out to try some, but the line up was over 40 people long. There is no way that my family would knowingly eat something made with cricket flour, but I would certainly try it. Another lactose free protein powder alternative would be good.
  • Geocitiesuser
    Geocitiesuser Posts: 1,429 Member
    Options
    SundropEclipse wrote: »
    Earlier this year I had the opportunity to try a cupcake made with cricket flour. Tasted great and the only time I noticed a difference was in the aftertaste. The flavour was a bit woody/fibery, like the skin on a nut or a shell fragment on a piece of coconut. I would definitely purchase it for baking if it was available in my area. As a protein (such as in stirfries) I couldn't say.

    You can buy it on amazon prime, but like others said, the macros don't look great and it's super pricey (1.50 an ounce on average), so I'm equally hesitant.

    Is there any real advantage over eating whey which is cheaper with better macros?
  • Old_Cat_Lady
    Old_Cat_Lady Posts: 1,193 Member
    Options
    Why is only .57 cents a serving (on sale at costco) with 25 grams of protein and only 110 calories.
    I can't see crickets beating this.
    Chicken protein powder (if they could make it) would be cheaper than cricket powder. Lets rule this a fad.
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    Options
    Some people don't want to eat whey, I suppose. Crickets arguably have some environmental pluses, I dunno.

    I'd try it (want to, actually), but haven't been intrigued enough to actually order it yet (I use protein powder pretty rarely as it is and have no problems with whey).
  • snickerscharlie
    snickerscharlie Posts: 8,578 Member
    Options
    wintermadness1 wrote: »
    Supposedly we'll all be eating bugs soon, according to those who claim the meat industry is unsustainable. It'll have a hard time catching on in the western world though. Plenty of the rest of the world already eats bugs as a normal part of their diet, so they'll be fine...unless western demand for insect protein drives up the prices and makes it unaffordable to those for whom it was a staple for centuries, like what happened with quinoa and whatever other "ancient grains" were a hipster foodie trend-of-the-week.
    Agreed.

    And just because they also eat dogs and cats in other countries doesn't mean I'm about to, either. :s

  • theGreatPondero
    theGreatPondero Posts: 15 Member
    Options
    I'm struggling through a pound of Lithic cricket protein. It smells like my iguana cage from the 90s. I cook it with oat meal and smother it in hot sauce, garlic powder and pickle juice. At 30 bucks a pound (IIRC) this is the last time I will buy it. But it's nothing but crickets, no thickeners or "natural flavors" added. So that beats all other types of protein powders I've looked at. And bugs are insanely sustainable food production, I think.
  • jgnatca
    jgnatca Posts: 14,464 Member
    Options
    A pipe dream at the moment, but I've been looking at raising quail. That seems pretty sustainable, and a little more urban friendly than chickens.
  • Sp1tfire
    Sp1tfire Posts: 1,120 Member
    Options
    I'm down.
  • canadianlbs
    canadianlbs Posts: 5,199 Member
    Options
    have to admit my only thought about it is ewwwwwwww.
  • taziarj
    taziarj Posts: 243 Member
    Options
    I recall seeing this product on an episode of Shark Tank!
  • SteveinChicago
    SteveinChicago Posts: 23 Member
    Options
    I've tried it both in a protein bar and baked into tortilla chips. Both were good and nothing tasted remotely strange about either of them. Don't know what if any flavor the powder has on its own but the bar tasted like any other one and the chip like a Dorito.
  • rainbow198
    rainbow198 Posts: 2,245 Member
    Options
    I saw someone talk about this on a talkshow called Cityline last week.

    I'm pretty adventurous so I'd give a sample a try.

    I would want to see how it blends into my foods and protein smoothies first before committing to purchasing pounds of it.
  • mlinci
    mlinci Posts: 403 Member
    Options
    I've seen it promoted as the food of the future, but, no way. Not for me, unless I was seriously starving, and I might actually sooner gnaw my arm off than eat insects.

    I happily eat prawns and shrimp, so it's not necessarily a rational decision on my part, just a strong visceral aversion. I watched a BBC documentary about eating insects a while ago, and I was on the verge of vomiting the entire time. I'm actually slightly physically sick just thinking about it.

  • amelialoveshersnacks
    amelialoveshersnacks Posts: 205 Member
    Options
    I reckon the next time you see a cricket bar OP, buy it and try it. :)
  • concordancia
    concordancia Posts: 5,320 Member
    Options
    I have had cricket quesadillas, but never more processed versions. Makes me wonder how they go about it, ie does farming manage to make cricket protein unsustainable?

Categories