🗞 Worm burger, anyone?

Hold the steak! Eating insects helps the planet

Do you eat worms? Have you ever snacked on deep-fried crickets?

Well, maybe not.

But do you know that about 2 billion people in the world regularly eat insects as part of their diet?

Worms, grubs, ants, termites, hornets, even scorpions… They all get people saying “Yum, dinner!” – especially in parts of Asia and Africa.

Some young people want to add Belgium to that list.

Yes, Belgium. The Belgian government has made it easier for people to sell insects as food. Neighbours of WoW! in Brussels sell bugs in local shops.

Why? Well, they’re tasty. They’re really good for you. And they are especially good for Planet Earth.

Today is Earth Day, when we think about things we can all do to keep our world healthy. So we thought you’d like to know more about eating insects.

Less greenhouse gas

It’s good for the environment because creatures like crickets, which are a favourite with fans in Brussels, give us the same goodness as meat from cows or chickens – but with much, much less damage to the planet.

Already lots of people try to eat less beef, or even become vegetarian. Some people think eating meat is cruel to animals. But people worry too that feeding cows, pigs, chickens and so on is also doing damage to our planet.

Farmers can use lots of water and chemicals to grow the plants that we feed to animals. And farm animals give off lots of methane gas (when they burp and fart…). That all adds to global warming, messing up our weather.

Crickets in the bedroom

Maïté and Raphaël were students in Belgium, joking around, when they had an idea. They wanted to make food that was friendly to the environment. So… they bought some crickets. And took them home.

“We used a spare bedroom to start the farm,” Maïté told the Brussels food and restaurant website hotpopote.com.

She admitted that sometimes crickets would escape and start hopping about the house. Yikes!

And even for Maïté, dealing with insects wasn’t easy at first.

I really liked the idea. But once we had the insects at home, when I had to put my hand into the cages, I screamed every time!

Maïté, a cricket farmer from Belgium

Treats for friends?

Have we convinced you to try eating insects?

You can eat them like nuts. Make them into burgers. Or turn them into a kind of flour that you can add to puddings…

Still not convinced?

Well, perhaps some friends of WoW! might have an answer for how you can still help the planet.

Madeleine got the idea from Mojo. Mojo’s a dog. That’s a clue to what Madeleine and her friend Paola make in France with insects.

That’s right… Dog food!

Madeleine and Paola make biscuits for dogs – and cats – made out of insects. It’s great for pets. And it means animals are eating much less meat. And that’s good for the planet. And for all of us.

So if you don’t fancy grasshopper pie yourself, maybe try it on a friendly pet?

Let us know if you do!